As you probably expected, this past Saturday I saw both Rent and Highlander: Endgame. Now I shall do my best to review them both, beginning with ...

HIGHLANDER: ENDGAME

This was much less another "Highlander" movie sequel (which is good, because let's face it, all of the sequels thus far have sucked) and more a big screen version of the series. That said, it was pretty good. It could have been better, but it served its purpose, which was to pass the movie torch from Conner McLeod to Duncan and company. The title was a bit deceptive, as the movie did not depict the final battle to be "the one," and left plenty of room for the television series to continue as a film series. It was basically the "Highlander" version of "Star Trek: Generations." In fact, that's pretty much exactly what it was, with Conner McLeod serving as Captain Kirk and Duncan McLeod as Picard. I suppose that makes Joe Dawson and Methos the movie's Riker and Data, respectively. I'd have preferred for it to end on more of an upbeat note, as it was it was quite a downer. Still, it was a pretty decent hand-off, and I look forward to future films. I actually look forward to anything that will put both Adrian Paul and Peter Wingfield on the big screen. Talk about eye candy. Yow.

RENT

I've never been very good at reviewing musicals. They usually fall into one of three categories, and most often, the second of the three. The first is shows that I hate. There has actually only been one of these, and I walked out during intermission and tried to put the whole thing behind me, and couldn't be bothered to say anything more about it than that it sucked.

The second is shows that I like well enough that I don't regret paying to see them, but probably wouldn't go out of my way to see again. I'm actually best at reviewing these shows, because they hold my attention well enough to pay attention all the way through, but don't sweep me away so much that I can't pay attention to detail.

The third category is shows that I love, that from the first note I get so caught up that all my brain can think is "Wow! This is incredible! I'm so happy to be here! I can't believe I got such good seats! This show freaking ROCKS!" and then I'm too full of joy to be able to notice the details that make for a good review. All I can do is gush.

"Rent" falls into the third category. There is not a single critical thing I can think to say about it. Granted, I may have been a bit biased. The first time I saw the original cast perform "La Vie Boheme" and "Seasons of Love" on the Tony Awards the year it opened on Broadway, I was blown away. Soon after I bought the cast recording, and I've listened to it umpteen times since (I'm listening to it as I write this, as a matter of fact). So I was already enamored with the show when I went in.

On the other hand, I went in with impossibly high expectations, which could easily have not been met. I did experience some trepidation when I saw the program insert informing us that the role of Roger would be played at that performance by an understudy. I prepared to be disappointed with his performance, but I needn't have feared. He did a great job (I'd tell you his name if I could remember it. It was Joshua something). From the moment Mark entered the stage and the groupies in the cheap seats started screaming like they were at a rock concert, I knew I was in for something special, and I was right. Everybody did such an incredible job (even the Roger understudy), that they exceeded my expectations and gave me a better show than I'd ever imagined.

"Rent" managed the near-impossible feat of edging out "Jekyll & Hyde" for my second favorite musical (the first, of course, being "Phantom of the Opera," a show that will always be my favorite for all kinds of sentimental reasons I don't want to get into here). It's a show that I'm willing to travel far and wide to see again, that I'd have gone to see again immediately if I'd had the money and if tickets had been available. It's a show that you should see if you ever have the opportunity.

In other Labor Day Weekend news, I shampooed my carpet. I'm sure you're as thrilled about it as I.

Now I'm back at work, and I have three days to accomplish all sorts of things in preparation for my vacation, so don't expect much more than this for the week. I say that, but we both know I'll post some more, because it's a compulsion. Not much more, though.