Reviews

Whiplash is rightly named. Just like a piece of music, a film has many components that must come together for it to work. You can't have a film without actors, without a script, or without a director. For this particular piece of music, all you need is a drummer and a teacher who will do anything to for a successful performance. I believe that is what Damien Chazelle has done here. He has pushed his actors as well as his audience to their limits and then some. The question this movie asks is: how far is too far? And the beautiful thing is that it never answers it and that was precisely Damien Chazelle's intention when he wrote the ending. We, as the audience, must decide for ourselves. I didn't enjoy sitting through this movie, but that doesn't make it bad. It made me think and ultimately it did what it set out to do. For that, I applaud it.

"Winds in the east, mist coming in. Like something is brewing, about to begin. Can't put my finger on what lies in store. But I fear what's to happen, all happened before." We hear the these iconic words over the first notes of the first song from Mary Poppins, and as the camera panned through the clouds (just like in "Mary Poppins"), I began to grin. And, between a few tears, that grin stayed on my face until the very end. I have never in my life fallen in love with a movie so quickly. For those of you unfamiliar with the plot, "Saving Mr. Banks" is about the "Mary Poppins" author P.L. Travers, played here by Emma Thompson in a brilliant performance. It is about her childhood, her inspiration, and her difficulties as an adult with her haunting memories of an alcoholic father. She published her famous children's' novel in the 1934 and 30 years later was released as a movie. What audiences of that time did not know, was the struggles it took for that to happen. Walt Disney was adamant that he wanted the rights, but Mrs. Travers simply refused to give them to him. For 20 years, he pushed and for 20 years, she denied. There are a select few movies that cannot be described in words. My favorite movie, the 2012 musical adaptation of "Les Miserables" is one. "The Mosquito Coast" is another. The power of these films is something that needs to be experienced, not told, but I am giving my best effort here. Every single performance is a gem. Emma Thompson is incredible. I honestly can say I have never seen a a more convincing portrayal of a real human being than hers. Tom Hanks does not look or sound like Walt Disney, but he captures his charisma and spirit perfectly. Very similar to Anthony Hopkins as Alfred Hitchcock last year. Jason Schwartzman and BJ Novak are delightful as the Sherman Brothers and it gives me real comfort in knowing that Robert Sherman himself (Jason Schwartzman's character) was on set ensuring that the story be told right and the performances be accurate. Ralph Giamatti is a subtle wonder as the very American chauffeur. But I have perhaps saved the best for last. Colin Farrell portrays his character so accurately that it is almost painful to watch. Disney Studios has done a horrible job marketing this movie because, contrary to what the commercials imply, it is NOT a family movie. If you want a family movie, watch "Mary Poppins". The themes are so mature and powerful here, a child would not enjoy or understand this movie at all. However, for those of us who have grown up with "Mary Poppins", this movie is beyond anything I could possibly say. The transitions between Travers' childhood in Australia, and the present in Los Angeles were so smooth you never felt you were taken out of either story, as is sometimes the fault with that idea. The script is excellent. So many beautiful monologues and quotes, I couldn't even count. The music is excellent. Thomas Newman's score very much captures the style and essence of the 60's while slipping in bits of the "Mary Poppins" repertoire, all in all making it practically perfect in every way. Also, what I found particularly effective, was their use of a few "Mary Poppins" scenes. I am so thankful Disney Studios made this film because they have the rights to the original material and used it well and sparingly. One of the best films of the year and of all time. Every expectation and hope I had was completely blown out of the water and topped, a feat which I thought impossible, because I set the bar very very high. I could go on, but it seems to be time for my evening tea. Milk in first.

