A Movie for Every Mood

No Reservations

2007-08-11T20:37:00.000-07:00

One of my passions is to a) Bake; b) Cook. That is why the Food Network is on my small list of favorite channels. I love watching chefs whip up tantalizing entrees and exquisite desserts, and then trying a few of those recipes to make them my own. So I was delighted when the film No Reservations was released. What could be better? A romantic comedy where gourmet food is practically a character.

Kate (Catherine Zeta-Jones) has suddenly become responsible for her young niece Zoe (Abigail Breslin) after their sister/mother dies. While she is attempting to adjust to her new role with Zoe, Nick (Aaron Eckhart) is hired as a chef in the restaurant where Kate has long been the head chef ruling the kitchen with discipline and structure. Initially Nick seems to be her opposite, but what they share in common is their love of food. Zoe quickly warms up to the effervescent Nick, and Kate starts to fall for him too.

Zoe struggling with having lost her mother makes this film more of a drama than what I expected. Abigail Breslin’s performance makes our hearts ache for Zoe as she slowly comes to terms with the turn of events that has changed her life. You may remember Abigail from her role in Little Miss Sunshine for which she earned an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actress. She is growing into a fine young actor the likes of which we haven’t seen since Anna Paquin.

As in all romantic comedies (as in life itself), the path to love is never a straight line, and we are kept guessing about Kate and Nick until the end. Aaron Eckhart is appealing and it’s not difficult to see why Kate is attracted to the opera singing, Italian chef. The food does play front and center in many scenes. It’s nourishment, not just for our physical bodies, but also for our souls. The communal table where the waiters and chefs eat and practice their litanies of the ingredients of each new dish of the day, the makeshift tent where Zoe, Nick and Kate eat homemade pizza, the crowded café where friends meet for breakfast, provide more than just food, they bring a sense of belonging to a world where people can grow increasingly isolated and distant if they’re not careful.

Anyone who likes a film that goes deep into the characters and what they’re experiencing will like this one. And if you prefer a sit down restaurant where the food is cooked after you order it instead of before you arrive at the drive through, you will like this film. See it with No Reservations.

The Queen

2007-02-24T18:35:00.000-08:00

The Queen has been nominated for six Academy Awards (including Best Picture). With those kinds of accolades, I decided to go see it. Although it won’t ever be on my best movies of all time list, I was intrigued as the story unfolded. The film stars Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth and James Cromwell as Prince Philip.

I remember well my circumstances at the time I discovered that Lady Diana had died. I was shocked and angry at the paparazzi that surely contributed to the fatal accident. I had never been one to follow Diana’s activities with the zealous interest of a fan, and yet I certainly had heard enough about her in recent years to mourn the loss of this special woman.

The Queen examines the week following Diana’s death from the perspective of the “royal” family and that of recently elected Prime Minister Tony Blair. The queen’s reluctance to acknowledge Diana’s death publicly was a mistake she made and was severely criticized for. Some of what is depicted is surely the result of writers/filmmakers creative imagination, but it all serves to make a point about Diana’s tragic death. I appreciated the film as one who is not all that familiar with the British monarchy and England’s strange obeisance to a centuries old tradition of honoring this genealogical line. I came away having gained some insight into the tradition that uses God’s will as a reason for this family’s privilege.

The scenery shown as the royal family goes stalking (our equivalent of hunting) in the week following Diana’s death is stark, yet beautiful. It is an England I had not seen portrayed before: 40,000 mountainous and mostly treeless acres belonging to the royal family. I’m having a difficult time coming up with other positive things to say about this film. As far as I’m concerned, it doesn’t deserve any of the awards it has been nominated for. Perhaps it received the nominations because of its subject matter. There have certainly been better films that were released this year. Even though I don’t think it should win the awards, it was still an interesting movie.

Dreamgirls

2007-01-13T18:09:00.000-08:00

If you enjoy musicals, you will enjoy Dreamgirls. Based on the Broadway musical of the same name, it boasts a fine cast of actors and singers. The film is nominated for Best Motion Picture-Comedy or Musical at this year’s Golden Globe Awards. There are other film musicals I liked more overall (Chicago comes to mind), but this film has something Chicago never delivered: a really great singer. You may remember Jennifer Hudson from the 3rd season of American Idol. She didn’t even make it to the top two, but beat out winner Fantasia Barrino for the coveted role of Effie in Dreamgirls. She proves that one need not win the title of American Idol to go on to have a lustrous career.

The story follows the lives and dreams of a Supremes-like girl group. The turbulent 60’s with civil rights front and center, and later the 70’s with the movement toward disco are the backdrop for the action. Beyonce Knowles as Deena Jones, Anika Noni Rose as Lorrell Robinson, and Jennifer Hudson as Effie White, are the three young women with dreams of stardom. Effie’s brother C.C. (Keith Robinson) is a songwriter, and the four meet a manager, Curtis Taylor (Jamie Foxx), and the singer James “Thunder” Early (Eddie Murphy), as they navigate the world of entertainment and recording. Danny Glover and Loretta Devine are also featured.

Eddie Murphy received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance in a Supporting Role. I recalled that he had released a single or album in the 80’s (My Girl Wants to Party All the Time) and his performance on stage is fun to watch. It is puzzling that Beyonce Knowles netted a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance in a Comedy or Musical, while Jennifer Hudson was relegated to a nomination for Best Performance in a Supporting Role. From the beginning of the film, it is Jennifer as Effie who steals our attention, not Beyonce. It is Effie’s story, and Jennifer is definitely the better singer, and the one who will be remembered. Her voice is extraordinary, and although I hate to compare her with the other queens of soul, she is up there with the ranks of Aretha and Billie.

I overheard someone say they did not wish to see Dreamgirls as it would be depressing. This person went on to say she had heard the film was based on the Supremes, and thus thought it would be a sad ending. I was happy to discover it did not have a sad ending. It doesn’t stick strictly to the Supremes story, and is the better for it. It is in the end, a story of redemption for the good people in the film. I laughed, shed a tear, enjoyed every minute, and left the theatre feeling great.

The film is rated PG-13 for language, some sexuality and drug content. Bill Condon, who had a hand in writing the screenplay for Chicago, directed. Whereas Chicago is for me about the incredible dance numbers, Dreamgirls is all about the music. See it on the big screen.

Heart of the Beholder

2006-10-14T21:54:00.000-07:00

Heart of the Beholder is based on the true story of Mike and Diane Howard, video storeowners in St. Louis in the 1980’s. All is going along well for them until 1988 when The Last Temptation of Christ is released. The Howard’s refuse to pull the video from their shelves, and are targeted for financial ruin by a fanatical religious group, the Citizens For Decency. The group has blackmailed the Prosecuting Attorney to file obscenity charges against the Howard’s for carrying X-rated videos, a move supremely ironic since the Prosecuting Attorney frequents prostitutes. The case is taken to trial, but that is not the end of the difficulties for the Howard’s. Mike becomes very depressed and nearly throws his life away before bouncing back and strategizing a way to bring down the Prosecuting Attorney.

Early on in the film, a comment is made that not all Christians are like these fanatical groups who bomb family planning clinics and ban books. And that is important to remember. However, groups like the Citizens For Decency are still very vocal in their attempts to regulate other people’s lives, often in extreme and violent ways. Their members are damaged, vulnerable people who have found their way into the group, desperate to have a place to belong.

One such person depicted in this film was played by Silas Weir Mitchell as Lester, a mentally ill man easily influenced to commit crimes ranging from arson to intimidation and near kidnapping of a child. I recognized Mr. Mitchell from his playing an equally psycho young man in last season’s hit sitcom My Name is Earl, and his performance is outstanding.

This story is so incredible, I wondered how much was cooked up to make the story thrilling in a Hollywood storytelling way, and how much was truly factual. I found myself shaking my head in disbelief, such as when the movie Splash is presented as a target for banning, because their “rationale” was so ridiculous. But those who ban books and films are not rational. Since I am a lover of story and film and its potential to enlighten, educate and entertain, I feel that we should all protest censorship. It is up to individuals to decide, based on reviews such as mine, whether a film is something they want to watch or not, and leave everyone else to decide for themselves as well.

Heart of the Beholder is an entertaining and engrossing film. I liked the opening sequences as we follow the mighty Mississippi to its banks in St. Louis, but it soon has a made-for-TV movie feel to it. It is still worth renting or buying the DVD as this is a fascinating story that echoes the present as extremist groups still attempt to regulate how people should think and behave in our country today.

Slumber Party

2006-08-28T21:05:00.000-07:00

I remember hearing about a slumber party my older sister had where some boys allegedly snuck some beer into their tent that was pitched out under the trees in the orchard. The rest of the details of that night are unknown to me, but Slumber Party, a funny little film I was treated to recently, shows just what lengths a group of guys will go to crash a girls only night.

This is the first film written, produced and directed by Jazmine Bizzoco, Crystal Burdette, and Venice Ventresca. It is not rated, but in my judgment it is probably around a PG-13. I think it is amazing that a group of women in their twenties could pull off a production like this. Its humor reminded me vaguely of Booty Call, a very funny R rated film with Jamie Foxx and Tommy Davidson chasing around two women for you can guess what.

In Slumber Party, four friends go to Palm Springs to help one of them house sit. They deem their weekend as No Boys Allowed. A neighbor, Rufus, sees an opportunity has landed in his neighborhood, and he calls a couple of friends to come crash the party. This is where it gets really funny. I have to give these three writers credit for coming up with some very funny scenes of the guys’ journey to get to the party, and what they do to try to enter the house. Will the guys be successful and gain entrance to the slumber party? I’m not going to give it away.

The only thing that really kind of bothered me was the language. Do people in South Central LA really talk to one another like that? I’ll have to trust the filmmakers that it is realistic. I really can’t say living in the middle of New Mexico. The film is available on DVD only. There were parts that really had me laughing out loud. If you just want to experience something different and light for pure entertainment, give Slumber Party a try.

Lady in the Water

2006-08-13T16:52:00.000-07:00

M. Night Shyamalan has written and directed yet another fine film. I have been a fan of his ever since The Sixth Sense, and have carried my admiration for his work through viewing Unbreakable, Signs, and The Village. His most recent work, Lady in the Water, proved to be a complex and ambitious film.

Cleveland Heep (Paul Giamatti) is the stuttering maintenance man/superintendent at The Cove, an apartment complex with a unique swimming pool that leads to the Blue World. Cleveland discovers Story (Bryce Dallas Howard) swimming in the pool one night after hours. Story however is from a fairy tale, and has a purpose to fulfill for the benefit of mankind. A Chinese woman in the building slowly reveals to Cleveland the archetypal tale Story inhabits, and he tries to piece together the clues to deliver a happy ending. To finish the tale he enlists the help of a group of diverse residents in the building. That in itself was the part of the movie that was difficult to believe, that these residents would help him and not simply think him crazy, but this is a fantasy after all, and suspension of disbelief is required here.

The film is shot in a Rear Window like fashion (Alfred Hitchcock is one of Shyamalan’s favorite directors; mine too). Shyamalan himself has a more than cameo acting role in his film this time around as Vick, a young writer with a manuscript that will eventually help change the world. This role Shyamalan has chosen to play seems a bit of a grandiose choice, but he is a brilliant filmmaker after all and everything Vick learns about his writing could be applied to Shyamalan’s own works as well. For who among us really knows the impact our life’s work can have on future generations?

If I could distill the subject of this film into one word, it would be purpose. The mystery that is our world is looked at through the eyes of the residents of The Cove who are trying to figure out their purpose in life the same as any of us are doing in our own lives. This I think is what made Lady in the Water so appealing to me. Shyamalan attempted to tell an archetypal tale to inspire us to think about life, and anyone who likes to go to a film to have their mind challenged and stimulated would appreciate his attempt. I liked how I felt when I left the movie that even if I don’t know what exactly my contributions through my work and life have accomplished, they may be part of a process that helps the planet evolve.

The film is rated PG-13 for some frightening sequences (the world Story comes from has some truly scary creatures in it). If you haven’t seen Shyamalan’s other films, I recommend them all. You can easily rent them from Netflix (see link on this site).

The First Wives Club

2006-06-16T20:36:00.000-07:00

The grande dames of Hollywood, Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn, and Diane Keaton, star in The First Wives Club. With divorce in the United States running at 50% or more of all marriages, the fate of the women in this film is not unlikely. What they perpetuate after each of their marriages fail is.

The three were college girlfriends along with another woman, Cynthia Swann Griffin, who is so convincingly played by Stockard Channing in about two minutes of screen time, that the memory of her is indelibly imprinted on our minds just as it is for our three heroines, shocked by her death. The three reunited friends find they all have in common husbands who left each of them for younger women.

Elise (Goldie Hawn) is an award-winning actress with a drinking problem rivaled only by her need for plastic surgery. Annie (Diane Keaton) is separated from her husband, a self-involved businessman and philanderer. Brenda (Bette Midler) has a husband who is going through his second adolescence with younger Shelly (Sarah Jessica Parker) accompanying him. Grieving over the loss of their friend, they decide to join forces to get even with their ex’s. I really like the camaraderie between Annie, Elise, and Brenda, and how they help each other grow. Three heads are better than one.

I find it ironic and very sad that Olivia Goldsmith, the author of The First Wives Club (the book upon which the screenplay was based), died from complications of anesthesia during plastic surgery (I believe she was having liposuction underneath her chin). Is that the risk modern day women will have to take to stay appealing to men? Every woman I’ve talked to who’s seen this film loves it because even if they weren’t dumped for another woman, they know men who are like these husbands, and also know firsthand the attitude our culture perpetuates about youth and beauty which is so detrimental to women’s self-esteem. I recommend you see this film with your closest female friends. This is a very funny movie (rated PG), one that women will relate to, and during which men should be embarrassed as it shows the men here as completely pathetic creatures.

The outcome of The First Wives Club is so satisfying, and the actors’ performances really shine through the witty dialogue and physical comedy. It’s really a film classic for all time. Who hasn’t dreamed of getting even? Here is your chance to live vicariously through the antics of Annie, Elise, and Brenda, along with the help of a gay decorator (Bronson Pinchot), and socialite (Maggie Smith). The film also stars Marcia Gay Harden, Dan Hedaya, Victor Garber, and Elizabeth Berkley among others, and won the National Board of Review award for Best Acting by an Ensemble that year. Sarah Jessica Parker is svelte and beautiful in this pre-Sex and the City role, and Heather Locklear true to form as the woman who helped send Cynthia over the edge. Don’t give up-Get Even!

Governor's Cup Short Screenplay Competition

2006-05-26T20:34:00.000-07:00

I entered the above screenplay competition with my 10-page screenplay, A Candle for Spirit Bear. To my delight, it was selected as one of the 12 finalists in the competition out of 433 entries.

It was not selected to be one of the four short screenplays to be filmed, but better luck next time. It was a wonderful learning experience for me and a great honor to be selected as a finalist.

The New Mexico Film Office has a website you may be interested in which I added under my links on the left. It lists films currently in production in New Mexico and all about opportunities in the state to work in the film industry.

I will be away from my computer for about 12 days, and will get back to you with some new reviews once I return. Have a good Memorial Day weekend my faithful readers!

Field of Dreams

2006-05-20T18:10:00.000-07:00

Field of Dreams is based on the novel
Shoeless Joe by W. P. Kinsella. When I first heard of this film, I wondered if I’d like a movie about baseball and father/son relationships that takes place largely in a cornfield in Iowa. It is now one of my favorite films, and the perfect DVD to buy your Dad for Father’s Day.

Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner) is an average guy with a wife Annie (Amy Madigan) and a daughter Karen (Gaby Hoffman). His life has been uneventful until one day he hears a voice: “If you build it, he will come.” Ray deciphers this to mean that he should build a baseball field. Annie supports this vision of his, and Ray plows under a good portion of his crop of corn in order to build it. And they wait to see who will come.

Eventually, a ghostly figure appears on the field. It is Shoeless Joe Jackson (Ray Liotta), and a short while later several of the Chicago White Sox show up for practice. But that is not the end of it. Ray hears another message that sets him off on a cross-country journey to Boston to seek out a reclusive writer and former activist from the 1960’s, Terence Mann (James Earl Jones).

That’s all the plot you really need. Sit back and enjoy as Ray’s magical journey unfolds. This is the most appealing and engaging Kevin Costner has ever been in a film. His Ray is truly the "everyman" here that he embodies so well. Amy Madigan plays Ray’s wife Annie just right: a spunky, opinionated woman who is loyal to her husband and encourages his dreams. For me, that is the best part of the film; watching Ray and Annie sort out what the voice is trying to tell them, and then taking the action to create a little bit of heaven on earth. The appearance of James Earl Jones as the writer Terence Mann is a bit of casting genius. His sonorous voice convinces Ray and us that keeping the field, even though others think it’s crazy, is the right thing to do. It’s really a message about how we must keep building our dreams.

Phil Alden Robinson, who also directed the film, wrote the screenplay. The film and the screenplay were nominated for Academy Awards, but lost to Driving Miss Daisy that year. The music is perfect for the action. This was Burt Lancaster’s last film, and his playing Archibald “Moonlight” Graham (an actual person that Mr. Robinson found in a baseball encyclopedia) seems a fitting way to leave us.

It is a tribute to the film that the baseball field created for the movie in Dyersville, Iowa still draws hundreds of tourists a year who go there hoping to touch a bit of the magic they felt from seeing Field of Dreams. And if you’d like some help creating your own little bit of heaven on earth, get
Building Your Field Of Dreams by Mary Manin Morrissey. The book is well written, easy and interesting to read, and I believe it can be useful no matter what your spiritual beliefs.

Good Will Hunting

2006-05-12T18:46:00.000-07:00

Matt Damon and Ben Affleck wrote the screenplay Good Will Hunting from a short story Matt had written in college. Their story of writing the screenplay and nurturing it along until it got filmed the way they envisioned is inspirational to any aspiring screenwriter. But here, I’m going to tell you about the film, which is a masterpiece. Gus Van Sant directed the fine cast, which included the two young screenwriters/actors as well as Robin Williams in the important role of Sean, Will’s therapist. The drama is rated R for strong language, including some sex-related dialogue.

Will Hunting (Matt Damon) is a troubled young man, an orphan who suffered abuse at the hands of a succession of foster parents. He lives in an impoverished neighborhood in Boston, where he hangs out with his loyal working class buddies, including his best friend Chuckie (Ben Affleck). Will is also a mathematical genius, but chooses to work as a janitor. His janitorial position just happens to be at MIT, where he surreptitiously completes math problems left on the blackboards for advanced students.

Professor Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgard) tracks down the mysterious Will, and decides to try and help him. He strikes an agreement with Will’s parole officer to keep him out of jail. They will meet weekly for math instruction, and a therapist will provide weekly therapy sessions for Will.

Will scoffs at the idea of therapy, no doubt having suffered through many inadequate counseling sessions in the past. But the professor enlists the help of an old college roommate of his, Sean, who teaches psychology at a community college. Sean is quickly intrigued by Will and the challenge, and agrees to provide the therapy.

This film amazes me every time I watch it because of the way the therapy is portrayed. There is little I can complain about other than one moment when Sean becomes angry with Will and pushes him up against a wall. Other than that, Sean is depicted as an ethical and competent therapist, which we don’t often encounter in the movies.

One night when Will and his buddies go to a Harvard hangout, he meets Skylar (Minnie Driver), a pre-med student from England. She is charmed by his wit, and gives him her phone number. They begin to date, but Will can only allow Skylar to see little bits of himself, fearing that if he reveals who he really is, she will leave him.

