Hope and Glory 1987

4/5

A wonderful feel-good movie about a ten or so year old boy during the London blitz, starting in 1939. An excellent little tale with outstanding acting and just enough tension to keep you riveted. One of those stories that you just don't see often, and from an interesting and unusual point of view. The kids in particular are fantastic and really make the movie, and the surprise near the end will have you howling with laughter. Highly recommended for those who like a little slice of someone else's life during extraordinary times.

Happy Feet 2006

5/5

I really can't find anything bad to say about this movie despite my giving nothing but glowing reviews lately. Some parts may be a bit intense for younger children (the leopard seal and orcas are pretty scary to this adult, matter of fact) but the story is simple to understand without being dull or stupid, and it all plays out in a way that I didn't expect yet was very satisfying. It is quite suitable both for children and adults, and we were not the only adults without children in the theater. The voice talent was stellar, though it was a bit weird to hear Robin Williams doing two of the characters; you just can't mistake him no matter how many different accents he does. Everyone else was outstanding, especially Nicole Kidman as "Norma Jean", Mumble's mother. And the music! I came home and immediately bought the soundtrack album on iTunes. From Pink to the Beach Boys to Elvis to Prince, it's absolutely foot-tappingly irresistible. It helps that they used a couple of my favorite songs in the film, Stevie Wonder's "I Wish" and Queen's "Someone to Love". I saved the best for last: the animation, with a mix of live action near the end. Trust me, it has to be seen to be believed, and it's one of those (like "Cars" or "Shrek") that really should be seen on the big screen to be truly appreciated. It was absolutely amazing to see how well they took the penguins' natural movements and mixed in the human-like movements and expressions. This is no Disney or Hanna-Barbera animals-as-humans mishmash; if you've seen "March of the Penguins" you'll be amazed at how well this mimics the real animals' movements. Some of the action sequences had my mouth hanging open, and I have got to go back and see it again in the theater to make myself believe that I saw what I did. The cutest part of the movie came after it was over. As we were leaving the theater, a little girl at the end of our row got out into the aisle and began doing the Mumble dance, which turned out to be the perfect cap to an absolutely wonderful movie.

Ziegfeld Follies 1946

3/5

After seeing the "That's Entertainment" movies, we were very interested in this movie and waited for it to come out on DVD. The reality, however, was quite different from what we expected. It isn't just a musical, it's like a filmed Broadway revue with skits and straight musical numbers as well as dancing. However, one single sequence saved this movie for me: the legendary Fred & Gene dance number. It is truly stunning, and it's no wonder that these two men said that they were each other's favorite dancing partner for the rest of their lives. The Lucille Ball "cat dance", Fred & Lucille Bremer's "Chinatown" number, Lena Horne's stunning song, and the odd bubbly finale are all worth seeing as well. But if you only watch one thing on this disk, see Fred & Gene. Trust me, if you love musicals you won't regret it.

Her Majesty 2004

5/5

As the other reviewers have mentioned, this is a wonderful, touching little gem of a movie. The ending had me both surprised and cheering, and it was nowhere near as predictable as I had thought it might be. Definitely watch the extras, the making-of featurette is short but very good. The only downside to this film was the acting of the brother and the best friend, I really feel they could have gotten better actors for the parts, but it doesn't loose a quarter of a star for that. A must-see family film.