I'm back. And I'm upset. I thoroughly enjoyed all three of the first Terminator films. The first two few told the story and the third was just plain fun. This however, was an unnecessary mess. The minute the movie started, I could tell something wasn't right. This installment takes place after Judgement Day. First of all, they brought in an entire new cast. They could have easily brought back Nick Stahl for John Conner and Claire Danes as Kate Brewster but they replaced both. Christian Bale is an ideal John Conner, I suppose, but I his performance was so emotionless that I didn't care about him at all. And Bryce Dallas Howard as Kate chose not to continue the the feisty personality that made so fun to watch. She feels like a completely different person here. The script is poorly written and so instead, the movie is filled with scene after scene of meaningless war and battle sequences. It is very average, cliché, mainstream, Hollywood entertainment (I wouldn't even go so far to say it's entertainment) I don't know how any fan of the originals could enjoy this movie. We learned and saw all we needed to know of the future and Judgement Day from the flash forwards in the first three films. The scenes that worked the best were with Helena Bonham Carter and Arnold Schwarzenegger but, unfortunately for us, those were few. I highly recommend to skip this "Terminator" film if you are a fan, as it adds nothing important to the series. I hope the new reboot will be better.

I grew up playing Clue, Jr. It was probably my favorite board game as a kid. Figuring out who did what (of course, it was quite a bit different than the adult version, as all we were figuring out was who ate the cake), was so much fun, I remember. So naturally, I have wanted to see this film for quite a while. And I finally got around to it. As far as I remember, all of the characters are here: Mrs. Peacock, Mrs. White, Professor Plum, Mr. Green, Colonel Mustard, and Miss Scarlet. And, the idea is the same: who did it, where, and with what. All of the actors do a fine job playing their characters, particularly Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn, and Eileen Brennan. The movie is a fun blend of comedy and suspense; nothing too special or perfect but it serves its purpose. I like the choice of 3 endings.

I have truly loved the Narnia books by Clive Staples Lewis since I was 7. I have a memory of staying up late in bed, reading the last few chapters of "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" before seeing the movie the next day. Little did I know of C. S. Lewis' (Jack) personal life. He was a very reserved man as is shown here, and he doesn't have much of a life outside of teaching and writing. That is, until he meets Joy Gresham, an American woman living a hard life with her abusive husband and young son. Jack takes them in and for the first time, begins to love like he never thought he could. There is much more to this film than what meets the eye. It it is a story of compassion, love, loss, grief, and faith. As a Christian, it is wonderful to see a film with such deep and moral messages that revolve and even feel aimed, at me specifically. Anthony Hopkins does a magnificent job in portraying the famous and troubled writer. This is a movie worth watching again and again.

After watching "The Incredible Hulk" and reading negative reviews of this movies, I was dreading watching it. But I am pleased to say that it surpassed my expectations. When Thor is banished from his home world, he lands in New Mexico in the presence of three scientists. They aren't sure what to do with him and as they get to know him, they find that there is more to him than what meets the eye. Meanwhile back home, his father has fallen into a sort of coma and his brother is now the ruler. And not a very good one at that. Chris Hemsworth does a great job in the lead role as does Anthony Hopkins as Odin and Tom Hiddleston as Loki. The movie felt refreshing and although a bit cheesy, it was entertaining. Not as good as "Iron Man" and "Captain America: The First Avenger", but not bad.

I have never read "The Incredible Hulk" comic strip. I have never seen the Bill Bixby TV series. I didn't even see the 2003 movie "Hulk". In fact, the only connection I have with the Hulk, is that I owned the the famous Hulk Hands toys as a young child. I watched this movie primarily so I could become familiar with each of the individual superheros before watching the recent popular movie, "The Avengers". It started off encouraging, showing flashbacks of how the Hulk came to be. Actually one of the coolest intros I have ever seen. Too bad that can't be said about the entire film. Everything about it felt a little off. First of all, I found much of the fault to be in the characterization of Bruce Banner. He felt very distant throughout. Yes, I understand he needs to be mellow, as to show the significant difference between him as Bruce and him as the Hulk, but even so. Edward Norton was not enjoyable to watch in this role. In addition, it really didn't feel like a superhero movie. I didn't see the Hulk as a hero and the villain didn't show up until the last twenty minutes. I did enjoy the small cameo by Robert Downey, Jr. as Tony Stark. That for me was the highlight. Another cool thing about the film is that Lou Ferrigno, the original voice of the Hulk, is still lending his voice for this role. However, I am sorry to say that this movie was predictable and overall a disappointment. After watching this, I am quite interesting in seeing the the 2003 big screen adaption as to compare the two.