Sean helps Will with his intimacy issues, and it is a beautiful thing to watch. At the Academy Awards, Robin Williams won Best Supporting Actor, and Matt Damon was nominated for Best Actor. Damon and Affleck famously won Best Original Screenplay, and it launched them into their successful acting careers. The nominations and awards that were given to Good Will Hunting are far too long to list here. If I didn’t know who the screenwriters were, I would have guessed them to be far older than they were when this was written (they were in their twenties). The dialogue is clever and wise, and the decisions Will makes about his life, important decisions about friends, career, and love, are depicted realistically. This is one of my favorite movies, and I hope that someday, Damon and Affleck will write again.

Blast from the Past

2006-05-09T20:13:00.000-07:00

In honor of Mother’s Day, I’ll be reviewing some of my Mom’s favorite movies. The first is Blast from the Past. This romantic comedy rated PG-13 has as its backdrop a unique story. Calvin and Helen Webber (Christopher Walken and Sissy Spacek) are an affluent couple living in Los Angeles in 1962. For those of you not old enough to remember that era, that was the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the nation was gripped by fear of nuclear war. At that time people thought a direct nuclear attack could be survived, if they were safe beneath the earth in their own personal fallout shelter.

Mr. Webber is a brilliant scientist (and eccentric) who had a fallout shelter built underneath their 1960’s home and equipped it with enough supplies for his family to survive for three-plus decades. The worst happens, or so the Webbers think, and they seal themselves into the shelter which protects them from the radiation. In reality, a plane has crashed into their home.

Mrs. Webber is pregnant and soon has her baby, whom they appropriately name Adam. Thirty-five years later (the half-life of radioactive fallout), the locks on the shelter spring open. Mr. Webber’s first glimpses of Los Angeles in the ‘90s convince him that there really was a nuclear disaster, and the stress causes him to fall ill. Adam (Brendan Fraser) must now be the brave soul who exits the shelter to get food and supplies.

Although Adam is well schooled, he of course hasn’t seen the world face-to-face. His joy and wonder at discovering the things we all take for granted most of the time is at turns humorous and poignant. Adam also wants to find a girl while he’s out and about (remember he’s 35 years old and has never seen other humans besides his parents). The film becomes a great romantic comedy between Adam and Eve (Alicia Silverstone), who meet soon after he surfaces. Adam employs Eve to help him get the supplies his family needs, and she slowly falls for him.

There are so many great laughs in this film. Sissy Spacek should have been nominated for some acting awards for her performance as Mrs. Webber. If you’re an actor wanting to see how good comedy is done, watch her as this 1960’s housewife trapped with only her husband and son for 35 years beneath the earth. Ms. Spacek gives Mrs. Webber such personality, and she is so much fun to watch. Brendan Fraser is wonderful as the grown man experiencing the world for the first time, and I think this is my favorite performance of his. I first grew to like Alicia Silverstone in her Clueless role, and her Eve here is just the right woman for Adam. Christopher Walken is, as usual, brilliant.

My Mom is 88 years old and loves this film. And so do I. Blast from the Past would make a great Mother’s day gift, and a fun movie to watch together.

Groundhog Day

2006-05-06T19:09:00.000-07:00

February 2nd is Groundhog Day, but don’t wait till then to see this delightful comedy that is another film on my favorites list. Bill Murray is Phil Connors, a TV weatherman in Pittsburgh assigned for yet another year to cover Groundhog Day festivities in Punxsutawney, PA (actually filmed at the quaint village square in Woodstock, Illinois, which is just over the border from Wisconsin northwest of Chicago). Accompanying Phil are the newly hired producer Rita (Andie MacDowell), and the cameraman Larry (Chris Elliott). They arrive the night before the event to get up bright and early to film the segment for the news. Phil is a man who is full of himself and not liked by many people. He is attracted to Rita, but has no clue how to romance her, much less even make her like him. Rita is all sweetness and light as expertly created by Andie MacDowell.

After the shoot, Phil can’t wait to get out of Punxsutawney, but a blizzard he didn’t predict keeps him in his bed and breakfast for another night. Mysteriously and magically, Phil awakens the following morning to February 2nd, not February 3rd. Phil is confused, and fails to make sense of this strange déjà vu like experience, but then it happens again the next day. And the next. And the next. And the next.

Bill Murray’s performance in Lost in Translation received a lot of press, and that is a flawed film which I can review some other time. However, Groundhog Day, released 11 years earlier, gave Bill Murray a much better role in which to express himself, and to show what a fine actor he really is. It is his best film role. He does a wonderful job of portraying Phil as he struggles to come to terms with whatever weird time warp he has stumbled into which causes him to always awaken on February 2nd there at the bed and breakfast in Punxsutawney. I have read some compare Bill’s performance to that of Jimmy Stewart in It's a Wonderful Life, and I shamelessly admit that I prefer Groundhog Day. Sorry Jimmy.

Phil’s predicament is the beauty of the film which was flawlessly written by Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis, and who should be credited with creating a classic screenplay for all time. When Phil realizes that tomorrow never arrives, he has big choices about how to spend his day. Will he indulge himself in the pursuit of pleasure, go crazy from the monotony and repetition, or make every day count in a unique and special way?

See for yourself. Harold Ramis directed this wonderful film, which is rated PG. I unconditionally recommend this movie. Not only will it make you laugh, it will have you looking at today in a whole new way.

Film ratings

2006-05-01T20:47:00.000-07:00

I am adding a link to my blog for film ratings (see links on the left). It has a section on Questions & Answers: Everything You Always Wanted To Know About The Movie Rating System. There are informative explanations of what the five ratings mean and how they are determined. Check it out sometime.

The Shawshank Redemption

2006-04-23T21:38:00.000-07:00

In my blog profile I have listed five of my favorite movies, and I think it’s time I reviewed them for you, beginning with The Shawshank Redemption. Stephen King wrote a short novel, Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption (which appears in the book
Different Seasons). Frank Darabont adapted the story into a feature length screenplay. After I originally viewed the film, I read the novella, and concluded that Mr. Darabont couldn’t have done a better job of bringing Mr. King’s tale to the screen. Mr. Darabont also directs the film, and later The Green Mile. It is rated R for language and prison violence.

Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) is a banker convicted in 1947 of murdering his wife and her lover. He is sentenced to two consecutive life sentences for the crime, which he maintains he did not commit. Andy arrives at Shawshank Prison, where he has to adapt to the rough prison life, sometimes having to fight for his life. He becomes friends with a group of men, and especially with Red (Morgan Freeman), a man who has already served 20 years of a life sentence, and who is someone who knows how to get things smuggled into the prison. Morgan Freeman provides the narration in the film from Red’s point of view.

Warden Norton (Bob Gunton) believes in discipline and the Bible, and is as amoral as a prison warden could get. Andy’s skills on the outside as a banker and financial planner also serve him well in prison. I was initially worried about the violence that I knew would be depicted in this movie, but it is held to a minimum. I don’t want to say much more because I’d like you to be as delighted, moved, and surprised as I was, as the film unfolds (never let anyone tell you how this movie ends if you haven’t seen it before).

The story of Andy and his imprisonment is a metaphor for life, and the film is just brilliant. Beautifully written jewels of wisdom are sprinkled throughout the dialogue and narration. Thomas Newman composed a beautiful and haunting score for the film. The Shawshank Redemption received 7 Academy Award nominations, and didn’t win any of them. Yet it is a classic film, and once people see it, they will never forget it, sure to become a favorite for the rest of their lives.

This is the role Mr. Freeman should have won his Academy Award for. He lost to Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump, which also won Best Picture. Had Forrest Gump not come along that year, it may have fared better at the Awards. I think that ultimately it is the better film, even though I loved Forrest Gump. The Shawshank Redemption is one of the few films I’ll watch again and again, just to be reminded of its message of hope.

Disney's The Kid

2006-04-22T19:57:00.000-07:00

Bruce Willis stars in Disney's The Kid, a light family comedy/drama/fantasy rated PG. Children will enjoy this film as it is very entertaining and funny, and it is also a poignant film for adults to watch sans children as the screenplay goes deep into the psyche of middle age.

Bruce is Russ Duritz, a high-powered image consultant soon to be 40 years old. He is mysteriously visited by himself when he was an overweight 8-year-old called Rusty (Spencer Breslin). The question is: Is Rusty there to help Russ, or is Russ there to help Rusty?

Don’t stress out about the impossibility of the situation; this is a fantasy after all. Russ, although highly successful in his career, lacks all the important things in life: a wife, a family, and a dog. Rusty is very critical of this, and despairs that he grows up to be a loser.

Russ meanwhile is embarrassed by this young version of himself. Rusty is a painful reminder to him of all he has struggled to overcome. It’s fun to watch Rusty go after what he wants as an adult while only a child, much to Russ’ dismay. I know that sounds cryptic, but I don’t want to spoil the surprises for you.

Russ and Rusty finally work things out, and in the process of regaining memories of his childhood, Russ is able to see a brighter future for “them”, with all the important things present that he wished for when he was 8-year-old Rusty.

The film also stars Lily Tomlin as Russ’ long-suffering assistant Janet, and you may recognize other character actors Jean Smart and Dana Ivey. This is a very funny movie, and very touching as well. The screenwriter did a great job bringing childhood into physical form in the persona of Rusty, so that what could have been just a mental exercise digging into childhood memories in a therapist’s office, becomes a flesh-and-blood person for Russ to talk to as he sorts out his life.

Rent this one soon. And have your box of Kleenex handy.

King Kong

2006-04-06T20:38:00.000-07:00

King Kong, directed by Peter Jackson of Lord of the Rings fame, is outstanding entertainment. I missed it in the theatres, but I had the good fortune to view it on a friend’s wide screen TV complete with surround sound. The 187-minute film held my interest from beginning to end.

The story begins in depression era New York City. A film producer, Carl Denham (Jack Black) has notions about making a film on a remote island. He has an actor lined up for the male lead, but lacks a woman to star opposite him. He comes across Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts), a vaudeville performer hungry for food and work, and entices her to join him on ship to sail to the island to make his masterpiece.

Joining them is the author Jack Driscoll (Adrien Brody). Ann and Jack quickly form a romantic interest in one another. I smiled at the sight of Jack composing his screenplay in the ship’s hold where animals are normally kept, behind bars.

Once on Skull Island, the action begins and what a ride it is! I flashed back to the Indiana Jones movies, as the nonstop thrills and chills are of a similar intensity. Ann is captured by natives and sacrificed to Kong. The men set off to rescue her, and as they make their way through the jungle, they have to battle some of the creepiest creatures I have ever seen on screen, creatures so awful, I sat curled up on the sofa, hands ready to cover my eyes, emitting sounds of panic as the humans struggled to survive and not be eaten alive. It is adrenaline pumping nonstop action during this part of the film.

Meanwhile, Ann has saved herself from Kong. He is brought back to New York City, and some of you may know the rest of the story, so I won’t say much about the ending. One of my favorite scenes in the film is set in Central Park and is visually stunning as Kong and Ann share a sweet, tender, playful moment together.

King Kong won three Academy Awards, for Best Achievement in Sound, Sound Editing, and Visual Effects. The film is rated PG-13 for frightening adventure violence and some disturbing images. Despite that somber rating, I will definitely see this film again, and highly recommend it to you. It’s a very well developed story with romance and adventure, the actors are great, the special effects extraordinary, and every frame is beautifully rendered to create the times of the depression, the sea voyage, and the beautiful, dangerous jungle.

The Libertine

2006-03-30T21:31:00.000-08:00

I apologize for taking three or so weeks off. The flurry of activity around Oscar time necessitated a short break.

I cannot recommend The Libertine unconditionally. Written first as a play by Stephen Jeffreys and played on the stage at Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago, the film version of the tale stars Johnny Depp as John Wilmot, the Earl of Rochester. It is a period piece with an R rating for strong sexuality including dialogue, violence and language. Wilmot is a poet with three significant interests in his life: the theatre, drinking and sex. He is a friend to King Charles II, played by John Malkovich. Samantha Morton plays Mrs. Barry, a woman with promise as an actor in the theatre, and to whom Wilmot offers his coaching services and affections.

The film is not pleasant to watch. The 1600’s in England are depicted as gray and wet, and filled with citizens engaged in nothing particularly noble. Wilmot’s obsessive focus on sexuality leads to his writing and producing a ridiculous play with sexual themes, and he delights in insulting King Charles and other royal guests with the performance. He is a self-indulgent man who succumbs to alcoholism, and unfortunately, the viewer has to watch him slowly die of the results of venereal disease and drinking. This process is unkind to the normally attractive Johnny Depp.

Depp is such an extraordinary actor, and delivers a strong performance as Wilmot, but there are far better films than this one to watch if you’re a fan of his, or are wanting to see his acting for the first time (Pirates of the Caribbean, Ed Wood, Chocolat, Finding Neverland). Samantha Morton is also a gifted actor, and I’d recommend two of her other films over The Libertine, which are In America and Sweet and Lowdown. Both Depp’s and Morton’s acting abilities stand out in this bizarre period piece, but not enough to redeem the depressing tale.

The Oscars

2006-03-06T20:19:00.000-08:00

It’s the day after the Academy Awards, and some of my predictions came true!

Philip Seymour Hoffman won in the best actor category for his role in Capote, and Reese Witherspoon won best actress for playing June Carter Cash in Walk the Line. Both acceptance speeches were sweet (Philip thanked his mother, and Reese said she just wants to do something that matters).

Best picture to my delight was Crash, and it also took in best original screenplay. Brokeback Mountain received some adulation, as Ang Lee won for best director, and it also won for best adapted screenplay, and best original score.

Rachel Weisz won for best supporting actress in The Constant Gardener, and George Clooney for best supporting actor in Syriana.

March of the Penguins won for best documentary feature, probably well-deserved. The filmmaker accepting the award commented that the legislation protecting Antarctica will need to be renewed in 2041, and so he hoped many children would see the film and protect the penguins for years to come.

Other wins of note were three for Memoirs of a Geisha in the areas of art direction, costume design and cinematography. I wish I’d seen it on the big screen.

Speaking of the big screen, there were some references made to nothing coming close to the experience of seeing a film in the theater compared to a DVD rental for at home. I had heard that revenues were down for films this year, and the industry seems to be wondering why.

Personally, I agree that nothing takes the place of sitting in a darkened theater with a bunch of people watching a story unfold before our collective eyes. People I’ve talked to lately about why they don’t go to movies much say it is too expensive, then they launch into a diatribe about how much the popcorn, soda and candy costs. Hint: Don’t buy the concessions! Movies typically only last about two hours; I think you wouldn’t starve if you didn’t eat or drink anything for that long, right? Then the movies, at least in Albuquerque, are $6.25 or $9.00 at night, well within my meager entertainment budget.

Something else I wondered about was the choice of Jon Stewart. Was he chosen because it was a more serious year for the movies? All in all, I was entertained. I like the montages, and my motto for awards shows is not to expect too much, and then you won’t be disappointed.

Let me know your thoughts on the awards and the night. And onward to another year of good movies!

My article for Life in the USA magazine

2006-03-05T21:30:00.000-08:00

I am a guest contributor to the

Life in the USA

magazine. My article there is about movies and Hollywood. Once on the site, go to the entry for USA Magazine, and there I'll be.

Academy Awards

2006-03-04T15:07:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is the Academy Awards, and predictions abound as the night draws near. Who will win the big honors?

I haven’t seen all of the nominated films. After all, I work full-time, and movies are an average of two hours long, sometimes longer, and there is only so much time. But I have seen all of the Best Picture/Best Director nominees (they are one and the same). Looking back at what I saw, I realized that the five nominated films have in common that each illuminate people struggling with moral dilemmas.

It’s tough to pick just one film to win the top honors as Best Picture, but my award would go to Crash. To me, it is the most ambitious of any of the films, showing Los Angeles as the community of diversity it is, and what the challenges are to individuals caught in their divergent as well as interconnecting lives.

Best Director I’d give to George Clooney for Good Night, and Good Luck. It amazed me how the actors’ scenes could be mingled with live news footage from the era depicted. I think it took a strong vision to make that work, and the director is best given credit for it.

I think Philip Seymour Hoffman should win for Best Actor in Capote. The nuances of his performance as Truman Capote gave substance to a film that could have been just another biopic. We see Capote change as he researches and writes his book, and as he grows to know his subjects and mourn for them.

Best Actress is something I don’t know much about as I only saw one of the actresses in a nominated film, Reese Witherspoon in Walk the Line. But let’s give it to her. She won the Golden Globe for her performance, and it was well deserved. Speaking of Walk the Line, Joaquin Phoenix was amazing as Johnny Cash, and it is one of my favorite films of the year.

All that said, Brokeback Mountain is likely to win top honors. It was a groundbreaking film because of its subject matter, but in retrospect, I wanted more from it. It never told me why these two men fell in love, only that they did. Still, it showed the ramifications of their relationship in a society that does not value or accept diversity, and is an important film.

Lastly, don’t miss The Constant Gardener. I was surprised it did not snag a nomination as Best Picture. Whereas Munich left me feeling rather hopeless about the state of the world, surprisingly The Constant Gardener did not. If you only rent one of these movies, make it that one.

Capote

2006-02-28T19:32:00.000-08:00

Capote is nominated for five Academy Awards: Best Picture, Director, Actor (Philip Seymour Hoffman), Supporting Actress (Catherine Keener) and Adapted Screenplay. Dan Futterman, who had read The Journalist and the Murderer by Janet Malcolm, and then Capote: A Biography by Gerald Clarke, was inspired to write the screenplay. The film is about Capote as he researches and writes his most famous book,
In Cold Blood, a work that redefined modern non-fiction.

Philip Seymour Hoffman plays Truman Capote, who is an already famous writer for the New Yorker in 1959, when he reads a news article about a family of four senselessly murdered in Kansas. He heads to Kansas to research and write the story of the crime. His traveling companion and friend is Harper Lee (Catherine Keener), a famous author in her own right, who penned the classic To Kill A Mockingbird. Chris Cooper plays the Kansas Bureau of Investigation agent whom Capote wins over during his research.

Capote ends up developing a friendship with one of the murderers, a young man named Perry Smith. Capote witnesses his humanity, and is forever changed by having met and learned to know him. He discovers that he and Perry came from similar backgrounds of maternal abandonment, and says to Harper Lee, “It's as if Perry and I grew up in the same house. And one day he went out the back door and I went out the front.” Despite this identification, Capote shamelessly lies to Perry in order to get him to disclose the story of the murders, stopping at nothing to get his story.

The film is rated R for some violent images and brief strong language. It is just 98 minutes long, and perfectly constructed from beginning to end. Mr. Hoffman gives his best performance yet as the quirky celebrity Capote, whose initial self-centeredness gives way to compassion and grief when the executions finally happen. He paid a high price for getting the story In Cold Blood down on paper, and Mr. Hoffman is able to portray Capote’s turmoil very effectively. In fact, at the end of Capote, I and the rest of the audience sat stunned and quiet as the credits began to roll, collecting our thoughts after a film that illuminated both Truman Capote’s life and the tragedy that became his own.

Good Night, and Good Luck

2006-02-27T19:28:00.000-08:00

The historical drama Good Night, and Good Luck is nominated for six Academy Awards: Best Picture, Director George Clooney, Actor David Strathairn, Original Screenplay written by George Clooney and Grant Heslov, Cinematography, and Art Direction. The film evokes the era of the 1950’s in America, from its black and white cinematography, to the constant cigarette smoking by nearly everyone who walks onscreen. Laced throughout the action is Dianne Reeves singing jazz that is not only beautiful to listen to, but also helps illustrate the times.

