Take Your Queue from Me

Fly Away

2012-02-14T12:25:00.000-05:00

Fly Away is the story of a single mom. Jeanne, struggling to raise Mandy, her sixteen year old severely autistic daughter, by herself. I chronicals her relationship with her daughter, struggles with her ex-husband., lack of social life, and floundering carreer.

I'm going to be up front here. This film is not going to win any awards. Some of the acting is wooden, particularly the love interest. And there is enough pie in the sky thinking to fill a very large house, particularly at the end.

But there are also some very wonderful things here too. The director, Janet Grillo, apparent has a child with disabilites so she capture the relationship well. Grillo captures those terrible lows that are balanced out by beautiful highs. Those highs being and "I love you" or a moment of social awareness that would have meant nothing with a child not the autistic spectrum.

The second thing that will take your breath away about this film is the performance of the young lady who plays Mandy. Her name is Ashley Rickards. I stopped the film to look her up because I wanted to know if she was really autistic.

In the end this is really a film about a coming of age both for mom and daughter and it raises all kinds of questions about humanity and our responsibility to care for the weaker members of our society.

Worth Watching. Available on Netflix Instant Viewing.

On another note, several of you, my loyal followers, have told me that you missed my blog and you have wondered where I have been. In answer to that I will give you the photo record of my entire viewing catalog for months on end. As to my review...................I love them is a super dorky kind of way. Like I wouldn't mind owning action figure or going to a convention kind of dorkdom. Think less of my if you must.

Just Cause It Made Me Laugh

2011-11-30T16:42:00.002-05:00

Hey folks. I have been re-watching Star Trek the Next Generation and loving it all over again. So that is my recommend for the month.

And just so you know what a silly little fan girl I am I am posting this picture cause it made me laugh. I found it cause I wanted a picture of Picard with a Santa hat for an avatar. Alas none of those could be found but this little gem did pop up. Be sure to check out Worf in the back.

Oh, and if any of you have mad skills and could make me a Picard with a Santa hat, I would love you forever. Bonus love is Dr. Crusher is in the picture too.

Masterpiece Classic: The Diary of Anne Frank

2011-09-13T20:43:00.002-04:00

Masterpiece Classic: The Diary of Anne Frank

Oh my heart, my heart. I think perhaps it might burst from sadness. I first read the book when I was thirteen? Fourteen? Anyway, Anne's age at the time of her writing. Now, I have kids that age. And upon viewing this I discovered that Anne's real name is the same as my daughters. It was gut wrenching and riveting the first time and it is now. Only different. This is a touchstone that I revisit every decade or so to discover how much and how little I have changed.

I just can't review this one except to say that it may very well be the definitive version. There was at least one thing about it that I didn't love and maybe I will come back and talk about it later but I just can' t do it now. I am too moved to say a bad word.

Here is a picture of the real Anne that we know from her book. And here is one of her most famous quotes.

"In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart. I simply can't build up my hopes on a foundation consisting of confusion, misery and death. July 15, 1944"

I am editing to add this. It is a thought I just had concerning this topic. I think that a life that shies away from sadness can know no joy. Suffering, pain, all of it are essential to knowing beauty. The terrible sadness of reading Anne Frank (or in the case watching it) reminds me of who I am and who I could easily become if I allow evil to reign. It makes me a stronger, better person. Anne reminds me of who I want to be.

Hurricane Irene

2011-08-27T00:41:00.001-04:00

This is still not that kind of blog but just wanted to update my friends who follow me. Yes, we are in the suspected path of Irene. I have not posted because we have been getting ready. Hopefully all will be fine and all of my prep will be for naught. If you are the praying sort, lots of us could use it right now. I'll keep you updated when I can.

I am watching the new BBC Sherlock Holmes. It is worth watching if you are so inclined. I have been also watching Mad Men. I have a love hate relationship with that one.

Talk to you soon.

Zombies - Guest Post at Not A Supermom

2011-08-24T15:08:00.000-04:00

Nota and I have been good friend for about a decade now! When I was six months pregnant and I fell and broke my ankle, Nota came and cleaned my toilets. So no matter what she my try to say to the contrary, she is a super friend.

Anyhoo, she asked me to write an entry for her and you can find posted there now. It is appropriately titled Attack of the Laundry Zombies.

Be sure to check back here because in the next day or two, Nota should be making her own guest appearance. Happy reading.

EARTHQUAKE!!

2011-08-23T14:24:00.000-04:00

This is not that kind of blog but it totally freaked me out. Stuff falling off shelves. I felt the ground actually rolling. My friend abckidsmom lives at the epicenter. Hope everyone is okay!

Skin.................It's Not What You Think

2011-08-21T22:48:00.000-04:00

Skin
PG-13

I watched this a couple days ago and came right here to post my review. I added the picture and the tags. I found some pictures of the really Sandy and read this interesting article. Then, just as I was starting, I was stuck. Too many thoughts in my head put them down in single file, letter by letter. Too many questions.

