Page 18 THE VILLADOM TIMES II & IV • October 7, 2009 DVDs (continued from Restaurant page) newspaper. He is assigned to write an article on the class president, but when one of the prettiest girls in school (Mischa Barton) convinces him to investigate missing SAT exams, the plot takes some interesting turns. This film was a surprise hit at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. Thompson is the best thing about “Assassination...” He has an intrinsic sense of comic timing. Willis is broader in his portrayal, and the humor in his performance is knowing that this movie star is appearing in a fairly small role in a modest movie. There are lots of laughs in “Assassination of a High School President,” rated R. Special features include filmmaker’s commentary, deleted scenes, and alternate opening scenes with optional commentary. more engaging, thanks to Lindsay’s strong performance. Paper Mill has traditionally mounted beautiful musical productions, highlighted by lavish sets. The wondrous sets created by frequent Paper Mill set designer Michael Anania are still easily brought to mind. The scenic designer of “Little House on the Prairie,” Adrianne Lobel, has made it look like a truck show -- one that has sparse sets that can be put up and struck quickly so the show can move quickly to the next town. Five sliding panels represent both the interior and exterior of the Ingalls home and various other buildings. These panels are accompanied by a few drops, and some rolling platforms of wheat to remind the audience that the Ingalls are farmers. It can be argued that the spare sets suggest the vast expanse of the prairie, but for a theater with a reputation for lavish musicals, the use of sketchy sets is a disappointment. Michele Lynch’s choreography is reminiscent of Michael Kidd’s buoyant dances from the movie “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,” which shares a common time period and setting with “Little House...” It’s tough to incorporate dances smoothly into a story set on the wide plains of Dakota territory, but Lynch draws a bit from square dance and a bit from clog dance, with a smidgeon of Broadway pizzazz tossed in to give them polish. Though dance does not dominate this production, it is a welcome ingredient. “Little House on the Prairie: The Musical” runs through Oct. 10 and will be presented on Wednesday at 7 p.m., Thursday at 1:30 and 7 p.m., Friday at 7 p.m., Saturday at 1:30 and 7 p.m., and Sunday at 1:30 and 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased by calling (973) 376-4343, at the Paper Mill Playhouse box office on Brookside Drive in Millburn, or online at www.papermill.org. ARIES - Mar 21/Apr ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 2020 Romance has eluded you a a few Romance has eluded you forfor few weeks, Aries, but this week you’re weeks, Aries, but this week you’re ready get back in the love race. ready to to get back in the love race. Wine and dine that special someone Wine and dine that special someone and the results will wonderful. and the results will be be wonderful. TAURUS - Apr 21/May TAURUS - Apr 21/May 2121 Too much holiday spending has left Too much holiday spending has left you strapped cash, Taurus. Don’t you strapped forfor cash, Taurus. Don’t worry, you’ll rebound quickly from worry, you’ll rebound quickly from your overindulgence. the interim, your overindulgence. In In the interim, keep it low key. keep it low key. GEMINI - May 22/Jun GEMINI - May 22/Jun 2121 Winter weather has you imagining the Winter weather has you imagining the warm, sandy beaches a a faraway warm, sandy beaches of offaraway lo-location. Now a a good time plan a cation. Now is is good time to to plan a getaway recharge. Spend the holigetaway to to recharge. Spend the holidays vacation. days onon vacation. CANCER - Jun 22/Jul CANCER - Jun 22/Jul 2222 You’re better spirits than you’ve You’re in in better spirits than you’ve been months, Cancer, and it it could been in in months, Cancer, and could be be due to change of of scenery. Or it due to a a change scenery. Or it could that you’ve finally just decould be be that you’ve finally just decided lighten up. cided to to lighten up. LEO - Jul 23/Aug LEO - Jul 23/Aug 2323 Don’t get nervous when a problem Don’t get nervous when a problem arises, Leo. You’ll handle it with tact arises, Leo. You’ll