The cast worked well together and featured such renowned actors as Robert Downey, Jr., Patricia Clarkson, George Clooney, Jeff Daniels, Tate Donovan, and Frank Langella. It is rated PG, and gets its story told in a sparse 93 minutes. Central to the film is David Strathairn playing Edward R. Murrow, the famous broadcast journalist who would not compromise his values while delivering the news.

In the early 1950’s, communism was made to be a serious threat to the United States, and fueling the paranoia was Senator Joseph McCarthy from Wisconsin. CBS reporter Murrow and producer Fred Friendly (George Clooney) agreed to launch fair and accurate reporting on McCarthy, even though it could have had serious repercussions for the network.

The film not only documents the showdown between Murrow and McCarthy, it also subtly illuminates the parallels between the political climate of the 1950’s and today. Murrow makes some observations about television that ring true even now; how the medium can entertain, amuse and insulate the public, or if used in another way, can serve to teach, illuminate, and inspire. The choice is ours.

This is a thoughtful and well-executed film, at turns humorous, sad, and inspiring. If you don’t get to see it before its run is through at the theaters, by all means go out and rent it. George Clooney did an amazing job directing this film, sure to be a classic. Interspersed between the acting is actual footage of Senator McCarthy from the 1950’s, so no actor had to portray him in the movie. The exquisite black and white cinematography pulls the actual footage and the film together seamlessly. Good Night, and Good Luck is yet another film from this year worthy of showing to students on campuses everywhere.

Munich

2006-02-26T10:38:00.000-08:00

Munich is nominated for Best Picture, and Steven Spielberg for Best Director. It is rated R for strong graphic violence, some sexual content, nudity and language. The screenplay was based on the book
Vengeance: The True Story of an Israeli Counter-Terrorist Team by George Jonas, and the film’s most notable actor is Geoffrey Rush.

Eric Bana is Avner, the leader of a group of five men instructed to assassinate the men believed responsible for planning the murders of 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympics in Munich. Note that the film was “inspired by real events,” which means some liberty was taken to make a film that would make the story cinematically appealing, and not just a documentary.

It is a long movie, 164 minutes, and I didn’t like it much at first. Spielberg drew me in though, slowly and inexorably. I was only 17 years old when this happened, and so I didn’t know much about it. The message I was left with at the end of the movie is that an eye for an eye, or more violence as payment for violence, has no end. There is also a disturbing segment near the end of the film where the violence toward the Israelis’ is juxtaposed with images of Avner having sex with his wife. I don’t think a film should ever have violence and sex put together that way, and I think Spielberg made a mistake in doing that. If he was trying to make the viewer feel unsettled, it worked. In retrospect, perhaps he was trying to make a point about the contradictions in an assassin’s life.

The film would be put to good use by showing it on college campuses in philosophy or history classes. What it did well was show the ambivalence the assassins had for the job they were carrying out. The sets, costumes and music are impeccably rendered to evoke the early 1970’s. Watching it on DVD would be the way to see it because there are some interesting things being said in subtitles that go by very quickly in the theater. At home you could skip back to read it again more slowly if necessary.

At the end of the film Spielberg shows the twin towers as seen across the river from Brooklyn, and it confirmed for me that 35 years later, the killing continues to go on and on and hasn’t solved anything.

War of the Worlds

2006-02-25T10:25:00.000-08:00

Tom Cruise, Tim Robbins, and Dakota Fanning head up this science fiction/ action/adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg. It is based on H. G. Wells
The War of the Worlds.

It’s loud, suspenseful, scary, and those creatures from outer space really test the Ferrier family: Tom Cruise is Ray, a divorced father of two; Dakota Fanning is his daughter Rachel; and Justin Chatwin is his son Robbie. The film is rated PG-13 for frightening sequences of sci-fi violence and disturbing images. Tim Robbins appears as Harlan Ogilvy, a crazed survivor of the attack that Ray has to deal with later in the film.

Ray is taking care of his children while his pregnant ex-wife and her new husband go away for the weekend. Ray is a working class man, who lives beneath a bridge in New Jersey. The unthinkable happens, as repeated lightening strikes energize alien tripod fighting machines buried beneath the earth. Panic ensues, people are dying (really being vaporized so just their clothes are left, an interesting sci-fi special effect), and Ray heads out of town with his children.

Ray is not a super hero kind of guy. He hasn’t been the greatest father, and the mass hysteria really challenges him. Robbie however, rises to the occasion and attempts to save people. They are separated, and Ray is then solely in charge of Rachel. They meet Harlan at that point, and hide in a basement hoping the aliens won’t find them. Ray and Rachel’s goal is to make it to Boston to where the children’s mother is staying.

I liked that War of the Worlds wasn’t a movie about superheroes in the face of a dire emergency. These were regular people who have problems, and are sorely tested in a time of crisis. The movie is very suspenseful, had my attention from beginning to end, but any creatures from outer space just look stupid to me. Despite my problems with fake aliens and machines that walk around, the drama of the family fighting for survival was what kept the film interesting. Morgan Freeman’s distinctive voice handles the narration, just brief segments prior to and at the end of the film. And a clue for you (I hardly ever give clues): What ends up being humans’ salvation is what lies within us.

Walk the Line

2006-02-19T08:43:00.000-08:00

I must confess I am not a fan of country/western music. But I am interested in the history of American music, and because Johnny Cash is a musical legend, I went to see Walk the Line. I was entertained and very impressed.

It is no wonder Joaquin Phoenix was nominated for an Academy Award this year, as was his costar Reese Witherspoon. Both actors give extraordinary performances; Joaquin sang and played the guitar as Johnny, and Reese as June Carter Cash also sang and played the autoharp.

I had forgotten or not realized that Johnny Cash came along in the same era as Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis and Roy Orbison. Walk the Line is thus a trip to the roots of a new time for American music in the 50’s and 60’s, and I enjoyed the film from beginning to end.

Like Ray, Johnny’s early life had a tragedy that continues to haunt him. Johnny’s life was also complicated by a troubled relationship with his difficult father, an addiction to prescription drugs, and the stress on his marriage to first wife Vivian because of his long absences while on the road.

June Carter deals with her own trials, including ostracism from her religiously fanatical fans that condemn her for getting a divorce. The film is also very much about the romance between Johnny and June, a love story that takes over a decade to resolve, and that never follows a straight line.

I liked seeing how Johnny created his music, and my feet were tapping as the songs I realized I really did know rolled off Joaquin’s lips. He does such an incredible job playing Johnny. His voice is so like the legend. It gave me chills watching him sing Folsom Prison Blues for the very first time in the recording studio. Clearly, Johnny Cash had things he needed to express through his music, and fortunately for us, he did.

The film is rated PG-13 for some language, thematic material and depiction of drug dependency. It really should have received a nomination for Best Picture at the Academy Awards this year. It’s a beautiful romance about soul mates Johnny and June finding a way to be together, and about what Johnny overcame to be the musical legend he remains today.

March of the Penguins

2006-02-18T11:57:00.000-08:00

March of the Penguins is nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the upcoming Academy Awards. It is a short 85-minute film narrated beautifully by Morgan Freeman. Rated G, it is appropriate for the whole family.

The emperor penguins that live in Antarctica are creatures of instinct. They march up to 70 miles inland every year in order to mate at the breeding grounds that have been their annual destination for centuries and beyond.

The film is unique in that it shows in close-ups how these penguins care for the egg that will quickly freeze if it has prolonged contact with the ice. The fathers have to shelter the egg in a sort of nest atop their feet, warmed by the fat of their bellies, while the mothers march back to the sea to eat.

Once the mothers are fattened up again, they return and take over. The baby penguins by now have hatched and need the mothers’ food to survive. The fathers return to the sea to eat, and the parents take turns doing these for weeks.

Antarctica is a desolate place, and dangerous even for the penguins. It made me think about the mysterious world we live in, and if there is a purpose in animal behavior beyond reproduction. The narration suggests that the penguins perform these rituals and bear their young, and then care for them under these dire circumstances out of love. Is this just anthropomorphizing that humans tend to do with animals and their actions? Tell me what your philosophy on this is.

The music is very fitting for the film, and I appreciated seeing briefly at the end, footage of the brave souls that went to Antarctica to film the penguins. Another good film I reviewed some time ago is Winged Migration, and I actually liked that film better, and is the one I’d watch over again. It has more incredible scenery and variety of avian species, whereas March of the Penguins of course focuses on one particular species. It is a good film though, and the whole family will enjoy it.

Valentine's Day

2006-02-13T17:21:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is the big day for lovers and sweethearts. Here are my recommendations for a Valentine's Day movie in case you still can't decide:

For a couple who's been married awhile, go for Shall We Dance?

If you have a boyfriend who likes action flicks, get The Saint. I reviewed it a few months ago, and it is a sure winner because it has action, adventure, and romance all rolled up into one neat package.

And if you are waiting for the love of your life to come along, You've Got Mail is the one for you. The movie is one of the best romance films ever. The writing is so great, and the dialogue is a joy to listen to.

So there you have it. Let me know what you think of the films. And have a happy Valentine's Day!

Donovan's Reef

2006-02-12T16:55:00.000-08:00

Donovan's Reef from 1963 was directed by John Ford, and stars John Wayne. I read this was the last romantic lead John Wayne played, and it would have been better if the role had been played by someone else. He was far too old to be playing this type of role at the age of 56. Cary Grant can get away with a romantic lead at 60, but John Wayne could not.

I remember watching this movie in my childhood and being fascinated by the culture of the South Pacific. Unfortunately, now I am an adult, the film leaves something to be desired.

John Wayne is Guns Donovan, the owner of a saloon on an island in French Polynesia. Several of his WWII wartime buddies remained on the island after the war, including Dr. William Dedham (Jack Warden), who married a Polynesian woman and had three children. His wife died and he continues to provide medical care for the inhabitants of the island while raising the children on his own.

Dr. Dedham also has a grown daughter Amelia (Elizabeth Allen) who lives in Boston. Legal matters make it imperative that she visit the father she’s never met, and Amelia shows up on the island. Since Dr. Dedham is away, Donovan decides to have the doctor’s three children pretend they are his own, in order to protect the good doctor.

What is interesting about the film are the references to race. Amelia at one point refers to the children who are in reality her half-siblings as “half-castes.” Knowing of the prejudice towards inter-racial marriages is the reason Donovan tries to protect all of the Dedham’s.

There are too many fight scenes about absolutely nothing in this film, one which features Lee Marvin as Gilhooley in a brawl that apparently occurs once a year between him and Donovan simply because they share the same birthday. And Donovan taking Amelia over his knee to spank her is so ridiculous and uncalled for I could hardly bear to watch it.

Pluses are the costumes by Edith Head, and a really cute Christmas Eve service. Cesar Romero and Dorothy Lamour also show up in this film, and they are fun to watch. You might enjoy Donovan's Reef just to see what the early 60’s promoted in the movies, or to see the beautiful South Pacific, but as a romantic comedy, it falls far short of the others I’ve reviewed recently.

That Touch of Mink

2006-02-11T11:20:00.000-08:00

That Touch of Mink is a romantic comedy from 1962. Doris Day was 38 years old when she made this film that won Best Motion Picture-Comedy at the Golden Globes, and the Writers Guild of America Best Written American Comedy for that year. The romantic male lead is Cary Grant, who was 58 at the time of the movie.

Cathy Timberlake (Doris Day) is a beautiful woman looking for work in New York City. Her best friend Connie (Audrey Meadows) gives her advice about her love life, sometimes at the curious restaurant where she works.

One rainy day Philip Shayne (Cary Grant) is being chauffeured in his car, and it splashes a puddle of water on Cathy quite badly. He wants to apologize to her and so sends his associate Roger (Gig Young) to find her. Roger is a very funny character in this movie, constantly in analysis, which was really big back then.

Roger finds Cathy and brings her up to Philip’s offices. Philip quickly invites her to spend the day with him, and Cathy goes along, as she is completely smitten with him. During this day with Philip, Cathy watches him deliver a great speech to the United Nations, and they attend a baseball game where three famous Yankees have cameo roles in the movie.

At the end of the day, Philip invites Cathy to accompany him on a trip to Bermuda and then to Paris, etc. Cathy has to think this over, because what Philip is lacking in his invitation is a marriage proposal. She eventually decides to go through with it, and Philip sends her shopping for clothes. This story is a bit like Pretty Woman, but without the sex. Cathy must get really tired defending her virtue all the time, whereas Julia Roberts never had to.

John Astin has a role playing Mr. Beasley at the unemployment office who has his sights on Cathy, and he figures prominently at the end of the film. It is a cute, funny comedy, and if you just want some light entertainment and a reminder of what the world was like in the early 60’s, That Touch of Mink is the one for you.

Father Goose

2006-02-07T22:10:00.000-08:00

It’s still a few days away from Valentine’s Day, so I’ll continue to post reviews of romantic comedies. These next three are from the same time period in the early 1960’s, and star some favorite Hollywood actors.

The first is Father Goose (available from Netflix.com). It is a film from 1964 and stars Cary Grant and Leslie Caron. It won Best Original Screenplay at the Academy Awards. Cary Grant was 60 years old when he made this film, and he’s still looking pretty good. Leslie Caron was 33 years old at the time of the film, and somehow despite the age difference, it is a good match.

World War II is the backdrop for the film, which was actually filmed on location in Jamaica. Walter Ecklund (Cary Grant) is an American with a drinking problem who has escaped his conventional life to the South Pacific, only to find himself in the middle of World War II. He is tricked by Commander Frank Houghton (Trevor Howard) of the British Royal Navy into taking up residence on an isolated island in order to watch for enemy aircraft and report their movements. Code names have been assigned to be used when speaking over the radio, and Walter is Mother Goose, thus the title of the film.

Walter is sent to rescue another spotter in danger, and when he arrives at the other island discovers Catherine Freneau (Leslie Caron) and the seven female students she is responsible for. Walter reluctantly transports them back to his island, and all sorts of adventures are just waiting to happen. The dialogue between Walter and Catherine is witty, the interactions between Walter and the Commander and his staff are very funny, and the girls each have their own unique way of dealing with Walter, who is changed by them. This film is definitely all about Cary Grant. He is front and center of just about every scene.

Movies from the 1960’s (and even earlier) have some strange things going on in them. Walter and Catherine slap each other in the face several times, and this seems to be some kind of foreplay for them. That part is interesting because we get to see what was acceptable back then that wouldn’t be tolerated today. The film is rated G, and aside from the bizarre slapping episode, there really is nothing objectionable in the film, and it is quite entertaining. I highly recommend it.

The Constant Gardener

2006-02-05T20:50:00.000-08:00

The Constant Gardener is well worth the price of a rental or purchase of the DVD. It is a suspense thriller with elements of romance. Rachel Weisz won a Golden Globe for her performance in the best supporting actress category, and is nominated for an Academy Award as well. She is luminous in her role as Tessa, an outspoken idealist married to Justin Quayle (Ralph Fiennes), a member of the British High Commission. Quayle’s assignment leads them to Kenya, where Tessa soon becomes involved in social justice issues, and her involvement places her in danger.

Tessa gets too close to the truth about the drug testing being performed by pharmaceutical corporations that use poverty stricken natives to further their corporate agendas. As a result, Tessa is murdered, and her husband seeks to find the truth about her, both as his wife, and as a murder victim. Justin is the gardener in the title who uses this avocation to modulate his feelings and order his life.

The cinematography in The Constant Gardener is unique and filled with movement, the images of the people of Kenya haunting and real. The film is rated R for language, some violent images and sexual content/nudity, but it is really not an objectionable film at all. The allusions to violence are more disturbing than what is shown, and the sexuality is not explicit, really just showing the loving relationship between Justin and Tessa. So I wouldn’t be concerned about the R rating. This is an important film, and one of the best I’ve seen in the last few months.

Bill Nighy ( love actually) plays Sir Bernard Pellegrin, an evil and soul-less man, and Mr. Nighy shows how diverse an actor he is when you see both his performances in these two very different films. The film is also nominated for adapted screenplay at the Academy Awards (from the John le Carre novel).

Ralph Fiennes gives an amazing performance as a man first in shock, and then grieving the loss of his wife. In his search for the truth, he comes to appreciate his wife for who she really was, and it changes him in the process. I found that I wasn’t feeling depressed by the film at the end, but rather more hopeful that there are people in the world who will risk their lives to expose corporate greed and abuse of innocent people. This is a must see film.

love actually

2006-02-04T16:18:00.000-08:00

The British film love actually received two Golden Globe nominations, one for best screenplay, and one for best motion picture (musical/comedy). It is rated R for sexuality, nudity and language and was released in 2003. I had forgotten that Christmas figures prominently in this film, and I think it would be a good film for adults to watch at Christmas time. But don’t wait till the season is upon us once again. Get it for Valentine’s Day.

This romantic comedy stars so many great actors, it is hard to know where to start. The ensemble cast swirl in and out of each other’s lives, each one having a different lesson to learn about love. I counted at least nine story lines in this movie.

Daniel (Liam Neeson) has lost his wife, and becomes the sole caregiver for his stepson, who has a bad case of puppy love. Jamie Bennett (Colin Firth) is sent reeling from his relationship into relative seclusion at a villa where he meets a beautiful Portuguese woman. Neither of them speaks the other’s language. Hugh Grant is the Prime Minister who finds Natalie, one of his domestic employees, to be very distracting. His sister Karen (Emma Thompson) has two children and is married to Harry (Alan Rickman) who is sorely tempted by a young woman at work. Billy Mack (Bill Nighy) is an aging rock star whose long-suffering agent has devised a Christmas comeback for him. Juliet (Keira Knightley) marries and discovers that her husband’s best friend has a crush on one of them. Sarah (Laura Linney) is not so secretly in love with a co-worker, but is the sole comfort of her mentally ill brother. And possibly my favorite is the young British man who decides American women would embrace him because he is British, and flies off to Wisconsin of all places to meet the women of his dreams. Billy Bob Thornton has a cameo role as the President of the United States, and Denise Richards and Claudia Schiffer also appear briefly.

One story line has an X-rated movie being filmed where the two stars shyly begin a relationship. My sister took two elderly women to the theater to see this film when it first came out, and they all indignantly left when these scenes appeared. That’s an R rating for you. If that sort of thing doesn’t bother you, rent love actually. It would be a shame to miss such beauty and fun and really touching moments because of that one small part of the movie. The only unsatisfying story for me was the one about Sarah and her mentally ill brother, which is totally sad.

I loved how Hugh Grant played the Prime Minister. He has to really stand up to the President, and I feel like cheering every time he makes his speech. He also has a wonderful scene when he is searching for Natalie and some little girls get him to sing some “carol songs.”

There is a message to this movie and it is that

love, actually, is all around. Have your tissues handy.

Three to Tango

2006-02-01T20:11:00.000-08:00

Matthew Perry, Neve Campbell, and Dylan McDermott star in this light romantic comedy with a message. Three to Tango was released in 1999, and is rated PG-13.

Oscar Novak (Matthew Perry) and Peter Steinberg (Oliver Platt) are architects bidding on a multi-million dollar project funded by wealthy and eccentric Charles Newman (Dylan McDermott). They get a chance at the job, and Charles then asks/tells Oscar to spy on his mistress Amy Post (Neve Campbell). Charles believes that Amy is safe with Oscar, as he was told that Oscar is gay. Oscar does not realize when he agrees to the task that Charles thinks he is gay, which he is not.

