Reviews

Morning Glory / Rated PG-13 for language, one of the main characters in her underwear and some drinking and talk of drugs. Rachel McAdams plays perky 28 year old Becky, hard working All American girl TV news show producer. RM herself will be 32 on 11/17/2010 but that's close enough. She is fired from her morning news/feature show in a small New Jersey market and is on the hunt for a job. In NY she is offered a position without much chance of success on a major TV network the fictional IBS where complications ensue. There she runs into a cast of also rans. Last in the morning sweepstakes ratings the show is called Morning Glory. Diane Keaton is the anchor along with a host of other not so great TV personalities. RM under threat of cancellation by her new boss Jeff Goldblum finds a contractual clause in the agreement with legendary newsman Harrison Ford. She pressures him into joining the show. He doesn't like it. HF plays an irascible character, non smiling and always in ill humor. DK is the beleaguered co anchor who is in competition with HF over who gets to say "goodbye" at the end of the show. Everything turns from bad to worse. RM's dates don't turn out well. Like Rodney Dangerfield she "gets no respect". The movie moves along okay for 70 minutes then the script goes from adequate to forest fire fast. RM tries some new ideas and the show starts to show an increase in the ratings. The last 25 minutes are full of hilarity and the characters joining together to make the show work and the audience laugh. She succeeds. They succeed. We all get to laugh a lot. Her success is never really in doubt but the way it's done works well all around. HF and DK are dead on. JG is fine in his role as the boss. The supporting characters on the show are all superb in adding just the right amount of support and humor at the same time. RM who recently had the plum role of Sherlock Holmes nemesis and dream lady in the Robert Downey and Jude Law version of SH playing Irene Adler is supposedly returning to that role again in the first of two sequels coming up in 2011 and later. I would also like to see her back as Perky Becky. Rated 3.0 out of 4.0 early mornings. Goodbye.

Unstoppable / Rated PG-13 for peril, language and destruction Unstoppable is a runaway train chase movie. Cut to the chase. Not a lot of time spent doing character development other than what the characters talk about once the chase starts. The film is very loosely based on a real life incident that happened in 2001 when a runaway train ran away. 66 miles later the running ended. No injuries or damages. They took the basic idea and ran away with it. Runaway train movies can only end in 1 of a few ways. The train runs its course and stops. Not much to see here. Or it can derail, crash and cause lots of damage. Or it can cause lots of damage but not derail and crash. I can't giveaway what happens but how many people would go to a movie called Stoppable? Denzel Washington (fresh off another train move "The Taking of Pelham 123") is the engineer of a train that doesn't runaway. Chris Pine, better known as the new Captain of the Enterprise in the future, is the newbie conductor. Rosario Dawson is the lady in command at the local train center. The original real life story took place in Pennsylvania and much of the film was shot there. When the star of the story, namely train 777 gets moving you best stay out of the way. Moving along at 70 MPH and towing a ½ mile of cars this is one big, fast demon of destruction. For extra jeopardy the train has a number of cars filled with toxic materials. For even more danger the train is heading for Stanton, PA where there awaits an elevated track directly over fuel storage tanks where the train speed limit is 15 MPH. UHOH. Most of the work done by DW and CP is in the cab of a train. Not much they can do there except look worried and learn about each others problems. A few jokes are told to fend off impending doom. The young guy learns a lot from the old guy. Meanwhile old 777 is whipping along and anything that gets in its way gets nuked. At least that's what it looks like. In the works since 2004 Unstoppable has apparently had a few production problems and delays. Many over who was getting the most money. The film is work man like and decently made. The usual scenes of nail biting relatives and friends watching the whole pending disaster unfold are included. There is also elation and cheering whenever any part of the pending doom is defeated by our heroes. Stoppable or Unstoppable. Which film would you go to see? Stop and think. Rated 2.5 out of 4.0 Great Locomotive Chases. Fess Parker version 1956 or Buster Keaton version 1926. Where are these guys when you need them?