Skin is the based on a real life tale of Sandy Laing. Sandy was born in South Africa in the early 1960s to parents who were part of the political party responsible for Apartheid. As far as her parents knew, they had no African ancestors, yet their daughter was born with black attributes. He parents loved her, and raised her as a white girl, and even fought legally to have her remain classified as white. They remained steadfast against accusations of accused immorality on the part of Mrs. Laing and claimed her 100% as their own. They were also completely blind to the difficulties faced by their daughter for the way she looked. You can't help both loving her parents and wanting to knock their heads against the wall.

What To Know Before Watching

1) If you are anything like me, you will be curious about what the real family looks like. I have posted the movie family (above) and the real family (below) so that you won't have to pause for a Google. The casting of they younger Sandy is particularly good.

2)While they did clean up the story a bit, it appears that they did it at least in part, for the sake of brevity. This movie is real life enough that it doesn't all fit into a nice little package. The ending is good but not perfect.

3) To the right is a more recent picture of Sandy and her mother. Her mother has since passed away.

4) The actress who plays the older Sandy is Sophie Okonedo. I reviewed another of her works, The Secret Life of Bees, here. I really liked her in Bees but I have mixed feeling about her work in Skin. At times I found it brilliant and at other times stilted. Though she is appears to be a young woman, it seemed to me that she was more comfortable playing Sandy as on older woman. I found that both odd and intriguing.

5) The most interesting thing about this film is what it has to say about race. It reminded me of a Nova article I read a couple years ago discussing the existence, or lack thereof, race. But even in light of all this theory, it is where ideas meet the lives of real people that things get interesting. And messy.

6) Here is what Common Sense Media has to say about the kiddos. It says 15 but would let my mature13 year old watch it.

Currently available on Netflix Instant Viewing

Four Stars- I really liked it.

Dad's in Heaven with Nixon

2011-08-17T12:31:00.000-04:00

Dad's in Heaven with Nixon
NR

I decided to watch this documentary based on the Netflix's description. Here it is so you can see what I thought I was getting into.

"Using his autistic brother's colorful art as inspiration, documentarian Tom Murray paints a portrait of his family's complex struggle with his brother's brain damage, his mother's unwillingness to accept it and his father's inability to cope with it. The result is a multifaceted but moving study of the glue that holds families together -- and the destructive forces that can tear them apart. But, above all, it's a lesson in optimism."

This was of interest to me because I am the aunt of a much loved nephew with autism. So I hit play. About twenty minutes in, I began to wonder if the description writer had even seen this movie. An hour in, I was near despair. "Optimism" my foot. Instead it was a self indulgent look at all that was wrong with the documentarian's growing up years and there was plenty of wrong things. So at the 51 minute point I decided, "If this thing doesn't perk up in ten minute's, I'm done." Lo an behold, as if they had heard me, it did!

Suddenly this was whole new film. It was the film the description had me expecting. Chris, the autistic brother of the film maker, is an amazing man. For 30 years he has lived on his own and held down two jobs as a stock clerk and a janitor. Somewhere along the line he discovered drawing. As his mother runs with the well to do Manhattan crowd, Gloria Vanderbilt ran across his work and suddenly he had an art show. There is now a waiting list for his work!

My husband happened to come in the room right when the movie started to focus on Chris and at the end he said "That was terrific. You sure can pick a movie." After I finished cracking up, I let him know that in fact, he just had terrific timing.

So here is how I recommend you watch this film. Watch enough of it to learn who everyone is then fast forward to about 55 minutes and watch to the end. Here it the trailer. It gives you a good idea what I am talking about here.

The part about Chris..........5 Stars
The rest of it ......................2 Stars

Currently available on Netflix Instant Viewing and on YouTube

Stop The Insanity.....HOLLYWOOD IMPORTANT PEOPLE LOOK HERE

2011-08-14T01:28:00.005-04:00

Hear ye! Hear ye! All of you Hollywood types listen up. I know you are reading! (a girl can dream)

There is a crisis afoot and only you can stop it. When you are writing, producing, directing, or otherwise in charge of a television series, do not, I repeat, DO NOT write a cliffhanger ending to a season unless you know for a certainty that said series will actually be pick up for the next season.

Exhibit A- Firefly

Yeah, yeah, yeah, we got a movie out this one but big, fat, hairy, deal. The TV series was better. TV series allow the character to grow and change over time. Not to mention the the movie killed off my two favorites faster than I could say "Hell no!". This cancellation was pure torture to the faithful. Badly done Hollywood People. Badly done.

