This delightful film is perfect for holiday cheer on Tuesday, Dec. 13, at the Soper-Reese Community Theatre in Lakeport, with a $5 suggested donation.

The doors open at 5:30 p.m. with the film starting at 6 p.m.

This famous movie brings Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire to the screen as a popular nightclub song-and-dance team.

After his heart is broken by his girlfriend, Crosby retires from the tensions of big city showbiz. He purchases a rustic New England farm and converts it to an inn, which he opens to the public (floor show and all) only on holidays.

The film is filled with memorable songs; including the Oscar-winning “White Christmas” as well as Fred Astaire's best moment in his Fourth of July firecracker dance.

This special Lake County showing is part of a new Classic Movie Series recently debuted at the theater that runs on the second Tuesday of every month through June of 2012.

Check the theater's Web site, www.soperreesetheatre.com, or call 707-263-0577 to see what other classics are coming up.

The Soper-Reese Community Theatre is a restored, historic, performing arts venue established in 1949 and seating 300 patrons.

Run by an all-volunteer organization, the theatre operates under the guidance of the nonprofit Lake County Arts Council.

The Soper-Reese brings dance, music, plays and poetry to all members of the Lake County community and to visiting tourists.

Ted Kooser, US Poet Laureate from 2004 to 2006. Photo by UNL Publications and Photography.

My mother and her sisters were experts at using faint praise, and “Bless her heart” was a very useful tool for them. Richard Newman, of St. Louis, does a great job here of showing us how far that praise can be stretched.

Bless Their Hearts

At Steak ‘n Shake I learned that if you add

“Bless their hearts” after their names, you can say

whatever you want about them and it’s OK.

My son, bless his heart, is an idiot,

she said. He rents storage space for his kids’

toys—they’re only one and three years old!

I said, my father, bless his heart, has turned

into a sentimental old fool. He gets

weepy when he hears my daughter’s greeting

on our voice mail. Before our Steakburgers came

someone else blessed her office mate’s heart,

then, as an afterthought, the jealous hearts

of the entire anthropology department.

We bestowed blessings on many a heart

that day. I even blessed my ex-wife’s heart.

Our waiter, bless his heart, would not be getting

much tip, for which, no doubt, he’d bless our hearts.

In a week it would be Thanksgiving,

and we would each sit with our respective

families, counting our blessings and blessing

the hearts of family members as only family

does best. Oh, bless us all, yes, bless us, please

bless us and bless our crummy little hearts.

American Life in Poetry is made possible by The Poetry Foundation, publisher of Poetry magazine. It is also supported by the Department of English at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Poem copyright ©2009 by Richard Newman from his most recent book of poetry, Domestic Fugues, Steel Toe Books, 2009. Reprinted by permission of Richard Newman. Introduction copyright ©2011 by The Poetry Foundation. The introduction's author, Ted Kooser, served as United States Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 2004-2006. They do not accept unsolicited manuscripts.

HAPPY FEET TWO (Rated PG)

Five years ago, dancing penguins became all the rage in “Happy Feet,” a film so good it won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

Since Hollywood can no more resist a sequel than Lindsay Lohan can avoid being arrested, “Happy Feet Two” proved to be inevitable.

That’s good news for younger viewers who delight in witnessing the outlandish dancing and singing Emperor penguins who have the hoofing and vocal talents of a Broadway chorus line.

The leading penguin role, then and now, belongs to Mumble (Elijah Wood). As a youngster in the original film, unlike his fellow penguins, Mumble had no talent for singing.

While vocally challenged, Mumble proved to be an exceptional tap dancer who decided to cut his own path in the world, teaming up with other birds, including the exotic Ramon (Robin Williams).

In “Happy Feet Two,” Mumble is now an adult penguin, married to his original love, Gloria (singer Pink), and the father of awkward Erik (Ava Acres).

Mumble, the Master of Tap, faces a parental dilemma because Erik, unable to locate his inner waltzing mojo, doesn’t have the groove to become a tap dancer.

Reluctant to find his own “happy feet,” Erik runs away and encounters the Mighty Sven (Hank Azaria) – a colorful penguin who can actually fly.

Meanwhile, the despondent Mumble has no hope of competing with this charismatic new role model. His parenting skills are questionable, though he truly wants to connect with his outcast son.

Naturally, Mumble sets out to bring his wayward son back home, and then a massive storm causes great problems, cutting off the rest of Mumble’s clan from the outside world.

A parallel story of discovery and redemption plays out with two tiny crustaceans that decide to cut loose from their massive swarm that is doomed to be consumed by a passing whale.

Will and Bill the Krill (Brad Pitt and Matt Damon respectively) break away from the pack in search of identity and adventure, which is no easy task for these microscopic creatures.

The audacious Will, longing to be a predator, wants to move up the food chain, while the nervous Bill remains terrified that he will not survive outside the comfort zone of being just one in a billion.

Back to the penguins, Mumble eventually links up with Erik and two of his little penguin pals, but they are soon stranded on an impassable ice bridge.

Their plight is further complicated by an encounter with the ferocious elephant seal Bryan the Beachmaster (Richard Carter), but something happens that is reminiscent of a Greek fable.