Amy is a glassblower, and Oscar first meets her at an exhibition of her artwork. They hit it off right away, but Oscar can’t pursue her as everyone thinks he is gay, and if he told the truth about his being straight, he thinks it could cost him and Peter their job. So Oscar pretends to be gay, and becomes friends with Amy. What follows is a very fine, funny, romantic comedy. The message in the movie has to do with Oscar gaining notoriety as an openly gay professional, and him feeling what it must be like for gays who hide who they truly are from the world.

Graeme Revell wrote the film’s music, which features wonderful big band dance music for most of the film. Mr. Revell also wrote the score for The Saint, a very different soundtrack, but also beautiful. The actors have great chemistry, particularly Neve and Matthew, and Dylan is so charming and odd at the same time. Kelly Rowan of The O.C. fame has a small role as Charles’s wife. The Chicago skyline is awesome day and night, as are the scenes along the waterfront. This movie really makes me laugh, and though not a typical Valentine’s Day romantic comedy, it is playful, and just plain great entertainment.

Shall We Dance?

2006-01-29T10:21:00.000-08:00

Shall We Dance? is a remake of a 1996 Japanese film of the same name. The Japanese Shall We Dance? film is excellent, and I highly recommend you watch it, as long as you can follow along with the subtitles. Japanese society is much different from American society, and the plot works better coming from that culture.

Having said that, I still appreciated Shall We Dance? released in 2004. Richard Gere is John Clark, a successful attorney who spends his days helping people write their wills, and who has a lovely family. He’s been married to his wife Beverly (Susan Sarandon) for 19 years, and all seems perfect for him out in suburbia: the beautiful house, two wonderful children, and a loving marriage.

But John feels something is lacking in his life. He notices a beautiful woman standing alone in the window of a dance school each night when he commutes home from Chicago on the train. Finally, his curiosity gets the better of him and one night he ventures into the school owned by Miss Mitzi (Anita Gillette). The woman in the window turns out to be Paulina (Jennifer Lopez), who continues to be the mysterious draw for John.

John begins ballroom dance lessons along with two other men, and watching them learn together is delightful. John also discovers that his coworker Link, brilliantly played by Stanley Tucci, is an avid ballroom dancer who keeps his passion for the art secret.

Beverly begins to be suspicious of the changes she and her daughter are seeing in John, and hires Devine (Richard Jenkins), a private detective to trail him. Devine and his classics spouting assistant Scott (Nick Cannon) discover what John is really up to. What happens next is never predictable, and the dancing is wonderful to watch.

When I first saw the film in the theatre, I didn’t like Jennifer Lopez’s performance much. Upon watching it the second time, I appreciated what she did a lot more. Her character is quite depressed when we first meet her, and she brightens up as the story progresses. She is truly an incredible dancer, and shows John and his dance partner Bobbie (Lisa Ann Walter) how to Rumba. She also dances a really great Tango with John.

Other dances they learn are the waltz, the quickstep and the Paso Doble. If you like dancing, you will like this film. It also is very thoughtful about the relationship between John and Beverly. Beverly has some outstanding insights into why people marry that she shares with Devine. It’s a great film for Valentine’s Day, and who knows, may just inspire you to dance.

The Wedding Singer

2006-01-28T17:43:00.000-08:00

My sister and her husband introduced me to The Wedding Singer. They always told me about this song in the film they really loved, Grow Old With You (they are such a romantic couple). I was confused about the film at first because it takes place in 1985, and Drew Barrymore, who plays Julia in the film, was only 10 years old then! The film was actually made in 1998, and also stars Adam Sandler as Robbie who is the wedding singer. The film is rated PG-13, and received an award at the MTV Movie Awards for Best Kiss between Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler.

There’s a lot to like about The Wedding Singer. First, it makes great fun of the 1980’s. Think back to that time, and remember Madonna, Boy George, Miami Vice, big hair, and truly horrendous bridesmaids' dresses. People were still renting out bands to play at weddings back then. It was just before DJs took over the task of providing the music at weddings. The music throughout the film is classic 1980’s, and thrown in for good measure are some great songs, some funny, and some sweet, that Adam Sandler helped compose. The music is featured on two CD's: The Wedding Singer and The Wedding Singer 2.

Robbie is engaged to be married to Linda (Angela Featherstone) when he meets Julia at a wedding where he is the entertainment and she is serving as a waitress. Linda breaks it off with Robbie at a most inopportune time, and he is crushed. Julia tries to cheer him up, and he takes on the task of helping Julia plan her wedding to Glenn (Matthew Glave) as Glenn is much too busy making money (and doing what Glenn does), to spend time on something like planning for their wedding.

Robbie and Julia become friends, and Robbie sees Glenn for who he really is, and he’s not someone he thinks should be marrying sweet Julia. You’ll have to rent the DVD to see how it all turns out. The ending features Billy Idol as himself (remember his song White Wedding ?), and is simply great.

Jon Lovitz and Steve Buscemi have small cameo roles. Adam Sandler is just great, especially during his depressed scenes when he has to sing at a wedding, and when he shares a song with Julia that was inspired by the Cure (written half when he was with Linda, and half after she dumped him). Drew is sweet and charming and plays a great romantic lead. I highly recommend The Wedding Singer for your next romantic comedy. Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore later paired in 50 First Dates. Come back for that review some other time.

You've Got Mail

2006-01-22T22:25:00.000-08:00

As you can see, I’ve been reviewing quite a few romantic comedies available on video or DVD. I thought that would be appropriate as Valentine’s Day is just around the corner in February.

You've Got Mail is my favorite Nora Ephron movie. It is rated PG and is a delightful romantic comedy set in New York City. Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks star along with Greg Kinnear, Dabney Coleman, Steve Zahn, Heather Burns, Dave Chappelle, and Jean Stapleton.

Joe Fox (Tom Hanks) and Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) have been emailing each other anonymously after a chance meeting in a online chat room. They have avoided revealing identifying details of their lives, yet have developed a strong friendship through their correspondence.

Joe owns Fox Books, which is a large chain of bookstores, and one is being built in the West side neighborhood where Kathleen’s children’s bookstore has existed for over 40 years. Joe and Kathleen meet and do not hit it off, as Fox Books is seen as being a blight to the quaint little neighborhood, and a threat to all independent booksellers.

Meanwhile, Kathleen is getting business advice from Joe via email, neither suspecting the other’s true identity. Neither of them are in satisfactory relationships, and they agree to meet at a café. Joe sees Kathleen waiting for him, and is faced with the realization that the woman of his dreams is Ms. Kelly. He knows she will not be happy to see him, so shows up as Joe Fox, not the man on the internet she’s been waiting to meet.

Kathleen’s bookstore eventually does have to close. While Joe is talking to his father (Dabney Coleman), he realizes that Kathleen is the one single person in the world who fills his heart with joy. So he sets out to win her over.

I appreciate the process of Joe and Kathleen realizing that the person they dislike for their many faults is also the person they are in love with for all the right reasons. The writing by Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron is superb, the acting inspired. Tom Hanks plays probably his best romantic role in this film. Meg Ryan is cute and spunky as always while giving depth to Kathleen’s situation and the challenges it brings. I won’t give away the ending, but it is just how a romantic comedy should end, very touching, maybe a few tears shed. You've Got Mail is a great film to watch for Valentine’s Day.

Brokeback Mountain

2006-01-21T23:24:00.000-08:00

Brokeback Mountain is receiving incredible buzz since it won four categories at the Golden Globes (Best Director for Ang Lee; Best Drama; Best Original Song; Best Screenplay for Larry McMurty and Diana Ossana). The film is rated R for sexuality, nudity, language and some violence.

It is 1963 when the film begins. Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger) and Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal) are two young cowboys sent out to Brokeback Mountain in Wyoming to tend a herd of sheep for the summer. The owner of the herd, Joe Aguirre (Randy Quaid), doesn’t want the forest service to see where his sheep are grazing and gives them strict instructions on how to perform their job in this isolated area.

Ennis is a very quiet young man, but Jack eventually gains his trust, and they begin a sexual relationship one cold night. Ennis makes it clear to Jack that their relationship cannot continue beyond the summer, as he is engaged to be married to Alma (Michelle Williams).

They part at the end of the summer, and go their separate ways, Jack back to Texas, and Ennis to be married and start a family. Jack eventually marries Lureen (Anne Hathaway), the beautiful daughter of a wealthy family, and also starts a family. Jack contacts Ennis after a few years, and they begin to go on “fishing trips” together periodically up on Brokeback Mountain.

Their relationship is not without its trials. Ennis is more in love with Jack than he is with his wife, who discovers the truth the first time the two lovers tryst. Unfortunately, she does not confront Ennis with this knowledge until many years later.

Jack meanwhile cannot exist without sexual encounters with other men, and he frequents Mexico for these affairs. Ennis is jealous of this, and yet will not form any legitimate life with Jack, as he has haunting memories of the torture and murder of a gay man that holds him back from making any commitment to Jack. The cast is absolutely superb together, and I don’t doubt that we will see Academy Award nominations in several categories.

The film boasts incredible mountain scenery, and the original score by Gustavo Santaolalla fits perfectly with all we are seeing. I recommend this film, although it is not a happy film. It is sad, and sometimes disturbing, as the relationship between these star-crossed lovers is intense and sometimes violent. I predict that after you leave the theater, the film will have you talking to your friends about what you’ve just witnessed for many blocks down the street.

Sleepless in Seattle

2006-01-15T23:12:00.000-08:00

I don’t think that Sleepless in Seattle is a great romantic comedy. I didn’t really care for it when I first saw it, and after watching it again, I still feel it is not Nora Ephron’s best screenplay. The film was released in 1993, and I remember that people really seemed to like it, but I never understood why. Ms. Ephron also wrote When Harry Met Sally, which you may recall starred Meg Ryan, who is in this film along with Tom Hanks.

Sleepless in Seattle is really about an 8-year old boy named Jonah (Ross Malinger), whose mother has died 18 months ago, and who is now ready to have a new mother in his life. However, his father Sam (Tom Hanks) is not ready for a new wife. This is the part of the film that worked, seeing the relationship between Jonah and his father as they deal with the grief over the death of their mother/wife, and the hope that Jonah gives to his father for a future with a caring woman in it for both of them.

Jonah takes control, and calls a radio talk show from his home in Seattle on Christmas Eve, and speaks to Dr. Marcia Fieldstone about their dilemma. He gets his father on the phone, and thousands of women across America are touched by their plight as evidenced by the letters that are delivered to their doorstep with offers to become their new wife and mother.

In Baltimore, Annie (Meg Ryan) hears the segment on the radio. Although she is engaged to be married to Walter (Bill Pullman), she is intrigued by what she hears. Annie becomes obsessed with this man she's only heard speak on the radio, and writes a letter to Sam that her helpful friend Becky (Rosie O’Donnell) mails without her knowing. She eventually ends up flying to Seattle and stalks him. There are some sappy scenes where Sam sees Annie in the airport, and then sees her standing in the middle of the road during her stalking him down. I just don’t buy this whole theme. It is just not real.

Annie explains why she's going to Seattle to meet Sam as her having to do it so she doesn't go through life wondering if he could have been the one. I could see this happening if she already knew him (like someone from the past from high school or college for example), but she doesn't. She's only heard him on the radio. It's the part of the movie that just doesn't work for me.

Annie flies back to the East Coast without meeting Sam. Meanwhile poor little Jonah, desperate for a new mommy, writes to Annie pretending to be Sam, telling her to meet him at the Empire State Building on Valentine’s Day. His friend Jessica gets him a plane ticket and Jonah flies off to New York alone to meet Annie. I was touched by Jonah’s confidence as he tells the taxi cab driver that he’s on his way to meet his new mother. Ah, the innocence and hope of a child.

Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks are together in this film for probably all of five minutes. And yet people say what a wonderful film it was for them, what great chemistry they had. Are we watching the same film? They do have great chemistry together as actors, but not until You've Got Mail, a far superior romantic comedy I’ll review very soon.

Other things that just don’t work are Jonah’s little friend Jessica. She seems far older than him, can type and book plane tickets. Not believable. And the way Walter is portrayed is insulting. His only vice seems to be that he is allergic to just about everything. There has to be something more there to make us not like him, and it’s not provided. I don’t feel sorry for Walter; I feel sorry for Annie. She is delusional, goes off to stalk this man clear across the country, and we never get to see what happens after she meets up with Jonah and Sam. Her main complaint about Walter is he’s too perfect for her, they like all the same things, etc. And that’s a problem?

I did enjoy the music in the film. There were lots of great songs sung by Nat King Cole, Ray Charles, Carly Simon, Louis Armstrong and others. Parts were enjoyable, but the romance part between Annie and Sam is not what it's about. As I said, it’s really about the little boy wanting a new mom after he loses his mother, and how his father reacts to this. The romance is total fantasyland, and doesn’t work. If you’re looking for a good romantic comedy, don’t rent it. Try one of the other ones I’ve reviewed recently. They are far superior to Sleepless in Seattle.

Honeymoon in Vegas

2006-01-14T23:24:00.000-08:00

Honeymoon in Vegas was released in 1992 and is rated PG-13. It garnered two Golden Globe nominations, one for Nicholas Cage as best actor in a comedy/musical, and one for best comedy/musical that year.

Jack Singer (Nicholas Cage) is unable to marry his girlfriend Betsy (Sarah Jessica Parker) because his mother on her deathbed asked him to make a promise that he would not marry. His mother, played by Anne Bancroft, told him that no one could ever love him as much as she does, and she continues to haunt his dreams.

Betsy is growing weary of Jack’s stalling, and Jack further uses his clients in his private detective agency as examples of why people shouldn’t bother to marry; they’ll just cheat on each other.

Jack senses Betsy withdrawing from him, and so suggests they fly to Las Vegas to get married. Once there, he stalls yet again. Betsy meanwhile has been spotted by the professional gambler Tommy Korman (James Caan), as she is the spitting image of his deceased wife Donna. Tommy arranges a poker game and invites Jack to play, fixing it so he loses $65,000, and then tells him that if Betsy spends the weekend with him, he’ll erase the debt.

Little does Jack know that Tommy plans to fly Betsy away to Hawaii for the weekend. They leave and a frustrated Jack returns to New York. He finally comes to his senses and jumps on a plane to Hawaii in pursuit of Betsy. That’s where the fun begins. Pat Morita is a taxi cab driver named Mahi Mahi, instructed to delay Jack as long as possible from finding Betsy. He takes Jack to a run-down shack where Chief Orman (Peter Boyle) lives. It just gets crazier and crazier from there. Betsy is succumbing to Tommy’s manipulations, as well as the charms of Kauai, and part of her is just fed up with Jack’s refusal to marry her. She eventually agrees to marry Tommy. Jack ends up in a Hawaii jail, Tommy and Betsy return to Las Vegas, and Jack has to join the Flying Elvises in order to get back to Vegas in time to stop Betsy from marrying Tommy.

The songs throughout the film are Elvis classics, and the Elvis impersonators wandering through Las Vegas are just great; all nationalities and ages take a try at being the perfect Elvis. It’s a very cute and funny comedy. Nicholas Cage is just great, as is Sarah Jessica Parker in this pre-Sex and the City role. If you just want some light entertainment that will make you smile, Honeymoon in Vegas would be a good choice.

Runaway Bride

2006-01-13T23:14:00.000-08:00

Runaway Bride pairs Richard Gere and Julia Roberts yet again, nine years after Pretty Woman debuted. The film is rated PG, and was directed by Garry Marshall. The screenwriters, Josann McGibbon and Sara Parriott, wrote a beautiful and funny film, impeccably rendered with fine acting and attention to detail.

Ike Graham (Richard Gere) is a columnist for USA Today, always the “last-minute” man, ideas for his column not striking till an hour or so before deadline. He meets a man in a bar who tells him about Maggie, a runaway bride from Hale, New York, who has jilted men at the altar 7 or 8 times.

Ike writes the column without checking the facts, and Maggie Carpenter (Julia Roberts) is infuriated with the fabrication of her life. She gets his editor Ellie (Rita Wilson), who also just happens to be Ike’s ex-wife, to fire him.

Now out of a job, Ellie’s husband Fisher (Hector Elizondo) suggests to Ike that he write a full-length article about Maggie to redeem his reputation. Ike drives out to Hale in his Camaro convertible in search of the truth. He quickly wins over just about the entire town, and friends and family of Maggie’s eagerly tell him about Maggie’s three failed attempts to tie the knot.

Ike and Maggie, first at odds with each other, eventually feel the sparks of attraction between them. Ike couldn’t be more charming, and this is one of Richard Gere’s best romantic roles. He gets to deliver some great lines about romance, marriage proposals, and honeymoons. It is no surprise that Maggie eventually falls for him.

Maggie backs out of her 4th scheduled wedding to Bob, the football coach/athlete, and Ike and Maggie are set to be married instead. But will Maggie flee from Ike as she has the previous three grooms?

Runaway Bride is just so clever and enjoyable, the small town of Hale in autumn is brought to life in quaint detail, and there is great chemistry between all the actors. Joan Cusack delivers another fine performance as Maggie’s best friend who helps coach her to success. By the end of the film, Maggie has examined her life and why she always gets cold feet. I highly recommend it to you, and it would be a good film for teens to watch as well, as there is not a lot of language that parents would find objectionable, and I thought the messages about marriage that are delivered as Ike researches Maggie and who she is, are really priceless.

Fools Rush In

2006-01-12T23:04:00.000-08:00

For all you romantics out there, Fools Rush In will give you what you’re looking for. Salma Hayek plays Isabel Fuentes, and Matthew Perry plays Alex Whitman in this excellent comedy/drama/romance from 1997. Alex has come to Las Vegas for work, and one night he and Isabel have a chance meeting in a restaurant. The attraction is immediate, and they end up spending the night together.

Three months later, Isabel comes looking for Alex. He is relieved to see her, as she snuck out after their one night together without telling him where he could reach her. Isabel tells Alex that she is pregnant with his child, and will be keeping the baby. Although initially shocked, Alex decides this is what he’s always wanted, and they are married in a Las Vegas chapel, Elvis giving away the bride.

Their cultural differences create some conflict for them, but nothing is more difficult than the fact that Alex’s work is in New York City, and Isabel’s family is in Las Vegas. Their families couldn’t be more opposite. Isabel comes from a large, colorful, Hispanic Catholic family who has dinner together every Friday night, and Alex rarely even speaks to his parents.

Central to the movie is Isabel’s and Alex’s differing takes on destiny or fate. During their first conversation when they meet, Isabel tells Alex about signs, and how she believes that one’s destiny has already been decided; you just have to read the signs. Alex is skeptical of this idea. Isabel jokes about there being an explanation beyond reason, beyond all logic, that brought them both to the exact same spot that night, and later it is clear that fate brought them together. They are clearly in love and meant for each other.

The scenery in this film is extraordinary, although I admit I am partial to the soulful desert landscapes of the Southwest. I have driven over the road at Hoover Dam where Arizona and Nevada meet. The Arizona/Nevada state line that appears on the road over Hoover Dam was painted there specifically for filming. It remained there for several years, but I read that as of September 2005, it is no longer there.

Fools Rush In is rated PG-13. Ms. Hayek and Mr. Perry are wonderful in their roles, as are the actors playing their parents. Jill Clayburgh plays Alex’s mother, and Matthew Perry’s own father plays his father in the film. The film is just sweet and hopeful and will leave you with a happy feeling all over. Watch for the signs. They are everywhere.