The opening scene is as follows: Ed Gein and his brother Harry are in the garden outside their home. Henry insults his brother and in turn, is killed by Ed with a shovel. The camera then pans over to a perfectly calm Alfred Hitchcock, who had clearly been watching. He then introduces the film as if it were one of his episodes of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents". As the film progresses, we learn that Hitchcock is in need of a basis for his next movie. We also learn of his dysfunctional relationship with his wife, Alma. What he decides he wants to do is to make a film of Robert Block's novel "Psycho", inspired by this serial killer Ed Gein. The trouble is, Paramount won't make it. Of course, Hitchcock won't have that. As an avid fan of Hitchcock, I was extremely eager to see this film. I grew up watching his movies with my grandmother and so tonight I finally saw it with her in a local theater. And I am happy to say, I was not disappointed in the least. The two lead actors Anthony Hopkins and Helen Mirren perform their role brilliantly, as does every other actor in the cast. The beauty of "Hitchcock" is that every step of the way, I could feel the emotions right along side the characters. I felt Alfred's anger and sadness with his wife and I felt Alma's anger and sadness with her husband. Although, this movie does a splendid job showing the making of "Psycho", it also does a fine job showing the love story behind the scenes. And that, my friends, is what makes this a masterpiece as suspenseful and intriguing as Hitchcock's own pictures.

I have been a part of the Muppet experience since a very young age. The first Muppet production I watched was "The Muppet Christmas Carol" from 1994. My grandfather, being a great fan of the Charles Dickens classic, was watched it and as I joined him, I was instantly transfixed. Then, I moved on to "Muppet Treasure Island" and "Muppets from Space" but I wasn't till a few years ago that I finally saw this classic. Back in the mid to late 70's, Jim Henson decided to make his successful new program, "The Muppet Show", into a feature film. And that has helped the Muppets grow and has helped them become what they are today. This movie showed how the Muppet gang came together in a very entertaining and fun way. All of the main characters of the show, from Rowlf the Dog to Camilla the Chicken, and of course, Kermit the Frog, are all there along with a variety of songs. In addition, there are several cameos from stars of that time. Among my favorites are Steve Martin and, specifically, Mel Brooks. This is a great introduction for someone who is not familiar with the Muppets and is a must see for those who are.

When I initially heard about this reboot, I was skeptical. Why make them again so soon? When I was little, the Spider-Man movies came out and those were the first superhero movies I ever watched. I loved them. However, as I got older, I realized that much of what makes up those movies was quite cheesy, particularly Tobey Maguire's portrayal of Peter Parker. But this is not a review of those. I am reviewing the new and improved "amazing" Spider-Man. And I am pleased to say that it was surprisingly well done and very worthwhile. What was really missing from the previous installments was that level of darkness and threat that is present here. This film offers a dark, fresh new take on the traditional Spider-Man that I think you will enjoy. The characters are more engaging and more developed. I don't have much to say about this is terms of complaints. It is a refreshing, enjoyable piece of entertainment. Also, in all of Stan Lee's cameo appearance, I think this one is my favorite.

My grandmother introduced this to me as a young boy and I instantly fell in love with it. The story, as I'm sure you know, was written by Frances Hodgson Burnett in the early 1900s. It is about a young selfish girl who demands attention and, after the sudden death of her parents, moves to an enormous mansion in England. As she settles in, she notices the dark history this place has and is determined to uncover each and every one of its mysteries. Not all Hallmark movies are up to par, but I would definitely say this one is. The two child leads do a splendid job bringing their characters and transformations to life. The haunting score matches the sinister atmosphere beautifully and makes for a very enjoyable viewing and listening experience. A few recognizable actors include Michael Hordern and a brief appearance by Colin Firth.