Exhibit B- Kidnapped

I have reviewed this one before here so I won't bore you with all the details but I will say this. I have woken up at night wondering about the guy in prison. Who exactly was he? Do you really want that on your conscience Hollywood People. I am a mom who works part time and homeschools her kids. I need my sleep.

Here is the ending I made up: Creepy prison guy is actually an alien from outer space and what seems like omniscience is really just technology we don't understand yet.

Exhibit C- Jericho

This one is kind of a nice story. Network bites the big one and cancels what is a thoughtful, intelligent, well done series and leaves the fans hanging with a cliffhanger that rivals Woody in the mine shaft. Fans rally and send truckloads a of nuts, a clever reference to the show, and Hollywood people relent and give a seven episode season 2. Sigh. But then season two ends in another cliffhanger and because it was only 7 episodes I hardly got to see my favorite characters at all. Boo! Oh, and before you comment about it, I know there is a comic book series now. I read all of them. First comic books I have read since I gave up Archie when I was twelve. Oh, and the last one available (so far - I hope) ended in a cliffhanger. I am not happy people.

Here is the ending I made up: Creepy J&R guy is actually an alien from outer space and what seems like omniscience is really just technology we don't understand yet.

Exhibit D- Survivors

Okay so technically this is a BBC production so strictly speaking, I can't lay it at the feet of you Hollywood People, but everyone in entertainment knows each other. Right? So send them a memo.

This one is right up my apocalyptic alley. A flu pandemic sweeps the globe and wipes out more than 99% of the population. Those that survive have to figure out how to keep on doing so in a world they never expect to live in. While I was viewing this I realized why I like this genre so much. There was a scene where they were digging out some friends from a collapsed building and I thought "There is an episode just like this in Big Valley." ****slaps forehead**** These apocalyptic tales are the modern day Westerns! No wonder I like them so much. You say Bonanza. I say Jericho.

Here is the ending I made up: Creepy big pharma guy is actually an alien from outer space and what seems like omniscience is really just technology we don't understand yet.

Exhibit E- Flash Forward

And now we come to the real heart breaker. Most of these others I discovered after the fact and knew what I was getting into. This one I watched in real time. I threw myself in with both feet. I loved this show. The cast. WOW! Amazing. We had Joseph Fiennes for crying out loud. Fiennes is a name that has called out at the Oscars! Sure it was for his He Who Can Not Be Named, Nazi brother but Joseph is way better cause he has less bad guy baggage. And Hollywood People, this was the cliffhanger to end all cliffhangers. I actually screamed "NO NO NO NO NO!! YOU CAN"T LEAVE ME LIKE THIS!" when the last show ended and that was BEFORE I knew you were leaving me that way forever. I cried real tears when I found out it was done. And yes I read the book and there were no answers there. It is completely different. My anger at you bubbles up into a frothy foam just thinking about it you Hollywood People.

Here is the ending I made up: Creepy conspiracy guy is actually an alien from outer space and what seems like omniscience is really just technology we don't understand yet.

So Hollywood People take note. You are America's stories tellers and you are doing us wrong! Do not start a story you can not finish.

Rampage over. Thank your for listening.

The Cosby Show.......................Fun in the Summer Sun

2011-08-04T10:00:00.003-04:00

The Cosby Show
E for Everyone

Okay, so maybe that should really read fun out of the summer sun. It has been so blasted hot that I have been trying to find inside things for my kids to do that do not involve me. Then I saw this on Netfilx Instant Viewing. "Ya'll will probably like this." were my words of wisdom as pressed play and began to exit the room. Only I didn't exit the room. As soon as the theme song came on, my foot was stuck in the door. Here, I will link it for you. If you are of an age where you grew up watching this show, take a deep breath and let the memories flood you. It is like finding a letter from an old friend in the bottom of a drawer.

Folks, if you have not already done so, you HAVE to watch this with your family. We have been laughing hysterically for days now. My husband asks for it when he comes home from work. It has also opened the door for me to tell the kids things about myself that I had forgotten. Stuff that this show triggered memories of. "You know know when I went to my first year of college, this show was so popular that everything stopped when it came one. Whole dorms would crowd in the TV room to see it."

I am about the same age as Denise so it was a little strange realizing that, though I am neither a doctor or a lawyer, I actually have more in common with Mr and Mrs Huxtable now than with the kids. But that only added to the fun. This kind of humor doesn't get old. Sure there is a line or two that only I got ("Nobody who isn't on stage singing with his four brothers needs a $90 shirt") but they are few and far between.

One good surprise was that Malcom Jamal Warner was way funnier than I remember. It was also kind of nice to look up his bio and find out that he is a child star that seems have escaped the perils of being one. Makes me want to go look up his more recent work.

Another fun surprise was how much of the supporting cast I remember. This little fellow walked in the door with Rudy and I yelled "Oh! Peter!" I pulled that name out of the dark recesses of my brain. He then rewarded me by providing me with one of the biggest laughs I have had in a long time.