Sherlock / Not Rated but could be PG-13 for crime, a little violence and adult themes. My mom read to me a lot and sealed my fate as a BIG reader. One of my early favorites from about 8 years old on was Sherlock Holmes. I helped ruin my eyesight by continuing to read after "lights out" under the covers via flashlight. Don't recommend it. This was due to my insatiable interest in the Arthur Conan Doyle character, Sherlock Holmes, and his companion Dr. Watson. Jules Verne is also partially to blame for "Mysterious Island" and my inability to stop reading when I was supposed to. I have forgiven him. Sherlock Holmes, in movies and TV, is one of the most filmed of all characters in fiction. And well he ought to be. A recent restoration of a silent era, first appearance of Sherlock in film was a wonderful addition to the Sherlock Holmes film collection. John Barrymore was the first SH and Roland Young was his sidekick. William Powell was in the 1922 version, who also played a brilliant detective in his own right as Nick Charles in The Thin Man in 1934 and all its sequels. Powell also played the lesser known Philo Vance crime solver during this era. Basil Rathbone created the best known and probably the most popular SH over many decades up to now. 2010 gives us a new look at the old character. There is no charge to see the new incarnation. PBS Mystery! Series has premiered its first 3 episodes of "Sherlock". The story has been updated to the 21st Century. British actor, Benedict Cumberbatch is the new SH with Martin Freeman as the new Dr. W. The first episode is a refresher of the SH legend with a new story title, "A Study in Pink" which is an updating of the original AC Doyle story, "A Study in Scarlet". ACD is co-credited as a writer but the update belongs to Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat. MG also appears in a very important (un-credited) role in the series. Their writing and update is BRILLIANT. Combining the old elements that have made the series enduring and beloved, it adds all kinds of 21st century twists and turns. The story in the opener is a good old fashioned murder mystery with an evil serial killer doing bad. A bigger evil looms behind him. It's the manner they have chosen to tell the story which is original and BRILLIANT. The actors are dead on. No pun intended. There is just enough humor to take off the hard crime edge. Without giving away too much, I can tell you that it's all "Elementary". Find this show on your local PBS station and don't miss it. And, yes, for aficionados, Dr. Watson was recently in Afghanistan. It's rare to experience anything this good but when it's on free TV it's BRILLIANT. Rated 4.0 out of 4.0 reasons this review may not be BRILLIANT but it sure is one of personal thanks to the BBC folks and PBS. NOTE: another Robert Downey Jr./Jude Law (Sherlock Holmes 2009) film is also in the works. Since it's not due out till December 2011 this new TV version will hold over the die hard fans like me. And, maybe you. BRILLIANT.

Hereafter / Rated PG-13 for one disaster scene followed by 2 hours of speaking in soft tones.

Hereafter is about the after life. Otherwise it wouldn't be called Hereafter it would be called something else altogether. The BIG opening scene is available for viewing in any of the trailers or previews. After that there is a lot of quiet talking. Except when lead actor, Matt Damon is touching someone. Anyone actually. MD's character can talk to the dead. He is a psychic. Whenever he takes anyone's hands or touches them in any way there is a jarring musical note and an electronic whooshing sound. This is a hint that he is about to communicate with the touched recently deceased relative. I once had this happen to me personally. It was at a carnival. When I entered Madame Muneesuchre's tent she immediately put out her cigarette, stuck the salami she was cutting under her table and looked at me very concerned. I gave her the money she requested and she did the same; took my hands…..then there was the loud whooshing sound which was most likely caused by the salami she had consumed. When I left 15 minutes later I had not communicated with any of my ancestors. I did learn from the odd speaking voice emerging from her lips that, while long since dead, both Henny Youngman and Rodney Dangerfield were still really funny guys. The advice Henny gave me was "take my clairvoyant, please". Rodney mentioned that even in the Hereafter he was "getting no respect". The Hereafter has a big list of production talent. Along with Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall the production team includes Steven Spielberg and Clint Eastwood. Clint also directs and wrote the low key melancholy music score. He also helped the on set lunch caterer set up the tables. The locations are all in the places pictured on screen…..not Canada. This includes San Francisco, Paris and London. The big opening scene appears to be an island in SE Asia or the Caribbean. It's actually Maui. The Sheraton on the Kanapaali coast and a lot of CGI effects make up the BIG scene. The story concerns the trials and tribulations of MD's character and his gift/curse. Also involved are a BIG scene survivor from France trying to cope with her experience and a lad in London who is having problems after the loss of a family member. While huge sums of money appears to have been spent, like my visit to the tent of Madame Moneysucker, I'm not sure they have got their money's worth. After the BIG opening scene there is mostly a lot of talking and not much happening. Except when MD's character touches someone and …..well, I've already told you. My advice. Wait for the DVD. Stay away from Madame Salami's tent. There is no charge for this advice. Whoosh.