I like poetry. I like Robin Williams. I like Peter Weir. I like Maurice Jarre. So, I had high hopes for this movie and I have to say I was extremely disappointed. It seems in almost every dramatic or semi-dramatic film that Robin Williams stars in, he plays a victim. I kept waiting for him to be picked on and it sure came. John Seating is a new teacher at a very strict school called Welton. His styles and teaching methods are not what the students are used to and his love for poetry inspires them to reopen an old school club called the Dead Poets Society. At this point, the movie falls downhill. I think the problem is the characters. The director tries to make us love and connect with them, oh how hard he tries. But, oh how much I didn't care by the end. We needed to know more about John Seating's personal life and not just his job. Besides a few good themes scattered throughout, there is not a lot to gain by watching this film.

I have been looking forward to and also dreading watching this old movie, primarily because it is the first Batman movie ever made. Now that Christopher Nolan has completed his recent Batman trilogy and I have seen every other Batman film, I thought now was as good a time as any. First of all, this is definitely not the same town, same villains, or even same hero that current Batman fans are used to. The original on screen Batman made famous by Adam West is not anything like the portrayals from Michael Keaton to Christian Bale. With all that being said, I didn't have high hopes for this movie initially anyway. And yet, I was still disappointed. The story line follows the infamous Batman, whom every single citizen loves (again another difference), and his sidekick Robin, the Boy Wonder. They are chasing down four classic villains who are the Penguin, the Joker, the Riddler, and Catwoman. I have never been fond of Robin, and this movie didn't help a bit. There has been only one other movie with Robin (thank goodness), which was ironically called "Batman & Robin" (also terrible). All of the villains have been later portrayed on screen, and significantly better I might add, by the following actors:

The Penguin- Danny DeVito The Joker- Jack Nicholson and Heath Ledger The Riddler- Jim Carrey Catwoman- Michelle Pfeiffer and Anne Hathaway

The whole of this movie is dumb, cheesy, and I have no intention of ever watching it again.

Jim Carrey has always amused me with his quirky characters and how he can transform himself into silly but hilarious roles. But it wasn't until I saw this that I ever saw him as a serious actor. If this is the first Jim Carrey film that you see, you would never know that he is a comedian. Movies about the movie industry draw me in right away and this is no exception. A young Hollywood writer is off to a great start in his career. He has just written his first film, he has a movie star of a girlfriend, and life is good. However, that changes in a second when he is falsely accused of being a communist and as a result is fired from his job. After drinking too much, he goes for a drive and ends up falling from a bridge into a river. When he wakes, he is taken in by a nearby town who are mistaking him for a war veteran named Luke. His "father" is certain this is him and as a result they reopen a worn down movie theater that Luke was very fond of at one time. As I was watching, I couldn't help think of "Luke, I am your father". Please excuse my inappropriate Star Wars reference. This has exactly what a movie should have: strong characters, romance (without sex), suspense, and an excellent message. Sadly, this is one of the least known films in the careers of both director Frank Darabont. But I encourage you to see it and although quite long, I think you will get something out of it.

Notice that the title of this film does not end with a question mark. It is not a thriller or a mystery; it is simply a visual description of the problems affecting a family with problems. The movie follows the daily life of an unhappy young man by the name of Gilbert who is dealing with caring for an autistic younger brother and a morbidly obese mother. This is a film that I believe everyone should see because it gives you a must greater respect for obese people and for caretakers in general. The acting is top-notch with an exceptional performance by Leonardo DiCaprio as the autistic boy. When everything comes together, what you get is a sad and moving experience.