Does it hold up

Nope.

BWHAHAHAHAHA! Of course it does. Get thee to the TV and watch some Cosby!

Here is something to wet your appetite.

The Road. A Terrible Beauty

2011-08-02T00:49:00.004-04:00

The Road
R

Terrible. Spare. Horrifying. Beautiful. All words that aptly describe this work. I love the poster to the left because it is a perfect picture for this film. A father and son traveling through a gray world with only each other.

I saw the movie a couple of months back and just finished the book. I decided to read the book because I couldn't stop thinking about the movie. It turns out that this is one of those cases where movie gets it almost perfectly.

This is the story of a world that has died. Nothing grows. All that is left are a few people that have been forced to become buzzards on the world that was. In this bleak reality, many of those left have turned to cannibalism to survive. One boy and his father are committed to survival, each other, being the good guys, and "carrying the light".

As I have not been able to stop thinking about it, I have also done some reading online about what others are saying about this. Many it appears, look on this piece as a thesis on why environmentalism matters. That is an interesting take but no where near what I got from this film. What I saw was the beauty of a parent/child relationship that has been stripped down to the bare essentials. This relationship was the sole beauty of this film and it was enough.

What to know before watching.

1) The poster to the right is the one that was on the cover of the DVD. I think it was the more common one cause it shows Viggo Mortenson's face and for many, he is going to be the big draw. The poster above though is a much better representation of the film. Even in the book the people are unnamed. It is the anonymity of the people that is so striking and gripping. It could be any of us.

2) This book was an Oprah Book. Any of you who read one or two Oprah books know what that means. Take your Prozac before viewing.

3)This book also won the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. The author, Cormac McCarthy also wrote No Country for Old Men. I'm glad I didn't know that first or I probably wouldn't have watched this. I hated that movie.

3) The R is WELL deserved. A couple scenes can only be described as horrific. The pay off was totally worth it for me but it is not for the faint of heart. My husband couldn't take it. I watched the end alone.

4) Commonsense Media review here. Iffy for 15+. Yep. Iffy for any tender hearts.

Five Stars- I Love It. (and i hate it)

Currently available on DVD

Here is the trailer but be warned. It shows all of horror but none of the beauty.

Father of the Bride

2011-07-25T11:24:00.005-04:00

Father of the Bride
PG

In spite of the fact that I have not seen this movie in years, and I mean since it was in the theater in 1991 years, I think about it a lot. While that may seem a little odd to some, there is a good reason for it. My oldest son, who heretofore will be known as The Athlete, is a ginormous Brad Paisley fan. Mr. Paisley is married to Kimberly Williams, who is now officially Kimberly Williams-Paisley. Brad Paisley has song in which he mentions going to see this movie with a date other than his now wife. Here it is for anyone who hasn't heard the song. It is even the very first part for the impatient. So anyway, one Friday night when we were casting about for a family night film, this one came to mind.

Does it hold up?

The short answer would be yes it does. But when have I ever stuck with the short answer?

My kids in particular thought it was hysterical. Even my husband, who had somehow missed seeing this before (SAY WHAT?!?!?!?!?) thought it was funny. I confess that I did not find it as funny as I remembered it being but I had a terrific time watching my kids and husband laugh, so that made up for it. The scene where Steve Martin is lurking around the future in-laws house is a classic and had us all rolling.

And you know a movie is a hit when the family goes around quoting it to each other for several days afterwards. There was a downside to the quoting thing as the one line I wish had NOT been in the movie was the most likely to be quoted. Remember early in the film when the family is meeting the fiance and the flustered Dad says "be sure to fasten your condom"? Yeah, I didn't remember that part either. But I do now. Around here we just call it a teaching moment and we had the pleasure (and I use that term loosely) of pausing the movie and having an impromptu conversation of different means of birth control. YEAH. Note the fellow to the right for my true feeling on that. Not a bad thing of course. Just not a top drawer Family Night activity.

What to know before viewing?

1) Steve Martin looks way younger upon this viewing than he did the first time around.

2) I will save you a Google. Yes the little brother is a Culkin.

3) I will save you a second Google. Yes the flamboyantly gay wedding planner sidekick is the same guy from Law and Order Special Victims Unit. Kudos to him too cause it is such a different role and both are done well enough it took me a LONG time to place him. He doesn't even look like he has aged. Way to go B.D.Wong on good genes, a good cosmetic surgeon, or both.

4) Here is what Common Sense media had to say on the matter. I think they are about right though I did let my 6 year old watch.

Three Star- "I Liked It"

Currently available on Netflix Instant Viewing.

Here is the original trailer for you viewing pleasure.

Ode To Helena Bonham Carter

2011-07-19T10:47:00.002-04:00

Yes, I have been on break but I AM BACK with a new feature. An Ode to talent. First off Helena Bonham Carter.