Rated 2.6 out of 4.0 Hereafter, thereafter or whatever.

Life as We Know It / Rated PG-13 for sex, language, drugs, dirty diapers A blind date with two very mismatched people leads to complications. The people are Katherine Heigl, a cute bakery/restaurant owner and Josh Duhamel a beer drinking, sports loving hunk of a guy who likes to womanize and jog. The people who set up their date are their respective best friends. The BF's get married and have a child. A cute baby named Sophie. The BF's then meet the grim reaper and leave the kid to the baker and the drinker. More complications ensue. Lots more. They decide to raise the baby while living at odds in the dead BF's home in Atlanta, GA in order to raise the cute little Sophie. The predictable events that are almost completely given away in the film's trailers all occur right on schedule. Even if you haven't seen the trailer you can pretty well guess the events correctly from what I have just told you. LAWKT is a pleasant if very predictable comedy with more comedy than expected. The movie runs a trifle long at 112 minutes and a good 20 minutes could have easily disappeared without notice or harm to the storyline. Since most of the plot issues have come from many other movies they have pretty much relegated this movie to a "date film" with heavy "chick" film overtones. The cute scenes with Sophie are easily the best part of the movie. Sophie is played by an adorable set of acting Triplets known as Alexis, Brynn and Brooke Clagett. They are really great and look a lot alike. I could not tell them apart. If you can please tell me how you did it. They appear to have no prior acting experience. A lot like the Wayans Bros. in any of their movies. The scenes are actually filmed in and around Atlanta GA. Do not confuse this city with Vancouver BC. Or vice-versa. As a date movie this one is pretty good. The two main stars do a decent job in their Odd Couple roles as opposites destined for true love. The ever busy Josh Lucas turns up as the Doctor and love interest rival for KH. This movie will look pretty much the same on DVD as it does on the big screen. At least 70% of the scenes appear to be inside the home where the 3 Sophie's and her adopted parents are attempting to cope with her feeding, pooping and just plain looking cute. Pamper anyone? Rated 2.5 out of 4.0 reasons to be glad this movie is not in smell-o-vision

Secretariat / Rated PG for a couple of bad words and funny looking hats. Secretariat, the horse, is considered the greatest race horse of all time. He ran really, really fast. He lived from 1970 to 1989 and lives again in a new movie named in his honor. I love horsey movies. I hate spoilers in reviews. In case you don't know it I have to tell you something. Not exactly a secret. But, if you don't want to know then look away count to ten then continue reading. Secretariat won the Triple Crown. Okay that's it. It's safe to continue reading. Knowing this, there is not much suspense that can be portrayed as the Big Guy is foaled then begins to run. Really, really fast. The movie tells the story of Secretariat and his owner. The owner was Penny Chenery Tweedy and family. Diane Ladd plays the strong willed woman out to save her family finances and root the Big Guy to victory. She is excellent in the role. Along for the ride, so to speak, are John Malkovich as the trainer and funny hat wearer, and a group of fine character actors which include Scott Glenn, Fred Thompson and James Cromwell. Margo Martindale provides laughs and inspiration as the wise family secretary and horse namer. Secretariat was directed by Randall Wallace. He also helmed two fine films including "We Were Soldiers" (2002) and the first film I ever reviewed, the most excellent "Man in the Iron Mask" (1998). Nick Glennie-Smith provides a beautiful and evocative score. The horse race scenes are exciting and well filmed even if, for the most part, we know the results. Especially in the Triple Crown contests. In the Kentucky Derby he ran every quarter mile faster than the one preceding it and he was still accelerating when he crossed the finish line. Did I mention he ran really fast? The last of the three races, The Belmont Stakes, is an especially long and grueling contest which spells the end for most Triple Crown contenders. I remember watching this race live in 1973. Secretariat almost looked like he might lap the 4 other horses in the contest. That's how commanding his lead was. Disney has offered up good family fare. The personal financial issues sometimes get in the way of seeing the Big Guy run which is the core of the story. A story everyone, not just horsey film lovers, like me should see. A great story of a superior athlete. And he knew it. Watch and see. Rated 3.5 out of 4.0 lengths. Secretariat won by 31 lengths. Seabiscuit beware. Bamboo Harvester, who died in 1970, would have been proud if he had lived to see Secretariat run. And he would have spoke up about it. If you want to know how…..Google his name.