This movie opens with Steve Martin sitting in a meeting bored and ready to leave. He has a plane to catch. He gets to the airport as fast as he can and runs into a friendly but very annoying man who he winds up sitting next to on the plane. Due to a blizzard, the flight isn't about to land in Chicago as planned. The two become stuck in Wichita and from then on we watch this odd couple have misadventure after misadventure in the hope of finding their way home. As this fight between cynical and obnoxious goes on, we get to see Steve Martin and John Candy at their best. I'm sure you can guess which is which. The movie does drag on a bit but the ending is worth waiting for.

The idea of life on the sea, living our adventure after adventure, has always fascinated me. This is the first real movie of that nature that I have seen (save "Pirates of the Caribbean"). The story is of a crew during the Napoleonic Wars that are on a mission to take down another ship. Of course, the other ship has the same orders, resulting in several scenes of cannons damaging said ships. The lead stars, Russell Crowe as the captain and Paul Bettany as the doctor, are a great pair whom you may remember from "A Beautiful Mind". The film is well done and realistic. The only downfall is that it is a bit difficult to follow and it is somewhat slow on top of that. It is definitely worth watching, but just be aware.

"Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd. His skin was pale and his eye was odd. He shaved the faces of gentlemen who never thereafter were heard of again. He trod a path that few had trod, Did Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street."

Those are the opening lyrics to the 1979 Broadway production with Angela Lansbury and Len Cariou. The movie version, made 28 years later with Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter, will blow you away. The entire film is so unique and so strange that you can't help but take in the awe of it. It is the story of a troubled barber who was imprisoned after a judge took his wife away. Years later, he returns to London where there is no sign of his wife and now his daughter is locked away in the Judge's house. His goal now, is to bring in customers, primarily the Judge, and slit their throats so that his new friend, Mrs. Lovett can make them into delectable "meat pies". And the best part of it all is that it is a musical and all of the actors, never previously singers, have unbelievable good voices that are very enjoyable to listen to and fit the story. The majority of musical films seem to be quite upbeat and contain large amounts of dancing, but this has neither. I prefer dark musicals such as this and also "Les Miserables", because I think it is harder to bring those emotions out in song and this kind of musical has much more meaning to me. Every actor in this picture does an incredible job in their individual role and I don't believe that a single actor was miscast. What's more, the writer of the stage musical, Stephen Sondheim, approved which he often doesn't do with movie adaptations. Tim Burton really scores on this one.

Oh, where to begin. In my opinion, "Young Frankenstein" is one of the funniest movies ever made. From the first scene with Gene Wilder lecturing his class, to the "Abby Normal" sequence later on, this film is a joy to watch and will have have you smiling all the way through. After his grandfathers death, Dr. Frankenstein (pronounced Fronkensteen) begins experimenting with the idea of bringing dead humans back to life with the help of assistants Igor (pronounced Eye-gor) and Inga. From brief chuckles to bursts of hysterical laughter, this movie has it all. An interesting factoid is much of the equipment you see in the laboratory are original prop pieces used in the classic Boris Karloff film. Also note how the film was shot in purposely in black and white, despite the complaints from the studio. Later a Broadway musical written by director Mel Brooks.

Dear children of the world, Why hello! My name is Euphegenia Doubtfire, dears, and I am very happy to be here today and to tell you about my movie. It all starts with a man by the name of Daniel Hillard. He and his wife, Miranda, were blessed with three wonderful children, like all of you. But their parents didn't get along, dears, and they had to separate It was a very sad day for everyone. Daniel could not be without his children and soon after he was transformed into a housekeeper, me, Mrs. Doubtfire. I tried my best to be the most loving housekeeper in the whole city of San Francisco! In this way, Daniel got to see his children every day. I hope you watch this glorious film that is hilarious and heartwarming at the very same time, dears. It goes to show a fathers devotion to his children and also that divorce can be a painful thing. Sincerely, Mrs. Doubtfire