I just watched Deathly Hallow Part 1 cause I had not seen it and I wanted to see the second part in the theater. She scared the crap out of me as Bellatrix Lestrange. Truly terrifying and just right. Then I got to thinking........

My first exposure to her was in Howard's End and she was sweet, naive, and stunning. I loved that film. In fact it was one of my first film loves and I think I watched it fifty times. Helena, Emma, Anthony, Vanessa. Sigh. But I digress.

Of course, I just recently I saw her steely performance in The King's Speech as the Queen. There was a woman with backbone and Helena caught it just right. Is there nothing this woman can't do? Anyone else love the scene where she was drinking tea in the therapist house and his wife came home. As a movie buff and Austen fan, I got a special little thrill in seeing Darcy and Elizabeth reunited. But I digress. Again.

Not to mention how incredibly prolific she is. Holy Smokes! I just went to look up the name of a quirky movie I saw her in where she played a flighty Jewish mother and I couldn't find it in the long long list.

Okay, so I did eventually find it. It is a fun little film called Sixty Six. I might do a review of that soon so consider this is little preview.

So here is a toast to Helena! We are glad you have graced us with your talent.

Hello my movie watching friends!

2011-04-24T00:36:00.001-04:00

We have been on spring break! I though I would have lots of time to post but instead, I took a break. I have so many movies to review now thought that you should be seeing a lot of me in the next couple of weeks.

Happy Easter!

He is risen.

My Dog Skip............................A Dog Tail

2011-03-30T08:02:00.000-04:00

My Dog Skip
PG

I remember when this movie came out it got a whole lot of good review and I always intended to watch it but somehow never did. Perhaps a part of that is that it is just within the last year or so that my kids will consider a movie that is not a cartoon. I consider this a great milestone. LOL

I found this film to be a odd little film. It didn't really seem to go anywhere and at the same time was a little formulaic. WWII era boy has no friends, save an older next door neighbor who is going off to war. Since he is lonely, his mother gets him a dog over his father's objections. The dog does indeed, become the best friend.

What to do before viewing

1) Huge cast. Diane Lane. Kevin Bacon. Luke Wilson.

2) I appear to be losing my mind. I told my kids I didn't understand the toilet on the poster. They looked at me like I was crazy then told me there was a big scene with a toilet and that it had become a running gag throughout the film. I have absolutely no recollection of this. Perhaps I wasn't paying that much attention? I have no answer for that. I thought I was watching. It is scaring me a little actually.

3) My kids and husband liked this one better than I did.

4) Based on a true story. I didn't know this until the end.

What about the kids?

We watched it for family night. Here is what the experts say.

Currently available on Netflix Instant Viewing and here.

Three Stars- "I Liked It" - truthfully I would probably give it two but the rest of my family would probably give it a four so I am splitting the difference since I might have been having a bad night.

MY DOG SKIP: Movie Trailer. Watch more top selected videos about: My Dog Skip, Luke Wilson

Bottle Shock..................Based on a True Story

2011-03-27T11:49:00.005-04:00

Bottle Shock
PG-13

How bad can it be? I mean it has Alan Rickman it! Who doesn't love Snape? And it has the guy who played Captain Kirk in the latest Star Trek movie. He can even sort of act, unlike the original Captain Kirk. And Bill Pullman. He was the President in Independence Day. You have to trust him. Right? If you were thinking all of this, then welcome to Bottle Shock.

I found this movie because the trailer was before some other movie. I don't even remember which one but it looked like fun. Then I discovered it was on Instant Viewing, so when we had a family get together with my parents, (HI MOM) we all watched it. It just the right kind of film. Funny and light and an underdog for whom to cheer. Everyone thirteen and up found it enjoyable.

What to know before viewing

1) Best line (it's in the trailer so I'm not spilling the beans.) Bill Pullman- "Why don't I like you?" Alan Rickman- " Because you think I am an asshole and I'm not really. I'm just British.....and well..... you're not."

2) It's an indie. A well done indie. I didn't really get the low budget feel from it.

What about the kids?

I have decided I stink at this section. I am oddly liberal on some things and conservative on others. I have found www.commonsensemedia.com to be very helpful on this matter. Check them out if you have never used them before. Here is what they had to say about this movie. From now on I am just going to link them in this part. LOL.

Currently on Netflix Instant Viewing and here.

Three Stars- "Liked It"

Just for fun, I am going to experiment with putting the trailer her. We will see how it goes.

Gnomeo and Juliet...............................A Rose by Any Other Name

2011-03-22T09:42:00.005-04:00

Gnomeo and Juliet
G

This is a real break out movie for me as it is still in the theater. (chuckling in a bit embarrassed manner) It totally figures it would be animated as I pretty much only get to see movies I take the kids to see. In this case it was for my youngest's birthday. But that's okay cause this was a fun film.