Notting Hill

2006-01-10T22:15:00.000-08:00

Notting Hill is a very fine romantic comedy, and a favorite of mine. The film is rated PG-13, and was released in 1999. Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts were nominated for best actor and actress in a comedy, and the film was also nominated for best comedy/musical at the Golden Globes.

Julia Roberts plays Anna Scott, who is an American film star in London on business. While out shopping one day, she stops in at a travel bookstore owned by William Thacker, played by Hugh Grant. Anna and Will are quickly attracted to one another. If Anna wasn’t a big movie star, I think the encounter would be like any other two people meeting for the first time, in the instant when they notice the spark in each other’s eyes that tells them this could be someone special.

Once the two get together however, Anna’s old boyfriend, tabloid journalism, and Anna’s temper haunt their relationship. Further complicating all the comedic as well as dramatic situations they find themselves in, is Will’s eccentric flat mate, Spike (Rhys Ifans). Like most romantic comedies, we are drawn right through to the end wondering if these two will ever get together and stay together.

Even if the device of Anna being a celebrity were removed, the film is still about true love and forgiveness. Anna delivers a great line, that if it isn’t in the American Film Institute’s best movie quotes, it should be. Anna tells Will to remember, “I’m just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her.” In the end, both of them need to reach for forgiveness in order to be together.

Notting Hill is very funny and touching, and I also enjoyed the British humor and language. The Golden Globe nominations were richly deserved, and Mr. Grant and Ms. Roberts are well matched as soul mates with some hurdles to overcome in order to have a life together. Good for a movie night at home.

Back to the Future

2006-01-01T21:32:00.000-08:00

Back to the Future is every bit as fun to watch today as it was when it was first released in 1985. Marty (Michael J. Fox) is friends with Dr. Emmett Brown (Christopher Lloyd), an inventor who creates a time machine out of a DeLorean. Marty is accidentally sent back to 1955, where he meets his own parents when they were teenagers.

Marty’s parents Lorraine (Lea Thompson) and George (Crispin Glover) are unforgettable characters as played by these two wonderful actors. Doc warns Marty that he must not interact with anyone in 1955 as it could change the future. The warning comes too late however, and Marty has to make sure his parents get together or he and his siblings won’t exist! This is not an easy task, as Lorraine has developed a crush on Marty. Further complicating the situation is Biff (Thomas F. Wilson), a bully who terrorizes George and tries to come on to Lorraine. George lacks the confidence to ask Lorraine to the Enchantment Under the Sea dance, and Marty painstakingly coaches him to take a chance on Lorraine.

Doc meanwhile has problems to solve with the time machine, as there is no plutonium readily available back in the fifties to power his invention. Fortunately Doc is creative, his heroes being Thomas Edison, Benjamin Franklin, and Albert Einstein.

The contrasts between 1985 and 1955 are still striking, and part of the fun of the movie. Doc doesn’t understand Marty’s slang, and people understandably find Marty strange. Science fiction was very big in the fifties, and Marty uses this to his advantage with George, pirating a bit of Darth Vader mixed with Van Halen to get him to pursue Lorraine.

I also enjoy seeing how Marty’s influence on his father has repercussions for years to come. George stands up to Biff, and doesn’t take his bullying anymore, and this changes Marty’s family in very positive ways when he finally does get back home. It reminds me how acting courageous and taking risks can change the course of one’s whole life.

Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale wrote this classic comedy, science fiction, and action/adventure that received an Academy Award nomination for Best Screenplay. It won the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Motion Picture in 1986, and an Academy Award for Best Effects/Sound Effects Editing. There were two sequels to Back to the Future, which I will review at a later date.

Meet the Fockers

2005-12-29T19:21:00.000-08:00

(recommended by Julia)

This sequel to Meet The Parents is one of the rare sequels that is actually worth seeing. Added to the original cast of this excellent comedy are Barbra Streisand and Dustin Hoffman as Greg’s parents, Bernie and Roz Focker. Greg Focker (Ben Stiller), his fiancée Pam (Teri Polo) and her parents, Jack and Dina Byrnes (Robert De Niro and Blythe Danner), travel down to Florida in an enormous RV in order to meet Greg’s parents before Greg and Pam marry. Included on this trip are the Byrnes’ grandson, and their cat (who can flush).

Greg’s parents are priceless. Roz is a sex therapist, coaching senior citizens out of their home. Bernie is a lawyer, but stayed home when Greg was small to raise him. Bernie and Roz delight in exposing Greg’s personal and embarrassing secrets to the Byrnes family. Dina likes them soon enough, but Jack is difficult to win over. Not just anyone can enter his Circle of Trust. Jack resorts to some covert operations CIA style to try to get more information about Greg and his past. The shenanigans tumble one after another to set loose gales of laughter (from the audience). Particularly funny are some situations having to do with the Byrnes’ grandson, including his first words. Parenting styles couldn’t be more opposite.

I recommend this film for a good laugh. Two families joining their lives through marriage is never an easy thing to do, and it is likely that these two families will make yours and your in-laws seem tame by comparison.

Rumor Has It . . .

2005-12-28T18:13:00.000-08:00

Rumor Has It . . . is now playing in your local theater. It is rated PG-13. Sarah Huttinger (Jennifer Aniston) flies home to Pasadena with her fiancé Jeff (Mark Ruffalo) to be a bridesmaid for her sister Annie (Mena Suvari). Once in Pasadena, she confronts the secrets of her family. She becomes convinced that her family was the basis for the classic movie The Graduate. Her grandmother (Shirley MacLaine) had an affair with Beau Burroughs (Kevin Costner) years ago, and so did her now deceased mother. Jeff plants the idea in Sarah’s head that perhaps her father is not her father, and Sarah has to discover the truth.

Sarah goes to San Francisco in search of Beau to find out if he is her father. Beau turns out to be a real womanizer (no surprise there; what other kind of man would sleep with a both a mother and her daughter).

Will Sarah succumb to Beau’s charms? Will she return to Jeff? What really happened between Beau and Sarah’s mother? Was her parents’ marriage a loveless union? And who was the real seducer, Beau or Sarah’s grandmother?

These are some of the questions that are answered in this thoroughly entertaining movie. No, it’s not Academy Award material; but now and then, pure entertainment is just what we need. The actors do a great job portraying their characters. And I found it very touching as Sarah learns about the mother who was taken from her so prematurely during her early childhood. Sarah does eventually learn the truth about her parents, her grandmother, and the infamous Beau Burroughs, and the knowledge sets her free. I do recommend this film. After all, some family had to be the inspiration for The Graduate.

Cinderella Man

2005-12-27T12:41:00.000-08:00

I read that Cinderella Man failed to achieve the box-office success that was predicted for it. The film received good initial reviews from critics, and a lot of publicity, but still the crowds did not appear.

I think I know why. The American movie-going public is just plain bored and disgusted with movies about boxing. The film is rated PG-13, which means children under 13 years should have parental guidance to see it. I wouldn’t recommend this film even to my 19-year old niece! I wouldn’t recommend it to adults either. Now I know how Ebert and Roeper must feel having to sit through awful movies just because they have to write about them.

Any other film with these actors would have been great. Russell Crowe plays James Braddock, a boxer during the Depression era who overcame obstacles to keep his family together, and to be a great fighter. Renee Zellweger plays his wife, and Paul Giamatti plays his trainer/manager. I have no issues with Mr. Braddock as a person, and I believe he did overcome many obstacles to keep his family together during the Depression. But so did a lot of other people.

If Hollywood really tried, they could come up with another story of hardship leading to success. But instead they filmed this movie about a “profession/sport” that has grown men beating each other up (and sadly, grown women as in Million Dollar Baby). Audiences don’t want to go to theaters to watch boxing, and they don’t want to watch it at home either. Even Mrs. Braddock hates boxing, and tells her husband to stop letting his children spar with him. She lays down the law and announces that no child in her family will grow up to be a boxer. They will go to college and get good jobs elsewhere. Way to go, Mrs. Braddock!

Russell Crowe was nominated for a Golden Globe award for his performance, as was Paul Giamatti for his performance in a supporting role. It is not Russell’s year for an award. I can see why Mr. Giamatti was nominated however, as he does a really fine job as the manager risking his own financial stability in order that Mr. Braddock can have one last chance. Mr. Giamatti is a fine actor, as he has shown us previously in Sideways.

Other than Mr. Giamatti’s performance, the film falls short. The cinematography is inferior. I know it was dark during the Depression, but this film is too dark to even see clearly. I can’t think of any reason you should go out and rent this film. If any of you have seen it, please comment about it here. I’d be interested to hear whether you agree or disagree with me.

(The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) has rated Cinderella Man PG-13 for intense boxing violence and some language. Henceforth, when I quote the MPAA ratings, it is verbatim for my readers’ information. Many of my readers prefer to avoid films with violence, and this is a way for me to alert you to whether there is sufficient violence in a film for it to be noted in the MPAA ratings.)

Crash

2005-12-26T20:02:00.000-08:00

(recommended by Julia)

Crash, rated R, has an all-star cast including Don Cheadle, Matt Dillon, Jennifer Esposito, Sandra Bullock, Brendan Fraser, Ryan Phillippe, and Loretta Devine. To get so many accomplished actors in one film, I figured the screenplay must be pretty good, and I was not disappointed. The film is nominated for best screenplay, and Matt Dillon is nominated for best supporting actor in the upcoming Golden Globe Awards. This was one of the best films I have seen all year, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it showed up in some of the categories at the Academy Awards.

As the film progressed, I was reminded of Grand Canyon which was released in 1991, as the characters similarly weave in and out of each other’s lives, and both films are are about race relations in Los Angeles. The characters are complex, and just when you think you have one figured out and placed in a category (good or bad), something happens that tests that person and shows them and the viewer that life and the choices they make are not all that predictable.

It is a film about how racial stereotypes, and past history perpetuates hatred between the many cultures that make up Los Angeles: African-American, Caucasian, Asian, Hispanic. The characters confront each other about those stereotypes and philosophize to each other about what it means to be a part of a certain race or group. Despite the philosophizing, never does the dialogue sound preachy, although definite points are made.

I don’t want to give away too much of the film, because some of its beauty is from the unexpected that occurs between these people struggling to get through life. However, I will share that the film deals with relationships between the police and Los Angeles citizens. It contrasts African-Americans, some of whom are professionals with respected jobs, who are embarrassed by those of their race who are common thieves. A Hispanic man living a new life away from gang involvement has to calm and comfort his daughter because she is scared of random bullets coming through the house. An Iranian daughter tries to help her father, who has been mistaken for an Arab, even so far as taking him to buy a gun to protect his store.

Those are just some of the characters in Crash, and the actors are amazing. Thandie Newton and Matt Dillon particularly have difficult roles to play and make their interactions so real and believable. I don’t know if this film will help anyone be less prejudiced, but it definitely made me think. It hasn’t been that long ago (less than 40 years) since the death of Martin Luther King, Jr. and race relations remain a multi-layered and complex issue. As long as thoughtful films like this are being made, it gives me hope that more and more people can learn to understand themselves, and each other, better.

Spanglish

2005-12-25T18:51:00.000-08:00

(recommended by Julia)

Spanglish was written and directed by James L. Brooks (As Good as It Gets). I was happily surprised at the depth of this comedy, and found it to be quite touching. The film stars Adam Sandler (50 First Dates), Tea Leoni, and Cloris Leachman.

Flor (Paz Vega) immigrates to Los Angeles from Mexico hoping for a better life for herself and her daughter Cristina (Shelbie Bruce). Flor eventually decides it would be beneficial to work one job rather than two so she can keep a better eye on her blossoming daughter, and ends up employed by the Clasky’s, Deborah (Tea Leoni) and John (Adam Sandler).

Flor does not speak English when the Clasky’s first hire her, and Cristina is forced to translate for her. There are no subtitles in the film, which is unusual, but I decided that it helped create the kind of atmosphere and difficulties that a family in their situation must find themselves in while trying to communicate.

This film is told from the point of view of Cristina, who has written an admissions essay to Princeton. She is looking back on her life with her mother and the choices her mother made for their family. Spanglish is really a film about honor. Flor has to make decisions to maintain the integrity of her family, both as an employee of the Clasky’s and as a woman.

This is because the Clasky’s are not a functional family. Deborah is a horrible mother, John is struggling with his work as a chef, and living with them is Deborah’s alcoholic mother (Cloris Leachman). Over a summer spent at the Clasky’s summer residence on the ocean, John and Flor become attracted to one another. They are simpatico, talking easily and often emotionally about their children and the decisions they make as parents.

When school begins in the fall, Cristina has a scholarship to the same school the Clasky’s daughter attends. Flor is growing increasingly uneasy about Deborah’s involvement with her daughter. Deborah meanwhile breaks down and tells John the secret she has been keeping from him. John leaves the house and runs into Flor. He invites Flor to his restaurant where he cooks her dinner. These scenes between John and Flor are very charged and sensual, and all too brief. Flor makes her decisions for the good of herself and her daughter, the decisions her daughter later has come to accept and appreciate.

I actually liked this film better than As Good as It Gets. I don’t recall it getting much press at the time it came out in theaters, and that is a shame. Adam Sandler is particularly good as the troubled chef not wanting to get too much acclaim, preferring a simpler life, and who is a good husband, who for many years has overlooked his histrionic wife’s drama.

I highly recommend this film to you. It mirrors a part of Los Angeles, both the privileged white class, and the 48% of Los Angeles that are the working Hispanics. I liked how the film resolved all the conflicts between its characters with integrity and honor.

Holiday Inn

2005-12-23T20:27:00.000-08:00

Holiday Inn is one of my favorites to watch at this time of year. It is a romantic comedy with music by Irving Berlin, and stars Bing Crosby. It predates White Christmas by 12 years, having been released in 1942. Also starring Fred Astaire, it is a G rated film and features wonderful dance numbers showcasing Fred’s talents (and Edith Head’s gowns). Irving Berlin is said to have written the song Easter Parade, and then got the idea for a film about holidays. That’s how the most beloved song of White Christmas was born, and why it came to be associated with Bing Crosby’s melodic voice.

Jim Hardy (Bing Crosby) and Ted Hanover (Fred Astaire) have a song and dance team with Lila Dixon (Virginia Dale). Lila becomes engaged to Jim, but doesn’t want to join him at his farm in Connecticut. She and Ted run off together to continue their career in show business, while Jim heads to his farm. Jim gets the idea to turn the farm into Holiday Inn, a place where shows are performed on major holidays only. Along the way, aspiring performer Linda Mason (Marjorie Reynolds) joins Jim’s productions at the inn. Lila meanwhile dumps Ted and he shows up at the inn intoxicated. He dances a crowd-pleasing dance with Linda, but fails to remember who she is in the morning. Thus begins Ted’s search for his perfect dance partner, and Jim’s attempts to keep the two of them apart. (Fred Astaire had two shots of bourbon prior to the first take for the drunken dance scene, and one shot before each subsequent take. They stopped at the 7th take, which is in the movie).

Bing and Fred are great as friends who always seem to fall for the same woman, and then try to outsmart each other. Bing was about 39 years old at the time of this film and Fred was 43 years old. You’re probably seeing them at the prime of their talents here, and the screenplay is a classic romantic comedy, well written and directed.

The film is in black and white, but that shouldn’t stop you from seeing it. The dancing and comedy are enough to make up for it. One of my favorite pieces is the 4th of July performance. This film was released in 1942, and the number is a not so subtle reminder that we were at war, and what freedoms we were fighting to protect. Another interesting little segment is the confused turkey on the calendar trying to pick which Thursday in November should be Thanksgiving Day. It’s a reference to President Roosevelt’s wanting to change the date of Thanksgiving.

Why not get both Holiday Inn and White Christmas for a night of some of the best classic musicals Hollywood ever made? Watching these two films always puts me in good spirits, and I hope they have the same effect for you.

Surviving Christmas

2005-12-20T16:54:00.000-08:00

Surviving Christmas stars Ben Affleck, Christina Applegate, James Gandolfini (The Sopranos), and Catherine O’Hara (Home Alone). It is rated PG-13.

Drew (Ben Affleck) says the wrong thing to his girlfriend Missy just before Christmas and she breaks up with him. Desperate to not be spending Christmas alone, Drew goes to his childhood home, and pays the family now living there $250,000 to let him stay with them for the holidays. Tom (James Gandolfini) sees the dollar signs, and his wife Christine (Catherine O’Hara) reluctantly agrees to the plan, even though their teenage son is not happy to be giving up his room to this stranger. Drew even hires an actor to play his grandfather, whom he affectionately nicknames Doo-Dah, to complete the family.

That’s where the fun begins. Actually, from the first few opening scenes, we know this is not going to be a typical Christmas movie. Seeing Grandma take gingerbread men out of the oven with frowns painted on all their little faces is one clue, and what she does afterwards is shocking if it hadn’t been for those depressed little cookies. This film is about the unfortunate people who greet depression instead of Christmas cheer in December each year.

Drew sets about recreating his family, and doing all the traditional family Christmas rituals, and then their older daughter Alicia (Christina Applegate) shows up. She is not happy about having this crazy man spend the holidays with her family. Ben Affleck is really quite superb in this role, and is totally cut out to do comedy. He really shines in this film, and the other actors are great in their unique roles as well. The situations that arise are very funny.

The film takes place in Chicago and the suburbs. For anyone who’s ever been to northern Illinois, you know there are no mountains there; not even close. Despite this fact, Drew takes Alicia tobogganing down a mountain complete with a forest that could only be in the Pacific Northwest. Other than that, I really liked the film and laughed out loud. I liked that it was in Chicago, as the holidays are a magical time in the Windy City, decorations on every street and storefront, and the hope of snow in the air.

This film is also a little romance. Tom and Christine work at rekindling their love for each other, and Drew and Alicia grow more and more attracted to each other as the hours pass. If you want to see a romantic comedy that is also about families and Christmas, this is the film for you.

The Polar Express

2005-12-19T19:21:00.000-08:00

Polar Express is destined to become a Christmas classic (it was released in 2004). The film is based on the book
The Polar Express

by Chris Van Allsburg. It is an animated film, but the work is so extraordinarily real, you’ll forget you’re watching animation.

On Christmas Eve, a young boy who is beginning to doubt the existence of Santa Claus, discovers the Polar Express boarding outside his front door. It is heading straight to the North Pole. He hops aboard where he meets other children clad in their pajamas, all hoping to meet Santa Claus.

The conductor is unmistakably Tom Hanks, with a huge pocket watch to help him stick to the schedule. All sorts of adventures arise en route to the North Pole, many of them taking on the dimensions of a roller coaster ride. I’d love to see this film at an IMAX theater for just that reason. Perhaps you’ll be lucky enough to find it playing at an IMAX in your town. There is also plenty of classic Christmas music, sweet songs sung by the children, and wonderful scenes of magic reindeer flying through the sky, Santa and the huge red sack of Christmas presents in tow. Our young hero is given a special gift by Santa, and for a while, still believes.

Robert Zemeckis of Back to the Future fame (another of my favorites), directed the film, and it is a delight from beginning to end. It is rated G, and young and old alike will enjoy this film. There are lots of beautiful messages about the spirit of Christmas in this story. The conductor tells our young hero as he disembarks the train, “One thing about trains; it doesn’t matter where they’re going. What matters is deciding to get on.” I recommend you board Polar Express this holiday season.

