The Buzz Lady

Secrets of the Wing: Timothy Dalton, Mae Whitman and more on Tinker Bell's newadventure

I took flight to the Big Apple for the new DVD release of Disney’s new animated featureSecret of the Wings. The movie takes you on a journey with Tinker Bell, one of the world’s most beloved and iconic characters as she discovers she has a sister, Periwinkle.

Before even seeing the film in Disney’s private screening room on Park Avenue and 59th Street, I went on an unexpected adventure myself. I sent a text to Jessica Rossman, who splits her time there with longtime boyfriend Gordon Bethune. I thought we would be able to grab a drink; instead she invited me to sit at their table at Sotheby’s for the New York Academy of Art auction and dinner.

In Secret of the Wings, Disney once again pulls out all the stops when it comes to color and animation.

There was just one problem: I didn’t have a cocktail dress. So I literally hauled ass down the street and picked up a little black dress from Zara. After the movie, which is short and sweet at only an hour and 14 minutes long (we’ll get to more of that in a moment) I hopped a cab and headed for the event.

When I arrived the auction was still going on. In the crowd I saw Brooke Shields sitting in the third row looking stunning. Paintings were going from anywhere from $2,000 to $40,000 with the proceeds going towards art scholarships.

At dinner, I was greeted by other Houstonians including famed make-up artist Edward Sanchez. Fashion designer Cesar Galindo had canceled so I took his coveted seat. Sitting just two tables over were actress Naomi Watts and her love interest, actor Liev Schreiber. Yes, she’s even prettier in person!

Now back to why I came to NYC in the first place. In Secret of the Wings, Disney once again pulls out all the stops when it comes to color and animation. In the story, the Winter Woods remains mysterious and forbidden to Tinker Bell and the other warm fairies. When Tinker Bell sneaks over the border she finds a whole new world of adventure and she meets Periwinkle, who she later discovers is her sister.

Secrets of the Wings has lots of familiar voices, including Angelica Huston, Timothy Dalton and Mae Whitman, who is currently starring in the TV show Parenthood. Although Huston was unavailable for interviews, Dalton was more than happy to talk about lending his voice. Casually dressed in jeans and tennis shoes, his hair is longer and gray, but he still has those amazing blue eyes. It really didn’t matter what he had on with that accent, I could have just sat there and heard him talking about the weather.

It really didn’t matter what he had on with that accent, I could have just sat there and heard him talking about the weather.

Dalton was paired with the handsome young Matt Lanter who you may know from CW’s 90210. However I know his voice from Star Wars: The Clone Wars on the Cartoon Network — remember, I have a 7 year-old-boy.

Both were charming, enjoyed being part of the Disney family and, get this, had never met before they sat down for the day’s worth of interviews at the Ritz-Carlton. They explained that’s what happens when you do animated films; you usually don’t see or meet any of the other actors.

Playing Tinker Bell is the lovely Whitman. She’s young but sophisticated in so many ways. She’s been in show business since the tender age of 3 and has starred in movies including Independence Day, One Fine Day and Hope Floats. She doesn’t watch too much TV; even though she’s on a show in fact she’s an avid reader.

Director Peggy Holmes told me she couldn’t think of any one better to play Tinker Bell. It had to be her. As you’ll see in the clips from my interviews with the actors, there's a lot to like about them and the film. But remember, you can’t see it in theaters; it’s only available on DVD and coming out this week. With the holidays right around the corner, it makes for a great stocking stuffer for girls of all ages.

Movie Review

Houston native Wes Anderson shows off comedic side in The Phoenician Scheme

Benicio Del Toro, Mia Threapleton, and Michael Cera in The Phoenician Scheme

Photo courtesy of TPS Productions/Focus Features

Benicio Del Toro, Mia Threapleton, and Michael Cera in The Phoenician Scheme.

If you were to do a poll of the best comedy filmmakers of the 21st century, writer/director Wes Anderson is not the obvious choice to come out on top, but there’s an argument to be made for him. His quirky style doesn’t yield the guffaws that more broad comedies do, but the absurd situations he creates in his films are often more consistently funny than anything else.

Anderson’s inimitable approach is once again on full display in The Phoenician Scheme. At its center is Zsa-Zsa Gorda (Benicio Del Toro), a much-hated businessman who’s looking to complete a number of big projects in the fictional country of Phoenicia. As he seems to be the target of multiple assassination attempts, he appoints his daughter, Liesl (Mia Threapleton), as his heir to try to ensure his legacy.

Both she and his new assistant, Bjorn (Michael Cera), accompany him around the country as he tries to enact a scheme to have others cover the bulk of the cost for the various projects. Those he attempts to convince include Phoenician Prince Farouk (Riz Ahmed), brothers Leland (Tom Hanks) and Reagan (Bryan Cranston), fellow businessman Marseille Bob (Mathieu Amalric), ship captain Marty (Jeffrey Wright), his Cousin Hilda (Scarlett Johansson), and Uncle Nubar (Benedict Cumberbatch).

Put in Andersonian terms, the film is a mix between the madcap antics from The Grand Budapest Hotel and the impenetrable storytelling of Asteroid City. If you were to try to understand every detail of what’s going on in the story of The Phoenician Scheme, it might take three or more viewings to do so. But the film is still highly entertaining because Anderson fills its frames with his typical visual delights, great wordplay, and his particular version of slapstick.

Much of the comedy of the film derives from Anderson inserting moments that initially come as a surprise and then utilizing them as running jokes. The film features more blood than usual for the filmmaker, but each time a character gets wounded (or worse), it gets funnier. The assassination attempts get broader as the film goes along, and the matter-of-fact way in which they’re treated by Gorda and others is also hilarious.

Of course, Anderson is the cinephile’s comedy director, so the film is also full of high-brow things like allusions to paintings, tributes to other filmmakers, and classical music. Each time Gorda has an attempt on his life, he briefly finds himself in a version of limbo, depicted in black-and-white by Anderson. The cast of characters Gorda finds there - including Bill Murray as God - could come straight out of a 1950s Ingmar Bergman movie.

Del Toro has delivered some great performances over the years, but this one is near the top for him. This is his second Anderson film (following The French Dispatch) and he nails the deadpan method. Also great is Cera, who uses a ridiculous accent to make a big impression. Threapleton, the daughter of Kate Winslet, makes the most of her first big film role. The list of supporting actors is too deep to properly laud everyone, but they all fit in seamlessly.

Opinions will differ, but for this critic’s money, Anderson is at his best when he fully leans into the comedy of his films. He does just that in The Phoenician Scheme, to the point that it doesn’t matter that the story is overly complex. The combination of his eye for visual detail, a witty script, and committed performances make it a success.

---

The Phoenician Scheme is now playing in theaters.

Loading...