handle it with tact and grace. Reward yourself a a job and grace. Reward yourself forfor job well done going out for dinner or well done byby going out for dinner or making extravagant purchase. making an an extravagant purchase. VIRGO - Aug 24/Sept VIRGO - Aug 24/Sept 2222 Your big scheme save money isn’t Your big scheme to to save money isn’t quite working, Virgo. When home quite working, Virgo. When home improvements are necessary, you’re improvements are necessary, you’re spending more than you’re making. spending more than you’re making. That leads trouble. That leads to to trouble. LIBRA - Sept 23/Oct LIBRA - Sept 23/Oct 2323 Mend fences with family members Mend fences with family members you’ve hurt, Libra. Round out the end you’ve hurt, Libra. Round out the end of of the year on good terms with everythe year on good terms with everyone you know, 2006 will be a a fresh one you know, so so 2006 will befresh start. start. SCORPIO - Oct 24/Nov SCORPIO - Oct 24/Nov 2222 Family moments are the heart of Family moments are at at the heart of this week, Scorpio. Show your tender this week, Scorpio. Show your tender side and spend much time as posside and spend as as much time as possible with loved ones. Host a holiday sible with loved ones. Host a holiday celebration. celebration. SAGITTARIUS - Nov 23/Dec SAGITTARIUS - Nov 23/Dec 2121 A A big brawl with family member big brawl with a a family member puts you a a foul mood this week. puts you in in foul mood this week. It It may be time to cut ties with this may be time to cut ties with this person once and all, as much as person once and forfor all, as much as it may hurt. it may hurt. CAPRICORN - Dec 22/Jan CAPRICORN - Dec 22/Jan 2020 You’ve been treating a family memYou’ve been treating a family member very poorly, Capricorn, even after ber very poorly, Capricorn, even after allall this person has done for you. Think this person has done for you. Think about where you’d right now if if about where you’d be be right now it it wasn’t his or her help. wasn’t forfor his or her help. AQUARIUS - Jan 21/Feb AQUARIUS - Jan 21/Feb 1818 Your stubbornness is getting you into Your stubbornness is getting you into trouble, Aquarius. Stop arguing with trouble, Aquarius. Stop arguing with a a friend family member. These petty friend or or family member. These petty squabbles are not worth the energy squabbles are not worth the energy wasted them. wasted onon them. PISCES - Feb 19/Mar PISCES - Feb 19/Mar 2020 Watch the fattening treats holiday Watch the fattening treats at at holiday celebrations, Pisces. Don’t sabotage celebrations, Pisces. Don’t sabotage allall your hard work by packing on the your hard work by packing on the pounds this late the game. pounds this late in in the game. Playhouse (continued from Entertainment page) transformation from tomboy to young lady when she takes up a teaching position away from her family. The second act focuses mostly on Laura as she becomes a teacher and falls in love with a neighbor. The show is reminiscent of “Little Women” for a number of reasons. Both stories take place in the latter half of the nineteenth century, the central character is a spirited young woman who defies convention, romance comes unexpectedly to the protagonists, and both draw heavily on family and assorted family experiences. Gilbert is the box office name here, as she played Laura in the popular TV show. Her role as Ma is at best supporting. Her singing voice is serviceable, but she lacks sufficient stage presence to make her character come alive. Her portrayal is too transparent, so it is hard to buy into her portrayal. Massey, who is playing a young man not yet 21 looks far older than that, and he seems too confident and selfassured for a young farmer shouldering heavy responsibilities. The Act I song, “Old Enough,” in which Almanzo sings of his considerable abilities despite his youth, never convinces. “Little House on the Prairie: The Musical” is pleasant enough but lacks dramatic bite. When things are tough for the Ingalls family, the audience never feels the hardship. The actors pretend to be tired, downcast, and angry at nature’s unpredictability, but their characters’ pain never extends beyond the footlights. Act I moves very slowly and could benefit from some pruning. Act II is far Answer to Last Week’s Puzzle Answer to Last Week’s Puzzle