Lassie 2005

5/5

Fans of the original story/novel will be pleased to hear that our beloved "Lassie" is back in the situation she was created for. This Lassie doesn't happily follow a child or a forest ranger around and warn them of danger/someone in trouble/hurt wild animals/(fill in your favorite TV situation here), she has one purpose and one purpose only: getting home to her family. First of all let me say that this is one of the most beautifully filmed movies I have ever seen next to "Brokeback Mountain" or "Waking Ned Devine", both in landscape and overall look/feel. Next, the acting is credible and in the case of Peter O'Toole, downright wonderful in his interacting with the granddaughter. The dog, who I found out is the ninth direct descendant of Pal, the original Lassie, does an excellent and believable job. There are some parts that will likely bother young children or those, like me, with a very soft spot for animals, so be warned. In one scene a child has his hands smacked with a ruler (and didn't that bring back memories for this ex-Catholic schoolgirl!) while in another, Lassie is briefly beaten with a belt and in a third, another dog is hurt by a blow from a bad guy. Other than those two instances, however, there is nothing objectionable in the movie. A quick note on the stunning soundtrack which often had me choking up even when the movie didn't warrant it. This is a wonderful family movie for anyone who enjoys a beautifully crafted film with a little tugging of the heartstrings, one that will have an honored place in my collection. One last note: be sure to watch the outtakes (esp. the ruler scene noted above) and other making-of featurettes. You won't want to let go.

Kinky Boots 2005

5/5

If you watch the preview, you pretty much know the movie. There are no big surprises or shockers or twists that catch you by surprise (other than one line from Charlie Price that was really out of place). What makes it worth watching and a stunningly good film is the acting from every single person you see on the screen, most notably Chiwetel Ejiofor, who plays the lead drag queen. Chiwetel is one of those actors you'd expect to see as a drag queen about as much as Patrick Swayze or Wesley Snipes--but if you've seen "To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar", then you know that they do pull it off. Same here; when you finally see Chiwetel as a man, you're rather taken aback because you get so used to seeing him as a woman. The supporting cast is outstanding as well, mostly Nick Frost, best known to American audiences as Ed from "Shaun of the Dead". He's just as good here, but there is no one in that cast who puts a foot wrong. From the supporting (real) factory workers to the "girls" (drag queen cabaret dancers), this is one incredibly well-acted, directed, and edited film. What really gets me is that this film is rated PG-13. Other than the cross-dressing aspects, there is nothing rated above a G, not even language! About the worst thing you see is a straight guy in his underwear and a pair of the boots, and there is nothing outside of a single kiss and perhaps the cabaret performance that I would even classify as vaguely sexy. It just slays me that something as cute as this movie could get a PG-13 on the basis of cross-dressing! The one scene that will stay with me the rest of my life is the child dancing on the boardwalk in red high heels at the very beginning, what a beautifully done scene and one that resonates throughout the movie. If you're not put off by the drag queens and related themes, run don't walk to see this movie. It is, as advertised, just as good as "Full Monty", "Calendar Girls", or "Waking Ned Devine".

Slither 2005

4/5

I decided to watch this movie for 2 reasons: #1. Nathan Fillion ('nuff said) and #2. I'd heard it was pretty funny. I'm a sucker for funny horror movies in particular, with "Tremors" and "American Werewolf in London" being particular favorites. What I'm not real big on is *realistic* violence and gore, so I did have some reservations about this movie with it being rated R and from the writer of the remake of "Dawn of the Dead", which was pretty gory. Still, I had heard it had about the same type of gore as my favorite Romero zombie flicks, so I figured I'd take a chance on it. Glad that I did! It IS plenty gory indeed, but definitely movie-type unrealistic gore and violence which really didn't bother me despite a few grimaces and moments where I had to look away from the screen. Lots of very fun jump moments, just-right suspense moments, snappy and amusing dialog, and good acting from everyone involved. The monster(s) are sneaky and slinky and slimy and gross, and do all sorts of neat gory things that you don't expect. It's clear that everyone involved had a lot of fun making this movie. Nathan Fillion didn't disappoint, and his performance is worth watching the movie for alone. He's funny, snarky, biting, and with that mobile face doesn't have to say a word to show what his character is thinking. Everyone from Nathan on down was good, and a quick note to watch the extras if you like the little girls as there are some cute outtakes with them. I also caught most of the horror movie tributes even before reading the trivia on IMDb, esp. "Earl Bassett High"--I had just watched "Tremors" a couple days ago and laughed so hard at that that I had to stop the movie for a few moments. Definitely a good film if you're into gory, scary, funny, and sometimes outright silly horror movies but made with a decent budget, effects, and good acting. This isn't a bad movie by any means, although I do suspect it'll become a cult classic.