It's a Wonderful Life

2005-12-11T22:32:00.000-08:00

Although the ending of the Frank Capra film It's a Wonderful Life
takes place during Christmas, the film was not intended to be holiday entertainment when it was first released in 1946. It has since become a classic associated with Christmas, and is cited by many as a favorite movie to watch during the holidays.

The film stars James Stewart as George Bailey, Donna Reed as Mary Hatch-Bailey and Lionel Barrymore as Mr. Potter. It is a film about the hopes and dreams of George Bailey, and how they never quite materialize. This is partly due to the machinations of Mr. Potter (an early version of the greedy corporate executive). George has dreams of traveling the world, of building things, of having a million dollars. As his life unfolds, reality doesn’t even come close to his aspirations.

George’s father and his Uncle Billy run a small building and loan company, an institution Mr. Potter yearns to make his own. George again and again stays in Bedford Falls to work at the building and loan, setting aside his dreams year after year. During this time, he marries the girl who has always loved him (played by Donna Reed). Four children soon follow, and George struggles to support his family.

On Christmas Eve day, Uncle Billy misplaces an $8,000 deposit to the bank (the money is found by Mr. Potter who uses the opportunity to set into motion the final demise of the building and loan and thus George Bailey). George is at his lowest point. Mr. Potter points out he is worth more dead than alive, and George considers suicide. This is why I don’t think of It's a Wonderful Life as a Christmas movie. The film deals with George’s depression and desperation, and is really a drama with elements of comedy and romance. The careful observer notices the clues that George hasn’t been happy with his life for some time, and the incident of the lost money sends him right over the edge.

Before George can throw himself off a bridge into the turbulent, cold waters of the river, an angel intervenes. An angel named Clarence, who is from another era. Clarence realizes that the way to help George is to show him what the world would be like had he never been born.

As George and Clarence walk through a world where George doesn’t exist, he grows frantic as all the familiar places, friends and family he has taken for granted are nowhere to be found. He finally realizes he really does love his wife, his children, and his life. Once George realizes he wants to live, Clarence brings George’s world back. The ending results in all his friends coming together to help him out.

Largely because of James Stewart’s wonderful performance, the audience can empathize with George’s feelings about his life, and I think that is why this film is beloved by so many. The screenplay is also excellent. Mr. Stewart gets to deliver some great romantic lines, and his passion to his character remains from beginning to end. I recommend this film as one of the classics of all time.

Christmas in the Clouds

2005-12-10T15:39:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure of watching this outstanding romantic comedy in my local theater today. I walked out smiling and feeling great. Christmas in the Clouds won the Audience Award for Best Feature Film at the Austin Film Festival, and was voted Best Native Film at the Santa Fe Film Festival, both richly deserved honors.

It’s a romantic comedy, filmed entirely in Utah on Robert Redford’s Sundance property. The film was written and directed by Kate Montgomery, and it’s a clever script, well rendered by the actors.

Joe Clouds on Fire (Sam Vlahos) begins to tell his story as he is driving his old beat-up truck along a mountainous road. He has been corresponding with Tina Littlehawk (Mariana Tosca) who lives in New York, and his letters have impressed Tina. She decides to pay Joe a surprise visit, and books a room at the resort where Joe’s son, Ray Clouds on Fire (Tim Vahle), is the general manager. She does not use her real name, wanting to check things out with Joe anonymously.

Ray is anxious about a review that will end up in a prominent travel guide, but doesn’t know the identity of the person who will be judging the resort. The staff mistake Tina for the real reviewer, who is Stu O’Malley (M. Emmet Walsh), a grumpy alcoholic estranged from his daughter.

To further complicate the case of mistaken identity, Tina thinks that Ray is her pen pal Joe, and Ray thinks that Tina is the anonymous reviewer for the travel guide. Ray and Tina begin to fall for each other, and around them are all the resort staff, a colorful group of characters, each with their own quirks and endearing qualities.

Graham Greene (Dances with Wolves, Thunderheart) plays Earl, the resort’s vegetarian chef, who is chagrined at Ray’s request that he also serve meat to the diners. There are so many funny jokes throughout that it’s hard for me to pick my favorite. Wes Studi has a cameo appearance playing himself, and there is an adorable mouse running about the resort that is as much a character in the story as the people around him.

The music is mostly Native American in influence. There is a beautiful rendition of Silent Night, sung in the Ute language and accompanied by R. Carlos Nakai. I thoroughly enjoyed this film, and hope you get to see it in your own local theaters this holiday season.

Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas!

2005-12-09T21:39:00.000-08:00

Boris Karloff narrates and sings in this favorite from my youth, How the Grinch Stole Christmas The music and story are enchanting in this animated version of the classic Dr. Seuss book. The tongue twisting words of Ted Geisel aka Dr. Seuss still make me smile. He delighted in creating worlds with strange-looking creatures, in this case the Whos, who have curiously human like qualities.

The Grinch hates everything about Christmas, the presents, the feasting, the music and games, but especially he hates the singing. He hatches a plot to steal Christmas from the Whos, employing only his dog Max in his secret scheme. After he steals every physical part of the Whos celebration, he retreats to the mountains to throw it all off the top of a peak. But he hears the Whos singing on Christmas morning, and has a moment of satori. He couldn’t steal Christmas after all because its spirit is inside the Whos. He returns all that he has taken and joins in the celebration.

It’s a nice little Christmas story to watch (only 26 minutes), and just as relevant today as it was 39 years ago when it was released.

Home Alone

2005-12-05T19:53:00.000-08:00

One year not long ago, I told a friend that I was watching Home Alone on Christmas Day. She was surprised, as she didn’t think of it as a Christmas film. True, a major part of the film is eight-year-old Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) single-handedly defending his home against Harry (Joe Pesci) and Marv (Daniel Stern), who are the Wet Bandits, but the entire film takes place at Christmas! The theme of families and Christmas celebrations figure prominently in this slapstick comedy rated PG.

Kevin is the youngest of five children, and mistakenly gets left behind when his family flies to Paris for the holidays along with his cousins and aunt and uncle. The family hasn’t treated Kevin all that nicely, and he had made a bedtime wish that they would just disappear. When he awakens the following morning and they have flown off to Paris without him, he thinks his wish came true.

Kevin conquers his fears and becomes quite self-sufficient while his family is gone. The Wet Bandits have targeted his house as one of the choice homes to rob while people are away for the holidays, and the defense Kevin devises to protect his home is ingenious, complete, and very funny. Watching Marv and Harry as they make their way through Kevin’s booby traps makes me laugh out loud!

Kevin also makes friends with his scary neighbor, whose reputation has been fueled by tall and untrue tales of his murderous past. Both the neighbor and Kevin learn something about themselves and their families from each other. The neighbor reaches out to his estranged son and family as a result, and Kevin realizes that even though his family is not perfect, he loves them and would like them to come home.

This is a good movie, and I highly recommend it. Also featured are John Heard and Catherine O’Hara as Kevin’s parents, and a great cameo appearance by John Candy. Kevin’s mother and family are understandably upset when they realize Kevin is missing, and his mother’s quest to get home from Paris as quickly as possible results in her meeting the Polka King of the Midwest (John Candy). The writer and producer is John Hughes (remember his name?), and is directed by Chris Columbus who is now involved with the Harry Potter movies.

I’ll review the sequel to Home Alone another day.

White Christmas

2005-12-04T20:14:00.000-08:00

White Christmas is a classic musical from 1954. There is nothing objectionable in the entire film, which makes it suitable for the whole family (it’s not rated, and it doesn’t need to be). The music is by Irving Berlin, and stars Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney (George’s aunt), Vera-Ellen and Dean Jagger. Edith Head, the grande dame of film couture, designed the costumes.

White Christmas is mainly a romantic comedy set to music and dancing, with a sentimental bent and nod to those who served in World War II. The story is about a show business duo, Bob Wallace (Bing Crosby) and Phil Davis (Danny Kaye), who end up at a Vermont resort just before Christmas with the Haynes sisters, Betty (Rosemary Clooney) and Judy (Vera-Ellen), who have their own song and dance act.

Bob and Phil encounter their former general from the army (Dean Jagger) who is now owner of the resort in Pine Tree, Vermont. The trouble is there is no snow to bring in the guests. Thus begins an elaborate plan to get folks up to the resort, and pay tribute to the general at the same time.

Meanwhile, Bob and Betty are falling for each other. Interspersed through all of this are great musical numbers. Vera-Ellen is an incredible dancer. She looks like she’s about a size 2 with legs that just won’t quit. Danny Kaye does a very good job singing and dancing his role, and his comedic timing couldn’t be better. The segment where Phil and Bob dress up like the sisters to mime their act is hilarious, and I read, filmed on the first take.

If you have older folks, grandparents and such, coming to your house for Christmas, this is the perfect film to rent or buy. Watching it reminded me of my parents and aunts and uncles who loved watching these stars and this film, and introduced me to them. I grew up dreaming of a White Christmas, and welcomed the snow that would magically transform our dreary winter world into a carpet of white. I hope White Christmas brings some of that magic to you.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

2005-12-03T19:03:00.000-08:00

Steve Martin (All of Me) and the late, great John Candy (Splash) star in this holiday travel adventure from 1987, Planes, Trains and Automobiles. This comedy is rated R, and was written and directed by John Hughes, who happens to be one of my favorite writer/directors (Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Home Alone). It is notable for being a funny, yet moving film focusing on the relationship of two strangers trying to get home for Thanksgiving.

Steve Martin plays Neal Page, a marketing executive flying home from New York to Chicago to be with his wife and three children. John Candy is Del Griffith, a shower ring salesman who befriends, or should I say latches onto, Neal.

The O’Hare airport is closed due to blizzard conditions, and Neal finds himself stranded in Wichita with Del. Their journey across the frigid Midwest is filled with complications, and yes, all modes of travel are utilized, including buses and catching a ride in the back of a semi-truck headed to Chicago.

Neal finds Del to be the worst possible company, and their relationship has its ups and downs throughout the tale. Neal begins as a levelheaded, nice man whose patience is tested, and we watch as he ultimately succumbs to being the difficult traveler we wouldn’t want to meet. Del proves to be ingenious when trouble appears, and ultimately a nice man, someone you’d like to be friends with, even if only for his loyalty.

I like this film because it makes me laugh out loud, the ending brings a tear to the eyes, and because the two comedians do such an excellent job portraying the many emotions that arise on their cross-country journey. I also can’t recall many films lately that feature two men (not two women, or a man and a woman) making their way through a situation that tests them individually and as a team, and we see each of them grow by the end of the film.

Look for an early cameo by Kevin Bacon, and keep the tape playing once the credits begin to roll. I just let it keep playing as I regrouped after the film listening to the music, and was treated to a funny little segment at the end of the credits, something I think you’ll also enjoy.

Tis the season . . .

2005-12-03T18:59:00.000-08:00

Since the holidays are fast approaching, I've decided to review some holiday themed films for you. I hope you use them to help select just the right film for you and your guests when you host your own holiday movie night. Let me know if there is a film you'd like me to review, and I'll try to find it and review it. Happy holidays to all!

I'm back!

2005-11-20T18:28:00.000-08:00

I just had high-speed Internet installed at my house, and it has made my life already much simpler. No more waiting and waiting for things to download or copy on dial-up.

This means I will again be posting my movie reviews! I'm excited about getting back to it, and for adding more helpful links for you to my blog.

Stay tuned for more developments, and thanks for checking back!

Mr. and Mrs. Smith

2005-08-27T20:59:00.000-07:00

I wanted to see this film after reading that the screenwriter, Simon Kinberg, found his inspiration for the story in an explanation of the process of marriage therapy. This intrigued me, as I thought it was primarily an action film, and wanted to see how this was accomplished. According to Mr. Kinberg, marriage therapy guides couples through a process to initiate, interact, communicate, compromise, adapt, and ultimately fall in love again. He placed John and Jane Smith (Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie) in a marriage complicated by their unusual occupations. Both are accomplished assassins, and they have both managed to keep their professional lives secret from one another, even though they have been married five (or six) years.

We first meet John and Jane in the therapist’s office (initiate). Since they are willing to see a therapist about their relationship, I gave them a better than average chance of restoring life to their dull marriage.

We are shown how John and Jane met and then married without allowing each other to know who they truly are. Sound familiar? Other than their unusual occupations, they could be any suburban couple.

Separately, they are each given the job of tracking and assassinating the same person. They spot each other as a competitor on the job, and then have to track and eliminate the other assassin, as neither can leave a witness to a hit. They soon discover that the other killer is their spouse. John and Jane stop lying to each other, and start telling each other who they really are (interact, communicate). As they are engaged in the chase, they have to pay attention to each other for the first time in years, and fall in love again.

Now they have to figure out a way to deal with their bosses who are expecting them to take each other down. So they compromise and adapt to each other’s styles as they strategize and carry out a plan together. They come to understand and appreciate the strengths and weaknesses they have that complement each other, and that make life together stronger and more successful than either would have alone.

Mr. & Mrs. Smith really works. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are great together, apparently off screen as well. Adam Brody (The O.C.) plays a small role as the man that both assassins are asked to target, and who has the answer to their dilemma. Casting chatty Adam in this role was a good choice. Watching Mr. and Mrs. Smith go about setting traps for each other reminded me of the destructive games that couples play, especially when they are considering divorce. It's not just an action film, but also has elements of comedy and romance to enjoy. It is rated PG-13. Mr. Kinberg wrote a great screenplay, resulting in an entertaining film, one that I will probably watch again sometime on DVD.

A Guy Thing

2005-08-18T20:22:00.000-07:00

(Recommended by Julia)
A Guy Thing is rated PG-13 for language, crude humor, some sexual content and drug references. I thought it would just be another silly romantic comedy, and was pleasantly surprised. The film sports a good cast: Jason Lee, Julia Stiles, Selma Blair, James Brolin and Julie Hagerty.

Paul (Jason Lee) and Karen (Selma Blair) are to be married. Jason meets Becky (Julia Stiles) at his bachelor party, just after relinquishing his groom’s hat to his best friend, so she does not know he is the groom. They awaken the next morning together in bed.

Paul is horrified at what may have happened between them. To make matters worse, it turns out that Becky is Karen’s cousin. Becky also has a borderline psycho ex-boyfriend who happens to be a cop to further complicate the situation. I laughed and laughed during this movie at the screwball physical comedy. Jason Lee is a fine comedic actor, Julia Stiles is beautiful in her role as the free spirit who spurs Paul to question the way his life is progressing, and the supporting roles of James Brolin as Karen’s father, and Julie Hagerty as Paul's mother are well cast.

I thought that the part in the film about "the guy thing" (you’ll have to see it to figure out what that actually means; I never give away the good parts) was not as important as the message that it's better to get up the courage to change direction before making a mistake you’ll live to regret. I highly recommend this romantic comedy, especially when you need a good laugh.

Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!

2005-08-06T18:56:00.000-07:00

(Recommended by Julia)

Robert Luketic, who also directed Legally Blonde, directed Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!. The movie stars Kate Bosworth as Rosalee, Josh Duhamel as Tad, and Topher Grace (That '70s Show; In Good Company) as Pete.

The win a date scheme is meant to boost Tad’s reputation, as he is portrayed by the press as a self-involved movie star. Rosalee wins a date with him and Tad follows her back to West Virginia after their night out in Hollywood. Rosalee is not like the other women he is accustomed to. She is guarding her carnal treasure (Pete’s last words of advice to her before she gets on the plane), something most women Tad meets are not concerned about.

Nathan Lane and Sean Hayes as Tad’s business manager and agent are hilarious together. They are very concerned about Tad’s infatuation with Rosalee and follow him to West Virginia. Pete has been Rosalee’s friend since they were children, but has not gotten up the courage to tell her that he loves her. When Tad shows up, Pete attempts to impress Rosalee with dismal results. Rosalee’s father is really funny as he dives into Hollywood (wearing a Project Greenlight T-shirt, no less), and he is not sympathetic to Pete’s distress, preferring a movie star to be his daughter’s suitor. It’s a romantic comedy, so I won’t give away the ending!

I found the movie funny in places, but definitely more of a film for teenagers and college-age young adults. The film is rated PG-13 for sexual content, some drug references, and language. I don’t think kids under 13 would find it very interesting. Or anyone over 22 for that matter. Kate Bosworth has a grin on her face for most of the movie, something I found really annoying. True, there is a sweet moment when Pete says that Rosalee has six different smiles, but Kate does not give Rosalee six different smiles. The real standouts in terms of acting as I mentioned are Nathan Lane and Sean Hayes. View at your own risk.

Big Fish

2005-07-27T19:13:00.000-07:00

(Recommended by Julia)
Big Fish is a Tim Burton movie and is as surreal as the other films he's directed, which include Edward Scissorhands, Sleepy Hollow, Ed Wood and Beetlejuice to name a few I am fond of.

An all-star cast includes Ewan McGregor and Albert Finney portraying the young and old Edward Bloom, Billy Crudup as Edward's son Will, and Jessica Lange, Helena Bonham Carter, Robert Guillaume, Steve Buscemi, and Danny DeVito in supporting roles.

Will has long been embarrassed and frustrated by his father’s tall tales, and doesn’t speak to his father for three years following his marriage and subsequent move to Paris with his new wife. The estrangement ends when Will receives a phone call from his mother to tell him that Edward is dying. Will longs to reconcile with his father and wants to know who he really is. Edward continues to weave elaborate stories of his life, fantastic tales that appear to be lies to Will.

Will however, learns that within every story his father tells, lies an element of the truth of Edward's life. I think that Will is not unlike most young men, and women for that matter, who grow up not really knowing much about their father. This may be changing in our society today, but for fathers who grew up anytime before the 60’s, I’d say they were hard to understand and didn’t reveal much.

One interesting story Edward relates is about his childhood when he went up to a witch’s house on a dare. This witch had one glass eye in which the viewer could see his/her own death. This knowledge of his ultimate passing, or so the storyteller says, helped Edward to act fearlessly when confronted with danger, because he knew he wouldn’t be dying just yet.

Big Fish is rated PG-13 for a fight scene, some images of nudity, and a suggestive reference, but I think this film is just plain weird and would prove difficult for children to understand, although the images would be interesting for them. It is beautifully filmed, with some very special effects, and I’m not talking car chases here. If you like modern art, or other Tim Burton films, you might really enjoy Big Fish,.

Response to question about "The Butterfly Effect"

2005-07-27T19:07:00.000-07:00

A reader asked if The Butterfly Effect had a happy ending. In a way, yes. Be forewarned that this is a dark movie about troubling and bad things that happen to people. The ending was satisfying, but I wouldn't exactly call it happy in a traditional sense. It's definitely a drama with few really comedic elements to it. But I found it quite interesting. Hope that helps. I don't like to give away too many details about a film; I'd rather you be surprised!

How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days

2005-07-26T20:21:00.000-07:00

(Recommended by Julia)

Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey star in this romantic comedy. I couldn’t help but think of Kate’s mother every time she smiled, but Kate is not Goldie, and I also think Kate is a fine actress in her own right. I enjoyed her portrayal of Andie, a writer for a magazine along the lines of Cosmo, who is assigned to write “How To” articles.

After a friend suffers a bad breakup ostensibly due to doing every thing wrong with her man, Andie is assigned the task of writing an article called “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” a sort of cautionary tale to readers about what not to do in a new relationship. Andie’s task is to find a guy, reel him in, and then proceed to do everything wrong so he breaks up with her in less than 10 days.

Ben (Matthew McConaughey) works in an ad agency and desperately wants a choice marketing account selling diamonds. He is put up to a bet that he can get a woman to fall in love with him in 10 days, with the prize being the diamond account. Two scheming co-workers who know about Andie’s quest steer Ben in the direction of Andie, and the comedy takes off.