It may be a matter of personal taste, but I found that the most compelling characters were the tiny crustaceans, and not just because Brad Pitt and Matt Damon played the roles.

Actually, Will and Bill the Krill may not be the most compelling, but they are the funniest characters as the bicker and banter about their search for survival and new meaning in life.

Aside from the shrimp-like creatures, humor arrives in more limited doses than in the original “Happy Feet.” Though the Mighty Sven is a certifiable oddball, his spiel wears thin long before he’s exposed as a fraud.

In the end, “Happy Feet Two” delights with its lovable creatures. After all, who doesn’t love adorable penguins? I am sucker for any movie with penguins, even one starring Jim Carrey.

On the downside, the eco-friendly film strains for relevance and lacks a coherent storyline that does little more than tap into the predictable emotional attachment we have for the tuxedoed birds.

To appreciate the majesty of the Emperor penguins, it might be best to take another look at “March of the Penguins,” the documentary that followed these majestic birds on their home turf in Antarctica.

DVD RELEASE UPDATE

For a look at an upcoming DVD release, I am going completely in the opposite direction of something family friendly.

“Tucker & Dale vs. Evil” is a strange brew of comedy and horror. It’s a hilarious take on the cheesy slasher films that involve college students lost in the woods.

Tucker (Alan Tudyk) and Dale (Tyler Labine) are two best friends on vacation who are mistaken for murderous backwoods hillbillies by a group of preppy college kids.

Of course, Tucker and Dale look like the characters in “Deliverance” and they own a dilapidated cabin in a remote lakeside area.

All that the two buddies want to do is to enjoy a relaxing weekend of fishing at their secluded vacation home. But evil has other plans for them.

Instead, a series of misunderstandings and tragic events occur that result in the death or dismemberment of some of the visitors, who come to believe that Tucker and Dale are out to kill them all.

“Tucker & Dale vs. Evil” is a clever satire on the horror/slasher genre. On the film festival circuit it has been a huge hit with horror fans.

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.

With the world economy teetering precariously because of debt crises in Greece and Italy, just to pick on a couple of failing nations, the annual American Film Market (AFM) gathering in Santa Monica is boasting of greater general attendance and an increase in participation by film buying companies.

I’m thinking attendees may have been enticed by the Thai Night festivities on the opening day, as the result of a formal invitation sent by Her Royal Highness Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya Sirivadhana Barnavadi.

Unable to accept the summons from the princess, I missed out on something good from all accounts. In the past, I have observed that AFM, a marketplace for film sellers, buyers and industry leaders, lacks the glamour of the Cannes Film Festival.

But seriously, how does George Clooney or Angelina Jolie compare with royalty? Next year, I will keep my schedule open, lest I have to settle for a press conference with director Rob Reiner (aka “Meathead”) as he pitches a film called “Summer at Dog Dave’s.”

Once again, AFM is screening more than 400 films over the course of the eight-day event. Of those, 69 movies are world premieres and 310 are market premieres. Every two hours, 29 films are shown by exhibitors from 35 countries.

Even those challenged by math can figure out that a brief window of time permits only a limited sampling of the cinematic fare on offer. In many cases, you are better off for missing out.

The best way to get a flavor of the film offerings is to visit the hotel rooms and suites where independent film companies peddle their wares like a swap meet in the elegant surroundings of the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel.

Over the years, AFM has grown in stature so that quality films made independently from the studio system are sold. Recent examples include “Black Swan,” “The King’s Speech,” “Limitless” and “The Lincoln Lawyer.”

Thankfully, the basic staple on display is the usual schlock cinema of B-grade horror and cheesy action, with some sex comedies thrown in for good measure. It’s a lot more fun shopping for junk.

The undisputed king of tacky cinema is New York-based Troma Pictures, purveyors of classics like “Surf Nazis Must Die” and “A Nymphoid Barbarian in Dinosaur Hell.” And through an extensive film catalog, Troma is still peddling “The Toxic Avenger” and its three sequels.

It was disappointing to discover that Troma’s new venture is a film with the benign title of “Father’s Day.” Yet, the poster art, illustrated by chainsaw-wielding maniacs and half-naked girls, proves to be reassuring that Troma has not lost its touch.

Not only won’t the zombie film genre just die, it remains very much alive at AFM. “Gangsters, Guns and Zombies” takes the craze of the undead in a new direction. Meanwhile, “World of the Dead: The Zombie Diaries 2” is more traditional.

“The Dead Undead” combines both zombies and vampires into one colossal epic battle. When campers are pursued by a ravenous zombie horde, they take refuge in a deserted town that harbors a secret vampire community. The vampires take the defenseless humans under their wing and all-out war between vampires and zombies begins.

The best vampire trend may well come from “Vampire Dog,” a family film about a 12-year-old boy who inherits a dog named Fang when his grandfather, a resident of Transylvania, passes away. I’ll bet those kids in the “Twilight” movies come up short against the canine.

The comedy horror genre takes a stab at zombies with “Dead Before Dawn 3D.” College students uncover a curse that causes people to kill themselves and turn into Zombie Demons, aka Zemons.