Gnomeo and Juliet, voiced by James McAvoy and Emily Blunt, are garden gnomes that live in rival gardens. The Red Hats and the Blue Hats have been feuding for as long as anyone can remember. Of course, you pretty much know how the rest of the story goes.

Yes this is a kids' film but there is plenty here for the accompanying parent to enjoy. Shakespeare quotes, and not all from Romeo and Juliet, are woven through the entire script and it is fun to try and find them. If you are better educate than I turned out to be, it would also be fun to figure out which plays they are from.

Some of Britain's best stars turned up to do voices. In addition to James McAvoy and Emily Blunt, there is Maggie Smith, Micheal Caine, Jason Straham, Ozzy Osborne, Julie Andrews, Patrick Stewart, and Dolly Parton. Yeah, that last one isn't British but she sure does have a recognizable voice.

What to know before viewing

1) Yes, I know the above poster isn't in English. I just thought it was cute. Here is the translation for those who have an overwhelming need for the English version. I like the other one better.

2) Tybalt is BAD. I kept thinking I needed to go back an re-read the play because I didn't remember him being that bad.

3) My biggest disappointment in the film was that James McAvoy's voice didn't turn out to be that distinctive. Pleasant, yes, but not distinctive.

4) Elton John's music is featured quite prominently here and is a lot of fun. I love it when they weave existing songs into a story line.

What about the kids?

This is all about the kids. My youngest got up half way through the film and thanked me for bringing him to see it. LOL

Currently in theaters and eventually here

Five Stars- "Loved It"

If you noticed this has gone to video and I have not changed it, please comment and I will fix it.

UPDATED to add- this is now on out on DVD

I've got two movies you are gonna love

2011-03-19T22:55:00.001-04:00

And as soon as my little guy gets well, I promise to tell you all about them.

The Secret Life of Bees............................Worth All the Buzz

2011-03-13T15:31:00.004-04:00

The Secret Life of Bees
PG-13

I read and loved the book first which is always risky. In fact, that is why I put off the viewing of this movie even though there were lots of reasons, including interesting actors and good trailer, that I really wanted to see it. Having the book ruined was too risky. This was one of those cases where I wasn't disappointed.

Dakota Fanning did a terrific job as Lily. I expected as much, as she pretty much always does terrific acting work. Alicia Keys, as June, was a surprise for me. I didn't know she acted and didn't even recognize her until I saw her name in the credits. She is stunningly beautiful. The actress that played May, Sophie Okonedo, stole every scene she was in, though I must confess that May is my favorite character and I secretly (until now) suspect that I am most like her. Jennifer Hudson was on American Idol back in the day when I used to watch and I love her. I have never gotten around to seeing the movie that won her an Oscar, so I was anxious to see her a Rosaleen, who in my opinion is the backbone of this story. She did not disappoint. This was filmed pre-Weight Watchers and for the record she was beautiful before she was skinny.

My one real disappointment was August. I am a fan of Queen Latifah. I have seen and enjoyed Last Holiday more that one time. I was hopeful that she would be a good fit in this role. To be fair, she wasn't bad. If I hadn't read the book I might have even thought she was good. It was just that I had picture August as a "deep water" kind of person and Queen Latifah is more a "what you see is what you get" kind of person and the two just did sit right together for me here.

What to know before viewing

1) Paul Bethany was a surprise as the abusive T-Ray but he pulled it off with aplomb. I would step across the street if I saw him coming now.

2) I watched the director's cut edition. I have no idea how this colored my thinking about the film.

3) The book is still better. I think Sue Monk Kid has a classic on her hands.

What about the kids?

PG-13 for a reason. I wouldn't let a sensitive kid of any age see this. This is the stuff of my nightmares as a kid.

Currently available on Netflix Instant Viewing and here.

Four and a Half Stars - "Really Liked It" plus

The River.................................Does It Hold Up?

2011-03-10T13:54:00.004-05:00

The River
PG-13

This is a film from back in 1984 when Sissy Spacek was billed before Mel Gibson. A simpler time when we were all focused on Mel's dreamy blue eyes and manly "ass-ets" (please forgive me) and not so much on the horrid things that proceed from him mouth.

This is a tale of the Garvy family as they are fighting to keep their farm and their way of life when everything seems stacked against them. It is an American drama of one man fighting the system, the elements, and his own fatigue. In the end, he triumphs. At least for the time being.

Does it hold up?

Now introducing my new feature. Sometimes I like to go back and watch films that I enjoyed in the past and see if they hold up. This one was a favorite of mine when I was 17(ish). I lived down the block from something that was brand new, a video store. I would walk there and rent this VHS every few weeks. I loved it with all my heart but I have not seen it in probably twenty years. So, does it hold up? Yes and no. I don't love it as much as I did then but I still like it. And young Mel. Whew. Yeah. In the end I think my 17 year old self was highly influenced by the Mel factor. The scene pictured below made my 17 year old heart sing. Even so, I have to say it is a pretty good film and my teen self was showing the seedlings of good taste.