Andie does such outrageous things to Ben, and yet he doesn’t dump her! Anyone else would. He of course is intent on having Andie fall in love with him to get the diamond account. In the process of their game playing, they do fall in love. When it’s a romantic comedy, we know the ending will be sweet and happy, just not how they will get there.

I recommend this film as it moves along very quickly, and is laugh-out-loud funny. I found myself shaking my head at all the horrible things Andie was doing to Ben, and thought about how if all couples could ignore the weird things their mate does to annoy them, and focus on the things they can do to make themselves worthy of love from the other, there might be many fewer divorces.

How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days is rated PG-13 for some sex-related material.

The Butterfly Effect

2005-07-25T17:02:00.000-07:00

(Recommended by Julia)

It has been said that something as small as the flutter of a butterfly’s wing can ultimately cause a typhoon halfway around the world. Chaos theory

This quote attributed to Chaos Theory begins the movie The Butterfly Effect. The film stars Ashton Kutcher as a young man named Evan who is mysteriously afflicted with the same type of mental illness as his father. The illness affects memories and the young Evan has many bad memories to repress, particularly certain things that happened with three playmates from his youth. He begins keeping a journal, and as an adult, discovers he can go back in time to change the events he has experienced.

Evan’s ability to change the past results in a very different present each time he does this sort of time travel. The film is thoughtful, scary, and made me think about the "if onlys" in my life. How many of us have thought “if only”. If only I had chosen that other path, my life would be different today. Evan’s experience reminds me that changing the past could have resulted in a future not nearly as good as the one I’m currently in. It also reminds me that every choice I make, no matter how small it seems, has repercussions in my life and in the lives of those around me.

This film is visually very interesting whenever the time travel occurs, and Ashton Kutcher does a good job acting as the young man tormented by psychological demons. The film is rated R for violence, sexual content, language, and brief drug use. If you liked films such as 12 Monkeys, and Jacob's Ladder, you may enjoy The Butterfly Effect.

Orange County

2005-07-24T09:49:00.000-07:00

I have rented five of the movies my 18-year old niece suggested I watch (henceforth to be recognized as "recommended by Julia"), so here is a review of the first one.

Orange County refers to the affluent county on the ocean directly south of Los Angeles, recently made famous by the television series The O.C., which takes place in and around Newport Beach. Orange County is about Shaun, a senior in high school who loves surfing, and yet keeps up with his school studies. He decides he wants to be a writer after finding and reading a book half buried in the sand on the beach.

When the school guidance counselor sends the wrong transcript to Stanford with his application, he is denied admission. Shaun's quest to get into Stanford becomes an obsession, one which involves his older brother Lance, played by Jack Black. Lance spends most of the film in his underwear, has a parole officer, and is stoned most of the time. He also provides for most of the laughter in this film. Shaun's family is dysfunctional and dramatic, with an alcoholic mother (Catherine O'Hara), and estranged father (John Lithgow). Shaun is embarrassed of them, and yet by the end of the film, he realizes that though flawed, they truly support him and his dreams.

Shaun eventually comes to the conclusion that he can achieve his dream of becoming a writer no matter where he attends school, but not until a series of escapades on the Stanford campus lead him to meet the author who has so inspired him.

This film was written by Mike White who also wrote The Good Girl, an excellent movie about a woman (Jennifer Aniston) who feels trapped in her life. I personally liked The Good Girl better. It's more an adult movie, and Orange County with it's PG-13 rating, appeals more to the teenage/college age group.

Which brings me to why this film would appeal to teens. Shaun's finding a book that propels him into a productive future is the sign that teens are also looking for; something that will help them answer the questions: What am I here for? What am I to do with my life? How do I find my way? These questions are answered for Shaun by the end of the movie, and I think teens would find this a hopeful film with lots of comedy and characters that mirror the crazy people we all know in real life.

Hitch

2005-07-19T17:15:00.000-07:00

My 18-year-old niece recommended I see this film. In fact she made a list of 14 movies available for rental these days, and I look forward to reporting on all of them.

Will Smith plays Alex Hitchens, "Hitch", a man who makes his living by helping men get a date with the woman of their dreams. His big challenge is to help an accountant played by Kevin James, win the affections of an heiress, sweetly named Allegra.

While involved in this project, Hitch falls for Sarah (Eva Mendes), a woman who has grown to shun relationships. Between these two romances, the fun begins. Hitch and his pupil have great chemistry, and it is believable that the beautiful Allegra would find her accountant charming.

You know how some movies look good in the trailers, but then when you get to the theater, all the funny scenes were in the trailer, and there isn’t anything good left in the film? Well, this does not happen with Hitch. There are laughing out loud scenes, and a good conclusion to the story. As Hitch explains, he just creates an opportunity for the unlikely man to be noticed by the object of his affection, and the rest just happens on its own. If you like romantic comedies, this is a sure winner.

Winged Migration

2005-07-18T20:38:00.000-07:00

Whether you’re a bird watcher or not, I predict you will find this film fascinating. Winged Migration follows the annual flight of different flocks of birds migrating to their nesting grounds in the Arctic regions. It took four years to collect the footage of their migration, and our perspective is a birds-eye view, as the film was shot mainly from ultra-light aircraft flying neck and neck with the birds.

I was impressed by the landscapes, which cover every continent. Many species of birds were featured, and I particularly enjoyed seeing a single American bald eagle in its beauty and strength. It is no wonder this majestic bird is sacred to the Native Americans, and that it was chosen as our nation’s symbol.

As these birds flew to the same nesting grounds they have for millions of years, I found myself transported to another place on earth where birds are the dominant life force. We rarely see a human being in this film and I didn’t miss us! The birds have their own rituals, attachments, and struggles for life and death, seemingly separate from humans.

But we know we humans affect the survival of these complex creatures and their unique society, and every oil spill (and there have been many since the Exxon Valdez) threatens the species very existence (this comment is mine; the film has little to no narration and allows the viewer to make their own conclusions from what is witnessed).

I hope you watch this film for the beauty inherent in the bird’s flight, or to learn about another species that I for one, could learn more about. It left me with yet one more reason why the Arctic regions need to remain free of oilrigs and development. I’d love to hear your comments about the film once you see it.

Independence Day

2005-07-04T10:13:00.000-07:00

I like to watch certain movies around the holidays we celebrate: Home Alone at Christmas, Planes, Trains and Automobiles at Thanksgiving, Ed Wood for Halloween.

So this July 4th, I decided to watch Independence Day. This film was released in 1996, a time when threats to America were seen as coming from space. The film’s stellar cast portrays the heroes whose collective strengths save the planet’s residents from certain extermination.

Will Smith plays the fighter pilot stationed near Los Angeles, who has a dream of working for NASA.

Bill Pullman is the President, a man with integrity, who doesn’t disappear when the nation is gripped by fear and uncertainty.

Jeff Goldblum has made his character endearing as the computer whiz with a passion for saving the planet, always recycling aluminum cans and commenting on the unwise use of Styrofoam cups.

Randy Quaid is a Vietnam vet now crop dusting in California. He is not ashamed to admit that aliens abducted him a few years ago, and his three children, no mother in sight, love him despite this story that brings ridicule to their family.

The cast of characters around these four are so fully developed, the story is less about battles as it is about seeing how they react in times of stress and danger. Their lives come together to find a solution to successfully vanquish the aliens. The alien species attacking major cities around the globe has been traveling from one Earth-like planet to the next, consuming all their natural resources and moving on.

This film is a drama, an action adventure, and science fiction all rolled into one, with doses of levity and humor to ease the intensity. It is also a patriotic movie. We see the Earth floating like a fragile ornament in our Milky Way in the opening scene, and the planet comes together in a unified effort to save it. This is just the action we need now in order to sustain the Earth and its inhabitants, and not just the human ones. We don’t have the option to go to some other planet like Earth, if one even exists, when we’ve used up all our natural resources.

In 1776 the American colonies formally declared themselves free and independent of Britain. Independent means to not be dependent on or controlled by another person or thing, to not be influenced by others in one’s ideas or conduct, and to be unwilling to be under an obligation to others. On this Independence Day, I’m reflecting on how myself personally, and our nation as a whole, lives up to that definition. Perhaps Independence Day will inspire you to do the same, and you'll have a whole lot of fun in the process.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

2005-07-03T22:51:00.000-07:00

Back in the 1980's, I read a trilogy written by Douglas Adams:
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. I remember it as a very funny series of books, right up there with the writings of Tom Robbins and Rob Brezsny.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a British film and the distinctive brand of British humor shines. The film begins with dolphins (the most intelligent species on earth) attempting to tell humans that the world is coming to an end. The earth is being demolished in the same way houses are torn down to make way for freeways in the name of progress. The character Arthur Dent is saved by his best friend who turns out to be an alien (played by Mos Def). They hitch a ride on a passing spacecraft, and thus begins the adventure for which the Guide is necessary.

The space creatures are grotesque, but in more of an amusing way than anything scary. The animated Guide illustrates what you need in space (a towel for one thing). The whole film is very funny, and the ending sweet and sentimental. It all works and I don't want to give away what happens. Just believe me when I say rent it; you won't be disappointed if you want a good laugh. I saw it at my local dollar theater, but it will probably be available to rent soon.

"So long, and thanks for all the fish!"

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

2005-07-01T21:23:00.000-07:00

Just the other day, right here on earth, I watched the sixth film in the Star Wars saga. Can it really be nearly 30 years ago I was swept into the world of Jedi warriors, Wookies, light sabers, and Darth Vader?

I am now satisfied. I know how Darth Vader came to be who he is. If you haven't seen the other five Star Wars movies, a good way to see them would be to go to Netflix.com, a service over the Internet where you can select DVDs you'd like to see, get them mailed to you, keep them for as long as you'd like, then return them in a postage paid envelope, and the next selection is on its way into your mailbox (thanks for asking about this, Marianne!) All at a reasonable price. No wasting gas driving to the video store yet again.

If you haven't been following the Star Wars tales, this installment is not the place to start. It is darker than all the other films. There are heroes on both sides, and evil is everywhere. Kind of like our world.

We see Anakin succumb to his fears and desire for power. Whereas in the previous films, George Lucas has his characters acquiring wisdom and using it (trust your feelings), this time we see someone utterly fail. It's a cautionary tale about the dark side.

Star Wars Episode III - Revenge of the Sith completed the story for me, and I liked it for that, but on another level, I didn't like it. The film had way too many stark, industrial landscapes, if you can even call it a landscape. The earth that is supposedly sustaining these humans and other creatures is nowhere to be seen. They must eat sometime, but we never see anything growing.

The outrageous creatures have grown tiresome as well. The world Lucas has created here is definitely a male world, none of the fecundity of nature anywhere. I am weary of battle scenes. Men, males of different species, fighting other males: Boring. Chases whether in spacecraft or in cars: boring. At least the light saber fights are more interesting than gunfights, as well as more honorable.

If you have been a faithful fan of Star Wars, you will be glad to see the final installment of the saga, as was I. But now I'm ready to see other genres of movies. I'm hoping we can get back to earth in the movies because there's a lot to be said about life down here.

I welcome comments about this or any film. And may the Force be with you.

The Aviator

2005-06-18T16:48:00.000-07:00

Lulu asked about The Aviator. I thought this film should have won for Best Picture at the Academy Awards this year. I think Best Picture should be given to a big, sweeping epic of a film, and The Aviator certainly fits that description. Howard Hughes was a brilliant man and did much to advance the field of aviation. He also had a mental illness. The man struggled with obsessive compulsive disorder in a time when few medications or therapy were availble to him. Leonardo de Caprio delivered a fine performance of a man plagued by both genius and despair.

Mr. Hughes incredible airplane, The Spruce Goose, is now housed in a hangar in Oregon. Someday I will go to see it when I visit friends in Portland, and I've heard it is magnificent. In the meantime, rent The Aviator and enjoy the beautifully made film about the life of an American legend. The film won for best editing at the Academy Awards, and Leonardo won a Golden Globe for his performance.

The Saint

2005-06-11T17:48:00.000-07:00

I've had house guests for the last almost two weeks, and an intensive landscaping job in my backyard to deal with. Add to all that the fuel pump going out on my car, and you can probably guess why I haven't been posting lately.

However, my guests and I watched some good videos during their visits. One standout is The Saint. Perhaps you recall the television series of the same name several years back starring Roger Moore. This film features Val Kilmer in the title role as the high-paid thief taking on various disguises for his deceptions, and naming them all after Catholic saints . Elisabeth Shue of Leaving Las Vegas fame plays a brilliant scientist, Dr. Emma Russell, who has worked out a formula for an unlimited source of energy.

The Saint is contracted to steal her formula, and thus begins the romance that propels them both through the rest of the film. Val Kilmer plays at least a dozen different characters of the Saint, and his expertise at bringing these characters to life on the screen is amazing. The nuances of his performance are a joy to watch, particularly in the scenes with Emma when glimmers of who the Saint really is surface as he falls in love with her. Elisabeth Shue is simply great as the first woman who really sees him, the first woman to meet his match.

The action takes place in England and Russia, and the spy action is fun to watch too. The soundtrack was beautifully written by Graeme Revell. I highly recommend this movie.

A Candle for Spirit Bear

2005-05-25T21:08:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I attempted to log in to post on my blog and my blog was lost! A couple of friends of mine also couldn't locate my blog. I am grateful it all seems to be working today. I don't think I'd have the time otherwise to figure out how to get it back.

You see I've been working on a 12-minute short screenplay to enter into the Duke City Shootout, a digital film fest happening here in Albuquerque in July. The title of my screenplay is A Candle for Spirit Bear. I am putting the polishing touches on it and once in the mail, will resume posting movie reviews.

Has anyone seen a good movie recently they would like to report on?

A Movie for Every Mood

2005-05-21T20:19:00.000-07:00

It is my intention to create A Movie for Every Mood website that will be a permanent place for full-length movie reviews. I would like to hear from my readers as to what categories of movies they would like to see reviewed on my website.

Here are a few of my own to start with:

Movies for when you want to believe in romance again.

Movies for white knuckling, heart-pounding action.

Movies that give you another cultural viewpoint (foreign films).

Movies when you want a good laugh.

Movies for when you want a good cry.

Movies about alternative lifestyles.

Movies to illuminate eras of history.

Movies that have won Academy Awards.

Movies that were nominated and should have won Academy Awards.

Hope that gives you something to get you thinking about what you'd like to see on my website.

As always, click on the comment button, and feel free to leave your message as a fellow blogger, anonymously, or as other.

Ocean's Eleven

2005-05-20T18:04:00.000-07:00

Steven Soderbergh, well known for his Academy Award winning directorial work in the film Traffic, as well as in such innovative films as sex, lies and videotape, the George Clooney/Jennifer Lopez sizzler Out of Sight, and the popular Erin Brockovich has decided to apply his skills to a remake of "The Rat Pack’s” Ocean's Eleven. It has been a very long time since I saw the original film, Ocean's 11 that starred Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr. and Peter Lawford, as well as Angie Dickenson in the sole female role, and I looked forward to seeing how a casino heist would fare in the modern day world of computers and elaborate security systems. Soderbergh came through yet again.

With an all-star cast including George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Don Cheadle, and Matt Damon among others, this film is a visual feast. Present day Las Vegas is stunning, Clooney as Johnny Ocean captivating, dressed in an elegant tuxedo it seems for most of the film, and Julia Roberts lives up to the woman Ocean risks it all for in order to win her back from her boyfriend the casino owner, played by Andy Garcia.

There were enough surprises to keep my interest and I did hope these eleven unlikely partners would pull off their elaborate scheme to rob not just one casino, but three in the same night. The actors were very well cast, and the film is funny, suspenseful and simply great entertainment. It was wise that the audience is not let in on all the details of the coming casino heist, so that we could be almost as surprised as Garcia’s character is when he discovers what is happening to him and his money.

Casey Affleck does very well in his role of the young and seemingly not very bright brother of another of the eleven, and their antics together are hilarious. I’d like to see Casey just once do something other than this type of character, and look forward to the day when someone casts him in a role that is a bit more challenging.

Ocean's Eleven is a must see. I'll rent Ocean's Twelve soon and let you know how I liked it.

The Shipping News

2005-05-19T19:39:00.000-07:00

The Shipping News is about a family coming to terms with its ancestry and healing from hurts inflicted long ago at the hands of one man, who is both Quoyle’s (Kevin Spacey’s) father and the half-brother of Kevin’s older aunt, played by Judi Dench.

Quoyle is introduced as an oft-abused boy who grows up to work as an ink setter in the newspaper industry. He is a mild man with low self-esteem and low self-confidence, but whom his future mate Petal, played by Cate Blanchett, takes a liking to. The result is their daughter Bunny. After a tragic end for Petal, when Quoyle’s aunt shows up after his father’s death, the three head for their ancestral home in Newfoundland, and enter a new life.

Quoyle only knows the newspaper world, and when he seeks employment at the local newspaper he is assigned a writing job as the editor of the shipping news. His self confidence grows as his self-expression flowers, and the family deals with metaphorical and literal ghosts from their past as Quoyle learns the sordid history of his family from the gossipy mouths of the villagers, and as his aunt is forced to share the family secrets with him.

Quoyle meets a lovely woman with a hidden past of her own, played by Julianne Moore. She is the only actor who seems cast out of place, much too pretty and refined for such a rugged setting. The film is directed by Lasse Hallstrom of The Cider House Rules fame, and under his skillful direction, the film is a healing journey unfolding before our eyes. The house the three move to seems to have a personality of its own, at once sinister and foreboding. The stark landscape and weather of the seaside village penetrates to the bone; it is portrayed as so cold and damp, you can feel it in your seat.

This is a fine film to watch if you want an intelligent study of a family healing from the tragedies of the past and moving onward to a healthier life for themselves. One by one, the doors are opened, viewed, and shut forever by these participants in life, seeking answers to the age old questions of, “Who am I?” and “Where did I come from?” Satisfying from beginning to end, with thankfully, a few moments of humor (the references to seal flipper pie are quite amusing). Because after all, life is not just about work and duty, but also about how we can laugh in spite of what comes our way, often unbidden. This film is a drama, with elements of suspense. I highly recommend it.

The Horse Whisperer

2005-05-18T21:34:00.000-07:00

The Horse Whisperer is a movie by Robert Redford. He stars in the movie and his stamp is in every scene. A long movie of 2 hours and 51 minutes, it seems he is deliberately slowing us down, having us move at a quieter pace, a slower pace. From this movie you can tell how much Redford loves the land. He took the time to show the beautiful patchwork fields of the Midwest through aerial shots. He showed the winding curve of roads up mountain passes, and he showed the beautiful mountains of beloved Montana. Small details, such as bales of hay being newly formed, the community farm gatherings for music and dance, were frequent.

Initially, the movie did a good job of establishing a sense of foreboding when Grace, the young girl in the movie, experiences a horrendous accident while riding horses with her best friend on a winter morning. It is truly one of the most horrendous and gut-wrenching accidents I have seen in a film.

Her mother Annie (Kristen Scott-Thomas) is a workaholic and distant from her husband, who clearly loves Annie and his daughter and wants the best for them. Annie is headstrong and won’t take no for an answer. She is very controlling and demanding. When Tom (Robert Redford), who has a knack with problem horses, refuses to visit her to look at Grace’s horse Pilgrim, she takes matters into her own hands and drives across the country with Grace and the horse, in an attempt to heal both of them and herself in the process. They leave the dad behind and arrive at the ranch. Tom is quickly intrigued with Pilgrim and agrees to work with them.