The combination of vixens and werewolves takes an interesting turn in “Strippers vs. Werewolves.” A stripper kills a misbehaving customer who turns out to be a werewolf; complications ensue when the dead lycanthrope’s friends swear bloody vengeance.

AFM is not just about campy horror films; it’s also the place where forgotten stars attempt to resurrect their careers. Eric Roberts, true to form in the role of a sleazy character, plays a greedy casino owner fleecing his own employees in “Stealing Las Vegas.”

There are even comedies about Viagra. The most promising is “Hard Times,” the story of four young bachelors stuck in a remote Irish village who decide to hijack a truck load of the erectile dysfunction pills to sell on the black market in Amsterdam.

AFM is irresistible fun because you learn a lot about what sells for the popular taste around the world.

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.

Adele Oppenheimer will be the featured performer at the Mendocino Coast concert series Musica Eclectica on Sunday, November 27, 2011, in Little River, Calif. Courtesy photo.

NORTH COAST, Calif. – The new Mendocino Coast concert series, Musica Eclectica, got off to a rousing start on Nov. 13, with one of the best chamber music concerts in recent memory.

A string and piano quartet featuring Caspar's Tony Miksak on Cello performed Mozart's Piano Quartet in E-flat major, and Brahm's Piano Quartet #3, Op. 60. Their performance received a standing ovation.

Now, as the Monty Pythons used to say, “for something completely different.”

Following the musical diversity theme of the new concert series, Musica Eclectica, Little River concert producer Jim Culp presents a joyous afternoon of show tunes and songs we all love sung by Marin County vocalist Adele Oppenheimer, accompanied by local pianist Lynn Kiesewetter on Sunday, Nov. 27.

After intermission at the Woods Clubhouse, on Little River Airport Road, Oppenheimer will hand out songbooks for members of the audience and lead them in a sing-along that features tunes that anyone over the age of 50 should know.

Adele Oppenheimer’s musical career started when she was three, harmonizing with her sisters and singing words she didn’t even understand.

She continued singing throughout school and later with the College of Marin Community Chorus & Gospel choir, and the San Francisco Choral Society.

She is currently a member of Ross Commons, a four-part harmony group, which often performs at Bread & Roses venues.

Oppenheimer also performs with piano and rhythm accompaniment at retirement communities in Marin, Napa, Sonoma and now Mendocino County.

Chief among them are Felix Mendelssohn's “Hebrides Overture,” written when the composer was just 20 years old, and now generally known by it's more popular name “Fingals Cave.” The music evokes the beauty of the Irish seashore where Mendelssohn first explored the cavern.

Another relative youngster at the time Sergei Prokofiev, created what has become one of the most enduring – and endearing – family music classics ever written.

Charged with producing a piece that would help children better understand and appreciate music, Prokofiev spent just four days in developing a story about a little boy – Peter – who lives with his grandfather in a house deep in the woods, along with a pet cat and duck, and a friendly wild bird. And, of course, the household is threatened by a wolf.

The composer wrote narration to let the kids follow the story line, and assigned instruments of the orchestra to represent the characters.

For example Beth Aiken's oboe will represent the pet duck, which is eventually cornered and swallowed whole by the wolf, while Cathy Hall's flute will be the bird that warns them that the wolf is on the way.

Clarinetist Nick Biondo will play the part of the cat, while the violin section, led by Andi Skelton, will represent Peter, who eventually succeeds in capturing the wolf and hanging him by his tail from a tree, where a band of hunters find him.

The Timpani takes the part of the hunters, while Ann Hubbard's bassoon represents the grumpy grandfather and the French Horns are the wolf.

The story line becomes clear with the help of narration by veteran local actor Bert Hutt. With Hutt's help, listeners are given hope that the duck may be rescued from the wolf's belly, unhurt.

The program will also include "In the Hall of the Mountain King" from the first suite of Edvard Grieg's "Peer Gynt suite" which was adopted from a play written by Norway's most famed playwright Henrik Ibsen.

The CLPA Youth Orchestra, under the direction of Susan Condit, will also stick to the youth theme, featuring Hee Newbold's “Mythos.”

Newbold is a well-known young Korean actress, composer, musician and film-maker. A second selection is “The Royal March of the Lions” from Camille Saint Saens' “Carnival of the Animals.” The program ends with the “Finale” from the same work.

Parents are reminded that youngsters under 18 are admitted free to the full-dress rehearsal that starts at 11 a.m., with Bert Hutt's narration supported by additional comments from Conductor Parkinson.

Adults, too, are welcome at the rehearsal for just a $5 admission fee. Season tickets for the CLPA-sponsored Lake County Symphony are $85, or $100 for seats in the premium loge section, although very few of these remain unsold. In both cases CLPA members get a $10 discount.

Single concert tickets are $27 for general seating and $32 for premium, also with a $5 discount for CLPA members.

Tickets can be ordered online at www.soperreesetheatre.com or by phone at 263-0577, or at the theater box-office, 275 S. Main St., Lakeport, Thursdays or Fridays from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.