What to know before viewing?

1) Hats off to farmers everywhere. If it is half as hard as this film portrays it, I don't know how you do it.

2) If "Evan is awesome!!!!!" ever shows up on this blog in a random spot, I have been hacked by a certain person in my household. Just sayin'.

3) Sissy Spacek lives up the road a piece from me and I once saw her in the airport. She was every bit a cute in person as she is on film. I didn't realize it was her until after she was gone because I was thinking she was a customer at the bank I worked at at the time. That is probably all to the good anyway because I would likely have acted the fool had I known it was her.

What about the kids?

PG-13 is on target. The stress level is high and there is a semi-nude scenes.

Currently available on Netflix Instant Viewing and here.

Three and a Half Stars- "I Liked it" plus

The Envelope Please................And the Winner Is

2011-03-09T08:31:00.008-05:00

So I went to www.random.org and put in the numbers for all 53 entries. The following is the number that came up.

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:31Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Then I counted down to entry number 31 and the winning entry is the following post

"Traci said...

I'm a follower (oh how my mother is probably cringing right now. She always told me not to be a follower)"

February 24, 2011 9:07 AM

Congratulations Traci! Turns out being a follow worked for you in this case. E-mail me at www.queuereview@comcast.net and I will get you your gift card code.

P.S. I don't know why that random generator says 100. I put in the proper number of entries though!

Masterpiece Classic: Emma.................Who Doesn't Love Jane

2011-03-08T09:13:00.005-05:00

Masterpiece Classic: Emma
NR

I liked it and I gonna give it a bunch of stars but I'm not sure what I am going to say about it. You know the story. Headstrong girl who has the whole world figured out only to find out that she doesn't.

As I have read the book more than one time and seen several versions on film, this one had a lot to live up to. (Ack preposition at the end of a sentence. Look away!) This is clearly not an enviable position for a film. I was encouraged by the casting of Romola Garai as I had seen her previously in Daniel Deronda and she seemed to have the right kind of spunk to pull it off. NO WAY! I just looked her up and discovered that she plays the love interest in Amazing Grace. I didn't even recognize her! Shows you what a bad witness I would be in court. Put a red wig on and I won't know you. Feel free to roll your eyes at me here.

First to things I like in this version. 1) Camera work. There were several very nicely done shots. The one I like best is at the end when Emma and Knightly must break their engagement news to her father. I won't ruin it but it is a shot from behind Emma, oddly enough of her behind. Watch for it. 2) Mr. Knightly is spot on. At first I didn't think him handsome enough but by the end he had more than won me over. 3) Emma's father is PERFECT. PERFECT. You sure do grow to love that annoying little man. Kudos to Micheal Gambon.

Now to things I didn't like or perhaps I should say didn't love. 1) Miss Bates was not nearly annoying enough. When Emma has her faux pas at the picnic it seemed a little out of left field because Miss Bates hadn't seemed that bad. 2) I am sure some will disagree here, but I think Frank Churchill needed to be played with a tad more sympathy. I mean the audience needs to make a complete emotional turn around about him at the end and that didn't go well. Everyone on screen had moved on but I still wanted to clock him. 3) The ending was a little lame. Not unforgivable but lame.

What to know before viewing

1) You need to know, in fact you can't go another day without knowing, that Romola Garai looks like my friend Libby. Look here at the evidence. Okay, so maybe it is a little hard to see in the terrible picture I took with my Ipod, but trust me, she does.

2) If you are jonesing for a Jane Austen, dive on in.

3) This is long. There are four episodes, each about an hour long. Plan on it taking you a couple of night.

What about the kids?

This is rated E for everyone. If they are old enough to want to watch it then you are good. I confess I watched alone though cause I just wanted to watch without answering questions or stopping for potty breaks, other than my own of course.

Currently available on disk through Netflix and here

Five Stars- "Love It"

Good thing I didn't know what to say, huh? I'd have written a novel if I had. LOL

Amexicano............It's Complicated

2011-03-04T08:35:00.004-05:00

Amexicano
PG-13

Not your grandma's movie about illegal immigration and stereotypes. Okay, so it doesn't have the same ring as "not your grandma's Oldsmobile" but you get the idea. This is a complicated movie about a complicated issue. I have never seen another film like it.

Bruno is a blue collared guy from Queens who is unemployed and at the end of his benefits. Things have gotten bad enough that he finds himself working with illegal day laborers, something he neither agrees with or enjoys. Ignacio, one of the laborers, befriends Bruno and as the relationship grows, Bruno is forced to reconsider his preconceived notions.