Bambi II 2006

5/5

To my vast relief, "Bambi II"--which is actually a 'tween movie similar to "Lion King 1-1/2"--is a worthy addition to the original in most ways. The only disappointment for me was the original songs and music, which was totally dull and forgettable. They did use snippets of the original music in parts, but nowhere near enough IMHO. Other than that, hats off to Disney for making a film that is not only a good sequel, but teaches children without preaching or being as obvious as "Lady and the Tramp II". This one made it very clear that Bambi's father loved him, but had no idea what to do with a young'un due to lack of experience. I can imagine that this would hit hard for children in similar situations, and it's quite delightful watching how it plays out both for Bambi and his father. They used the bleating of a real fawn in some scenes, which was adorable and gave it a neat touch of realism. They've got the same type of gorgeous watercolor backgrounds, and the character animation perfectly matches the original, from Bambi himself to the butterflies to the flashback scenes. This one will have an honored a place in my collection as the original.

Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story 2005

4/5

Tonight I went and saw an advance screening of "Dreamer". First, let me just say this: If you liked "Seabiscuit" and don't mind the type of movie that you can pretty much guess what happens next, you will probably like this. The acting more than makes up for the minor disappointments in the story. Not only doesn't Curt Russell put a foot wrong, he shows real chemistry with Dakota Fanning, who plays his daughter. You buy their relationship without a qualm. Also blending in seamlessly is Kris Kristofferson as the crotchety grandfather and Elisabeth Shue as the long-suffering but supportive mother. Best of all, three actors that I like a lot were in this and I didn't know it before going to see the film: Freddy Rodriguez, Luis Guzman, and David Morse. Those who followed HBO's late "Six Feet Under" will recognize Rodriguez, who does outstanding work here as a gun-shy jockey. I've liked Luis Guzman since "Boogie Nights" and was deeply disappointed in his wooden performance in "The Count of Monte Cristo"; he just made up for that bad one with this very well done part. Also noteworthy is David Morse as "the bad guy", a part he plays with relish and appears to have as much fun with as he did in "12 Monkeys". Mariah's Storm is the real horse this movie is very loosely bad on, and it's interesting that she's mentioned in the movie. Yes, this is a rather schmaltzy movie and if you're not into good characterizations, acting, family issues, horses, and predictability, I wouldn't recommend this. But if you like a good story with excellent acting and don't mind a bit of predictability, it's worth seeing--more than once.

Last Holiday 2006

5/5

After having seen "Beauty Shop", I was curious to see more films with Queen Latifah and I'd already been interested in this one. It looked cute but predictable, and I can live with that if the acting is good enough.

This is more than a "can live with" movie--it's a "can't live without" movie and I bought it before I even sent the rental disk back!

As I said in my review for "Beauty Shop", Queen Latifah is one of the most charismatic actors of her generation, with a smile that lights up the whole screen and a range that equals any older or better-known actress. The camera loves her from all angles and she knows how to play to it as well. I just adored that red dress on her, and pretty much everything she wore after she went on her trip was beautifully designed for a large woman proud of her body. I hope a lot of younger girls watch this film and get the idea that you don't have to wear a size 0 to be beautiful, because that is the impression that Latifah gives.

The story is cute and yes, predictable but well worth seeing and not maudlin or stupid. All of the supporting cast hold their own, esp. Gerard Depardieu as the chef who becomes her friend and Timothy Hutton as the "bad guy". I've gotten more and more impressed with LL Cool J, he is becoming a fine actor and shows an excellent range here.

And the food!! Do not watch this movie when you're hungry because you'll be eating everything in sight. The recipes are available on the Food Network website. There's also some cute insights both in the extras and on IMDb--this is definitely a movie you won't want to let go, and one to see over and over again.