This is definitely a good movie about bad movies. I had seen every Tim Burton film except this and his remake of "Planet of the Apes" so, due to my interest in old movies and in Johnny Depp, I thought I would finally sit down and watch it. And I'm glad I did. Edward D. Wood Jr. was a bizarre filmmaker who movies are legendary for being awful. But he doesn't know. He is happy and optimistic about every penny he can get and every person he can meet. He is especially excited when he sees the no longer acting, Bela Lugosi, played by Martin Landau, winning him an Academy Award. The movie was shot entirely in black and white, primarily because no one knew how Bela Lugosi would look in color. And it looks incredible. From the promising start with the graves and the lighting, it really feels like an old horror movie. Now, the movie as a whole was good but it there are some questionable aspects of it such as the language, which was unnecessary, and the way Ed's crew disrespected the Baptist church. Other than those and a few other things, the film was a lot of fun to watch and was interesting to see an important piece of Hollywood history. Now, I''m gonna go watch some of Ed Wood's bad movies!

Public speaking is not an easy thing to do. But it is even harder when you have a stammer/stutter. The Duke of York (Bertie) has struggled with this all of his life and has been seeking help but has found none suitable for him. His wife finds a different kind of treatment given by a man named Lionel Logue that is described as "unorthodox and controversial". As Bertie begins seeing this "doctor", he notices an improvement. Initially, when I heard about this movie and all of the raving reviews, I was honestly afraid I would find it dreadfully uninteresting. But when I did see it, I was surprised at how amazing and interesting it really is. You can add mine to that long list of positive reviews. Colin Firth, whom I had previously seen in "Disney's A Christmas Carol", won an Academy Award for this role, and rightfully so. He is so compelling and believable that is is hard to imagine him not being in this role of the Duke. Also, Helena Bonham Carter, in a role noticeably different than her usual, pulls off Queen Elizabeth very well and fits into it much better than one might expect. And, of course, Geoffrey Rush is perfect as the untrained doctor. This beautiful achievement easily fits into my top ten films.

I have seen two movies with Robin Williams playing an initially dismissed doctor. This one and "Patch Adams", which was not that great. I am very pleased to say that this one was absolutely amazing. The fact that it is based on a true story makes it that much more brilliant. Robin Williams is a doctor who, when joining the staff of a hospital, tries a new medicine on the unresponsive patients that reside there. Although the staff has high hopes when the medicine seems to work, things may not be as wonderful as they appear to be. Robert De Nero is flawless in his role which was Oscar-Nominated and, as far as I'm concerned should have won. Be prepared to cry.

Being a longtime fan of Charles Dickens classic "A Christmas Carol", I thought I would give his others a try and I decided to start with the 2002 adaptation of "Nicholas Nickleby". Nicholas is going through a tragic time after his father dies and the families needs are now no longer met. His coldhearted uncle, played to perfection by Christopher Plummer, sends Nicholas to a workhouse for children with horrible owners who, true to that time, beat the children and treat them very badly. Nicholas begins to develop a friendship with a crippled young boy called Smike. It is interesting to see how Charles Dickens, himself a poor a miserable child, incorporating these details into his own stories. This is a refreshing film with a spectacular cast. Harry Potter fans will enjoy seeing David Bradley (Filch) in a different role.

I hate boring movies with underdeveloped characters. Such a movie is "9". A group of rag dolls with a number from 1-9 on their backs are living in a post-apocalyptic world and battling robotic monsters. This is the plot of the movie and the idea is creative but the way it is presented is extremely uninteresting. Although the running time is only 79 minutes, I was begging for it to end within the first half hour. I don't have much else to say about this movie other than, although the voice actors are well-known and it is produced by Tim Burton, the film is unpleasant and not worth watching. If only every aspect of it were as good as the animation. Judy Garland's "Over the Rainbow" ironically made it in there which was a nice touch but not enough to redeem it.