This is one of those indie films that is clearly done on a small budget and it has that kind of feel to it. At the start of the movie it bothered me a bit, but the script and acting are both well done and soon enough I forgot about the rest. I finished this movie before I went to bed last night and I went to sleep thinking about it. I woke up thinking about it. I expect this to be a film that sticks with me.

What to know before viewing

1) Carmine Famiglietti, who plays Bruno, is also the writer of this. I hope he gets more work from it.

2) Manny Perez, whom I remembered from the movie Bella, plays a terrific bad guy. You don't like his character from the moment you see him. He plays right into all of Bruno's stereotypes about illegal immigrants and ironically ends up being a citizen of the U.S.

3) The ending. There is not much I can say without spoiling it. I will say this. I didn't expect it to end when it did and it ticked me off a little at first. But the more I think about it the more I see why it ended there.

What about the kids?

I think PG-13 is about right. This movie is disturbing but in a way that really challenges your thinking. A teen that is up to the challenge would probably enjoy this film.

Currently available on Netflix Instant Viewing and here

4 Stars- "Really Liked It"

I keep debating with myself about the stars on this one but 4 is what I went with right after I watched it so I think I will stick with that.

Everlasting Moments..............Art

2011-03-03T00:18:00.004-05:00

Everlasting Moment
NR

Gasp. The cinematography is stunning. If I were going on that alone, this would be 5 Stars all the way. It is not often that I finish a film and my first thought is, "Whoa, that was beautiful." I suppose that is fitting as the movie is about a photographer.

As for plot, well, this is a slow mover. But I won't let that bother me if you don't let it bother you. Maria, a woman around the turn of the century, finds herself trapped in a bad marriage and holds onto her sanity by clinging to her camera.

Maria Heiskanen, who plays the main character amazed me with her skill. She was Emma Thompson good (the highest praise I know how to give). What she could convey in a simple look transcended the fact that was having to read her words.. Her face is striking and yet just like a lady you would see in Walmart. I think I may go search for more films she is in, if I find them, you will know about them soon too. (cue the nervous giggle)

What to know before viewing

1) It's just flat out kind of hard to take at times. You really like Maria and watching her husband be a louse to her over and over again is hard to bear.

2) I am adding the picture on the right even though it is really about the filming of the movie rather than the movie itself. It captures something I like even though I can't really express it well in words. I am assuming the man pointing is the director, Jan Troell but I don't think he looks anything like a Troll. (forgive me)

3) I think this is based on a true story but they did not translate the words right before the credits and my Swedish is rusty. (roll eyes)

4) Did I mention that this is a stunning film visually?

What about the kids?

NO! There was one scene that I wondered how the parents of the child actors could have let their little children do. This one is for grown-ups.

Currently available on Netflix Instant Viewing and here

4 Stars- "Really Liked It"

Kidnapped..............24(esque)

2011-03-01T14:43:00.007-05:00

Kidnapped

First, to the cast. Timothy Hutton and Dana Delany are both known entities so I will leave them at that. Jeremy Sisto, the main character, was new to me but I liked him. When I checked him on IMDb he has a long line of guest appearances and the a credit as "Elton" in Clueless. Somehow I have never seen Clueless, so you will have to let me know in the comments if Elton is a minor or major character. My favorite member of the cast is Delroy Lindo. He is one of those actors you think you don't know until you look him up and discover he has been in a million things you have seen. Anyhoo, he was in a near perfect specimen of manliness. I first saw him (that I remember) in a film called Wondrous Oblivion and he won me over as life long fan of his acting skills. I will include the poster for that one here just to help you remember it cause it is worth a viewing.

Now to the show at hand. Kidnapped. It is a bullets flying, twisty turny, badge flashing hoe down. If you like 24, you will dig this too. Though to keep this on the up and up, I should confess that I have only seen a couple of episodes of 24. It kept me guessing until the end and I am a good guesser on these kinds of things.

What to know before viewing

1) The gore factor is high. I grew up on a steady diet of action adventure films and this had me flinching more than once.

2) Timothy Hutton is surprisingly thug-gy here. I confess that I am not a particular fan and have not really followed his career closely but I have him type cast in my head as the Ordinary People kid, who is decidedly not a thug.

3) As I have been writing this blog, I have discovered that I have a frightening amount of knowledge about movies and actors. There is no real reason for this to be in the "before viewing" section, I just wanted to say it out loud.

4) Coming back in to add a number 4 because I intended to say this from the start. Be warned. It does leave with with a mild cliff hanger. Nothing like the barn burning cliff hanger that Flash Forward left us with (darn them) but it was clear the writers expected a season 2.

What about the kids?

No. Check number one in the section above.

Currently available on Netflix Instant Viewing and here

4 Stars- "Really Liked It"

For those who read my last entry, I wanted to let you know that Green Card is not available on Instant Viewing. BOO!