Tom’s virtue is patience. In fact the whole film seems to be an ode to patience. He waits an entire day to have the horse approach him. The horse seems to be suffering from posttraumatic stress from the accident, and Grace is clearly depressed and sad. Grace generally is convincing, although there is one scene with her mother, which is supposed to be a cathartic joining for them, which is not convincing whatsoever. Annie of course falls in love with Tom; Tom falls in love with her. This is also not convincing. Aside from Annie being pretty and perhaps Tom’s willingness to look through the guarded and defensive woman to find her scared little girl inside, I can’t see any other reasons for him to fall in love with her. And Annie, unable to love the man who loves her so deeply, finds escape in infatuation with Tom. Their love is never really consummated except in an exquisite dance floor meeting, done slowly in close up, a dance so filled with sexual tension that I’m surprised Annie’s husband never noticed it passed between them.

The movie is entertaining, not in an action-packed sense, but in the sense that you wonder: How is this horse going to heal? How is Grace going to heal from this tragedy? And more importantly, will anything break through Annie’s tough exterior?

Sleeping with the Enemy

2005-05-17T20:55:00.000-07:00

Laura (Julia Roberts) seems to have it all. A darkly handsome husband (Patrick Bergin), a beautiful ocean front home on the beach, leisure time. Her secret is her husband Martin’s ruthless control over her. Laura walks on eggshells around Martin, who says they will be together forever. His domination of her extends even to the compulsive way he expects her to have the household arranged, towels straight, cupboards in order.

Martin loses Laura in a tragic boating accident because she doesn’t swim. But the audience is let in on her “rescue” before Martin even becomes aware of it. A strong heroic woman has been hiding within her, and Laura has been planning her escape for some time. She secretly learned to swim to save herself, both literally and metaphorically.

When Ben (Kevin Anderson), her next-door neighbor in her new life attempts to befriend her, she at first pushes him away. But her capacity to love and be loved wins over and she begins to allow him into her life.

Meanwhile, Martin is able to pull strands of Laura’s life together and believes she is alive. He sets out to hunt her down, the ultimate creepy figure who will stop at nothing to have her. Martin is the type of man who would scream before he kills his woman and then turns the gun on himself, “If I can’t have her, then no one can.”

All three lead characters’ performances are superb. Ben is fun loving, patient and warm as Laura tentatively starts to open up to him and take risks. Julia Roberts as Laura, shakes with her hands on the gun as if it were really her that the dark man who was her husband was stalking. Martin is sinister and foreboding.

The story had to move along to tell the truth about battered women and how they struggle to be set free from their abusive men, but the story line of Laura’s mother’s blindness is too convenient and contrived. Even so, we cheer for Laura and Ben at the end, just as we cowered in our seats knowing Martin was getting closer to finding Laura again.

Sleeping with the Enemy is a thriller with a message. Don’t miss it.

The Mask of Zorro

2005-05-16T17:52:00.000-07:00

This is from a movie review penned at the time it was first in the theaters.

I vaguely remember seeing Zorro, masked hero on black horse, ripping Z's into surfaces with a shiny silver sword on the tiny screen of our television. I like the idea of heroes. Men or women who will take a stand and risk their lives for a good cause.

The hero Zorro has come to the big screen and filled it with tearing, flaming Z's in Dolby digital sound. The teeming masses, acts of bravery, sword fights, and romance abound.

The story is clever. Zorro (Anthony Hopkins) loses his family when he is thrown in prison for 20 years, and a deceitful power hungry man comes to rule in the part of Mexico called California. Zorro manages to escape and through an act of synchronicity, meets a young man ready to be a pupil to the master. The young man, played by Antonio Banderas, has women across America swooning over his dark good looks and flirtacious ways with the villain's adopted daughter (Catherine Zeta-Jones).

The crisis is a scheme by the evil one to make millions from a gold mine, powered by slaves. The two Zorros are of course clever and after many sword fights, and a few humorous encounters, they save the masses from this toil that robs them of their spirit and autonomy.

I've not given away too much I think, as do you really expect to go to a Zorro movie and not have the good guys win? We like heroes because we need them. It is our human nature to expect a man (or woman) so adept and courageous that their actions will change our evil, greedy world, whether it be a Zorro, Lone Ranger, Martin Luther King, Jr., or Malcolm X. What we need to remember is that in order to free ourselves from the slavery of the day-to-day modern world, we must become our own heroes, each of us breaking out of the chains society expects us to wear.

The Mask of Zorro is enjoyable, despite several scenes of violence. Hopkins is wonderful, Banderas adequate to the role, and Zeta-Jones extraordinarily beautiful and high-spirited. A great fun movie. Bring popcorn.

The Royal Tenenbaums

2005-05-15T15:05:00.000-07:00

Marianne suggested I post some of my full-length movie reviews for your reading pleasure. I will begin with some older films that you can easily find on video or DVD if you are interested.

The Royal Tenenbaums
As I settled in to watch this black comedy, I was instantly delighted and reminded of another Wes Anderson movie, Rushmore. I was not disappointed, as the film lived up to its predecessor and then surpassed it. There are not many movies today that have left me with such a great feeling and grinning from ear to ear as I exited the theater, enchanted with its originality, inventiveness and the sheer pleasure of viewing it.

The Tenenbaum family is played by a host of very capable actors, including Gene Hackman as the aging patriarch of the family, Angelica Huston as his estranged wife Etheline, and Ben Stiller, Gweneth Paltrow and Luke Wilson as their three adult progeny. Owen Wilson, who also wrote the screenplay with Wes Anderson, plays their best friend dating from their childhood, and Bill Murray is Margot’s (Gweneth Paltrow) long-suffering husband. Danny Glover is Etheline’s accountant and suitor and all do an incredible job of staying in their quirky roles no matter what the other character is presently doing.

The story is one of a family healing and coming to terms with their past and the inevitable secrets and not so secret happenings within the walls of the ancestral home. Royal Tenenbaum, faced with a financial crisis and some revelation that perhaps he would do well to reconcile with his family before he passes on, sets about reunifying them all under one roof. The strong personalities within this family of geniuses leave no quiet or ordinary moments, nor is it filmed that way. Everything about this movie is so creative, from the way the film is narrated and the story progressing as through the chapters of a book, to the inventive sets, where even the paintings on the walls are amusing and yet somehow believable for these characters.

The ending is so tender, we’re caught off guard after having been allowed to peer into the private lives of this dysfunctional and brilliant family. May all families have such a healing before it is too late, and may you get out to enjoy this film. I predict you will see it more than once for the sheer delight it brings. See it once in the theater and once when it comes out on video. We should celebrate the creativity in this film, as well as the resiliency of the family, and the Tenebaums in their quirkiness are just “off” enough to make you think later about how it is our families have such bonds. After all, one could argue it is our siblings, those brothers and sisters whom we fought with, played with, slept with, ate with, stood in line for the bathroom with, are the ones who ultimately know us the best and are the ones who will always be there, through each of our marriages and divorces, successes and failures, and the Tenenbaums remind us of that in a most delightful and entertaining way.

Dinner and a Movie Revisited

2005-05-11T21:25:00.000-07:00

Thanks for the comment/compliment Marianne! I would enjoy hosting a Dinner and a Movie type show, and I like your idea about viewers inviting friends over for dinner and to watch a movie on TV each week. If I were doing it though, I would suggest a menu for the following week's movie on each show. That would give people some time to prepare for the dinner. And I would only host on a network that didn't edit the films to pieces; only original, uncut versions of films allowed! Perhaps, someday.

Joe Bob Briggs

2005-05-09T18:26:00.000-07:00

Lulu responded to my query about the Dinner and a Movie phenomenon with a comment about: "that guy who used to rate movies by numbers of killings, car crashes, sex scenes, etc. He was funny. And he always played specific type movies."

I remember who that was. It was Joe Bob's Drive-In Theater hosted by Joe Bob Briggs. The show was really funny. He would review the B-movies and have guests on for interviews, such as Linda Blair (famed for her work in The Exorcist).

I agree, Joe Bob's Drive-In Theater worked where Dinner and a Movie does not. And I discovered that Joe Bob is still around via his Internet website which is most interesting. So if any of you remember him and want to check it out, it is www.joebobbriggs.com Just be prepared for outrageousness.

The Upside of Anger

2005-05-08T18:51:00.000-07:00

The Upside of Anger is a thoughtful film starring Joan Allen and Kevin Costner. It is about Terry (Joan Allen) whose husband has inexplicably left her and her four daughters, who are of high school and college age. Kevin plays the neighbor Denny, a former baseball player now DJ, who becomes Terry's drinking buddy and more.

I thought the film began a bit slowly and seemed flat, but it grew on me. I won't give away the ending, but it pulled everything together and made me think about how our minds think up explanations for events that happen in our lives, and how those explanations do not always mirror the truth.

I recommend this film which is rated R. Kevin and Joan have chemistry together and are fun to watch, and the four actresses who are Terry's daughters (two you may have seen in other films or on TV are Erika Christensen and Keri Russell) are believable as well. I saw this film yesterday in the theater, but it seems to be ending its run so you may have to wait for video/DVD.

Dinner and a Movie

2005-05-05T21:48:00.000-07:00

It used to mean going out to dinner and to a movie afterwards. Now Dinner and a Movie is sitting at home watching a movie broken up by not just commercials, but by two commentators/comics and a chef cooking up food to match the "theme" of the movie.

Why would people watch this? The movies on commerical television are cut to pieces already as they are edited for TV and no longer in the form the writers and director intended for the story. Does anyone really cook the foods they throw together? Do you think the jokes are really funny?

Tell me what you think of this phenomenon please.

Saving Grace

2005-05-04T19:56:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking about gardening a lot lately, as my back yard is soon to be terraced and planted to create a lush, yet xeriscaped vista for me. I started to wonder what films featured gardeners or gardening in them, and remembered a very good British comedy, Saving Grace. It's about five years old, and I'm sure is available on videotape.

The film stars Brenda Blethyn as Grace, a middle-aged woman facing financial difficulties, who decides to cultivate a bumper crop of a certain illegal herb. Brenda Blethyn is just great in this comic movie, as she was in her previous films, Little Voice and Secrets & Lies.

Needless to say, I won't be planting anything Grace grew, but I wouldn't mind renting all three of Brenda's films I mentioned for a triple feature of the talent Brenda brings to the screen.

Theater versus your Living Room

2005-05-03T19:34:00.000-07:00

Marianne asked about which is better: movies seen in the theater or at home? Some say that with the advent of home theater systems, complete with big screens, comfy theater-like seats, and even your own private popcorn maker, going to the movie theater will be a thing of the past. I would hate to see that happen.

Movies like Star Wars, Dances with Wolves, and Master and Commander - The Far Side of the World, are best seen on the big screen. In those films the universe, the South Dakota prairie, and the vast Atlantic and Pacific oceans are as much a part of the movie and as alive as the people in them. I like to be blown away by the incredible scenery or the imagination of the movie-makers when I see these in the theater.

More character driven movies, You Can Count On Me, Shall We Dance? (I prefer the original Japanese versionShall We Dance?, and Calendar Girls, can wait for the small screen of your TV set. Yes, the sets are wonderful, but the main focus of these movies is on the relationships between the characters, so the more intimate setting of your living room is enough for these movies.

Another way to look at which films to see in the theater versus at home is the quality of the sound (unless you have a dolby digital surround-sound system in your home theater room!) Musicals such as Lagaan: Once Upon A Time In India and Chicago benefit from hearing and seeing them in a theater.

And lastly, if you don't like to cry during movies when you're in public, leave tear jerkers for the privacy of your own home. Put on Finding Neverland, The Last Samurai, or The Pianist and have a good cleansing cry. Thanks for asking, Marianne!

Sleeper movies

2005-05-02T19:20:00.000-07:00

Lulu wanted to know what I thought were good sleeper movies. Her definition of a sleeper movie is a film that didn't get noticed at the box office, but is really good anyway, perhaps being noticed once it came out on video and has a word-of-mouth reputation for being really good.

I think many comedies fit in that category because traditionally, comedies are not given as much attention by critics, or the Academy Awards for that matter. A comedy sleeper I love is Nothing To Lose. It stars Martin Lawrence and Tim Robbins. Tim's character is not having a good day, and when Martin's character decides to rob him, the fun begins. The two are inseparable for the rest of the film, influencing each other and getting into silly situations. It's a definite laugh-out loud movie.

Then there's Election, which is one of Michael Moore's favorite movies. Starring Reese Witherspoon and Matthew Broderick, a high school election mirrors American politics in this hilarious R-rated film. Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor wrote the screenplay. You may recall they also wrote the screenplay for the film Sideways. Give them all a view. You won't fall asleep during these.

Sin City

2005-04-23T16:21:00.000-07:00

A friend and I went to see Sin City, and I was looking forward to an interesting and unique cinematic experience. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this film. I did enjoy the film noir visual quality of the movie, black and white with a sparse use of color, but the stories depicted in the film were grotesque. It had to do with serial killers and the unsavory sides of life. There was a lot of violence, and I know many friends who would not like this film for that reason.

Someday I hope another movie can be made using the stunning black and white filming. I only hope the subject matter is more uplifting.

Movies to lift your spirits!

2005-04-05T17:51:00.000-07:00

I believe there are a couple of ways to lift your spirits with film. One is to go watch a classic, funny movie. Ferris Bueller's Day Off comes to mind, and I get to call it a classic because it is from the early 80's. I may no longer be a teenager, but I can get into the spirit of a day spent in beautiful Chicago, skipping school, or in my case, I'd be skipping work. Disney's The Kid with Bruce Willis is a good one too.

Or watch a movie that is so engrossing and packed with action and adventure that you forget your disappointments. I like the Bourne Supremacy / The Bourne Identity for a good plot, and white-knuckling, holding-your-breath action.

Another route is to see a foreign film. Reading those subtitles requires more attention. Two of my favorites are Amelie, an inventive mysterious film, and Everybody's Famous! which I haven't seen for a couple of years, but liked it when it came out.

Good luck with finding just the right movie prescription, and let me know how it works out.

Groundhog Day

2005-04-02T09:40:00.000-08:00

Thanks, Marianne, for asking about Groundhog Day. It is one of my favorite films. Bill Murray's talents as a comedic actor shine in this film about a television weatherman mysteriously fated to relive the same day over and over again (not unlike many of us trapped in boring, mundane jobs).

After first wallowing in depression and self-pity, Bill's character comes to a realization: every day is an opportunity to learn something new, to be of service to others, and for happiness. Small efforts taken each day to learn ice sculpting for example, or how to play the piano, result in a tomorrow when practice pays off in expertise.

Also starring Andie McDowell, Groundhog Day is a very funny film with a message, one I watch again and again.

Super Size Me!

2005-03-21T17:05:00.000-08:00

I was going through the McDonald's drive through this weekend to get something to drink on my long journey to Santa Fe, and noticed that one can now supersize breakfast! I asked the employee at the cash register what that meant. She said that if someone supersizes breakfast, they get two hash browns and a larger drink.

Sounds like Morgan Spurlock's Super Size Me hasn't given McDonald's a conscience. If you haven't seen this documentary yet, I encourage you to rent it. It is an easy movie to watch, funny in places, shocking in others, and visually and musically appealing.

Sequels

2005-03-16T21:25:00.000-08:00

I noticed that a sequel to the Sandra Bullock film Miss Congeniality is coming out soon. I am a big fan of that film, and I think it is Ms. Bullock's best film. But I am concerned lest this sequel go the way of what happened when Reese Witherspoon did a sequel to Legally Blonde. Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde failed because there were too many repeats of jokes which were really funny in the original film, but just tired by the time they appeared in the second film.

Perhaps it is easier to come up with a great sequel to a drama or action film, as we witnessed last year with Spider-Man 2 and Bourne Supremacy. Both of those were excellent sequels; the characters continued to develop and not just be a stagnant repeat of what they were in the first great movie.

I'll get back to you on what Miss Congeniality 2: Armed & Fabulous does for me.

Buffalo Dreams

2005-03-11T21:46:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure of watching Buffalo Dreams tonight on the Disney channel. What a sweet, hopeful movie! Try to see it when it reruns over the next few days. It is made with young adults in mind, but is a great film for all of us to watch. It's about an Anglo boy and a Navajo boy, and how they become friends, and meet some challenges along the way.

There is what I at first thought was a rip-off of Breaking Away, another coming of age film from many years ago, but then I simply thought of it as a tribute to the earlier film about bike racing. The film is supposed to take place in New Mexico, although I read it was filmed in Utah. The scenery is beautiful, mountains, desert wildflowers, storms, and the beautiful Navajo ways. I hope you get to see it.

Foreign films

2005-03-10T21:00:00.000-08:00

I was talking to someone last night about the film Maria Full of Grace. It features the best actress nominee Catalina Sandino Moreno and is about a young woman in Colombia. It is in Spanish with subtitles. I don't want to give away what it is about, but I encourage you to see it on my recommendation. I was fascinated by what was depicted in the film about life in Colombia, and later in the U.S.

I know subtitles scare off some people, but I have rarely seen a subtitled film from any country that did not fascinate me and illuminate something about another culture for me. What are your favorite foreign films?

Super Size Me!

2005-03-07T19:15:00.000-08:00

One of the nominated documentary features this year was Super Size Me. It documents the filmmaker's one month gig of gorging on McDonald's food, and his subsequent ill health from eating all that fat and sugar.

Ironically, the filmmaker, Morgan Spurlock, is engaged to a vegan chef. I could be a vegan and live quite happily, as long as I had a personal chef in the house to prepare the food for me! But getting back to the film, it is really very well done, and I learned alot about the state of nutrition in our schools, and what all those lab tests at the doctor's mean.

Austin Powers and Dr. Evil

2005-03-04T22:19:00.000-08:00

Austin Powers in Goldmember was on TBS tonight, so I tuned in. I had not seen it since it first came out in theaters almost two years ago. My opinion is that the first two Austin Powers movies are the best ones of the three. True, Goldmember has some fun cameo appearances and an interesting twist at the end, but the first two I think are just funnier.

And to Marianne, if you watch An Affair to Remember and Sleepless in Seattle over and over again, I would say you are a romantic at heart.

A hint: one can add comments to a post even if someone has already left a comment previously. Just click Comment and type away!

Sue

A movie to rent

2005-03-03T20:42:00.000-08:00

Last night I noticed that the movie Dave was being shown on TV. I remembered how much I enjoyed this film when it first came out. It stars Kevin Kline as the man who bears an uncanny likeness to the President of the U.S., who then "fills in" for him, and Sigourney Weaver, as the wife of the real President who has become seriously ill. It always leaves me thinking, "Why can't our presidents be more like Dave?"

If you're looking for a good, lighthearted movie to rent, put this one on your list. Even if you've seen it already. Which leads to my question to you, "What movies do you watch again and again?"

Adapted Screenplay

2005-03-01T20:57:00.000-08:00

I like to try to see as many of the nominees for best screenplay as I can before the awards. This year I looked to rent a video called Before Sunset. When I read the description of the film, I noticed it was a sequel to a film made around nine years ago called Before Sunrise. So of course I rented both of them.

What a treat! These two films break the rules about writing a screenplay. They are 99% about two characters, and most of it is dialogue, but what rich dialogue! I highly recommend these two romances. It is understandable why Before Sunset was nominated for an award. Plus they take place in Vienna, and the second one in Paris, so the background is very intriguing too.