Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

"The brethren know they face extinction. All that remains is where they make their final stand."

Pirates are dying. Basically, if you have ever had any contact with a pirate or you are a pirate you will be hung. The film opens with mass hangings, but the pirates have not lost heart. Together they sing "Hoist the Colors" a code which calls all pirates to unite.

Here is the plot…
1. Beckett (Hollander) of the East India Company controls the oceans. Davy Jones (Nighy), Governor Swann (Pryce) and Norrington (Davenport, now an admiral) are being controlled by Beckett. Together they give him ultimate power: Jones controls the seas, the Gov. controls the people, and Norrington keeps order.
2. Jack (Depp) is imprisoned in Davy Jones’ Locker and is going crazy
3. The crew of the Black Pearl, Will (Bloom), Elizabeth (Knightley), Tia Dalma (Harris) and Barbossa (Rush) have teamed up to save Jack
4. After freeing Jack they must call upon the Brethren Court
5. The Brethren Court is the 9 Pirates Lords. Essentially they are the bad-ass pirates who control the various seas…they lords include Barbossa, Jack and Sao Feng (Yun-Fat) who makes Elizabeth his successor before he dies. And they also need Captain Teague (Keith Richards), Jack’s father who keeps the Pirate Code.
6. To stop Beckett they must stop Jones.
7. To stop Jones they will need all the help they can get. The woman he loved was the Goddess of the Sea, Calypso who was imprisoned by the Brethren Court (another reason to convene). If they release her, she could help them. The other way to stop Jones is to get the chest and stab the heart, thus killing him and making the person who stabbed the heart his successor.
8. There is a large battle...Beckett, Jones, and _____ against Barbossa, Elizabeth, and _____ (I can't give away the ending)

Basically…Beckett is evil and must be stopped. The only way to do so is for the pirates to unite and get rid of Jones. Can Will save his father (Skarsgard)? Will Elizabeth and Will ever get married? Will Norrington do the right thing? Who IS the captain of the Black Pearl? Is Jack crazy? Will the Brethren Court ever stop fighting?


There have been many bad reviews of this film, but I think it works. The plot is crazy...as you can tell from my numbering system above, and that is just a sketch of what happens. Once again the CGI is fantastic. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about the ending, but I think overall it works. There are even more characters to figure out, but I thought the Brethren Court was great and Keith Richards is very funny. Also, Chow Yun-Fat is great. As far as sequels go (and a second sequel at that) it was decent. Not the best film I've ever seen...but not the worst by far.

Dude, it's quotable: a little darker than the previous films, but still worthwhile.
Rent it multiple times: at this time I've only seen it once and I think I understand everything that happened (but I found out the ending prior to seeing the film so I guess that helps). A second viewing is necessary to completely understand what happened. Plus the maelstrom is pretty awesome so I'd like to see that HUGE battle again.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007) 168 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of action/adventure violence and some frightening images.
Director: Gore Verbinski
Starring: Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow
Geoffrey Rush as Captain Barbossa
Orlando Bloom as Will Turner
Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Swann
Jack Davenport as Admiral James Norrington
Bill Nighy as Davy Jones
Tom Hollander as Lord Cutler Beckett
Stellan Skarsgard as Bootstrap Bill Turner
Naomie Harris as Tia Dalma
Jonathan Pryce as Governor Swann
Chow Yun-Fat as Captain Sao Feng

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

"Captain, I think the crew, meaning me as well, were expecting something a bit more... shiny. What with the Isle de Muerta going all pear-shaped, reclaimed by the sea and the treasure with it."
"And the Royal Navy chasing us all around the Atlantic."
"And the hurricane."

How do you make a sequel to a very popular film? Let alone a pirate epic?? Well, you take three years, lots of CGI, and add some big names and new twists on the original...

In order to save their own lives Will (Bloom) and Elizabeth (Knightley) go on a quest to find their old "friend" Captain Jack Sparrow (Depp). After helping him in the first film they are the targets of Lord Beckett (Hollander), the cruel spokesman for the East India Trading Company. He wants Jack's compass, so he sends Will after it, and then gives Elizabeth papers that guarantees them a pardon when they return with Jack.

Meanwhile Jack has run into his own problems. He and the crew are captives to a group of natives who believe Jack is a god (and they must free him from his earthly body, by setting him on fire and eating him). Will finds them in time to help them escape, but trouble is still lurking in the presence of the fishy (and I do mean fish-like, not sneaky) Davy Jones (Nighy). Ole squid-face wants to collect Jack's soul, but Jack isn't willing to part with it. So Jack and the crew, which includes Norrington (Davenport) and Elizabeth seek a hidden chest which contains the heart of Jones. While Will is aboard the Dutchman (Jones' ship) to get the key to the ship, and reunites with his father Bootstrap Bill (Skarsgard).

Back from the first film are Ragetti (Mackenzie Crook): the guy with the wooden eye, his companion Pintel (Lee Arenberg), Jack's first mate Gibbs (McNally), the mute Cotton (David Bailie) and his parrot, and little person Marty (Martin Klebba); to add to the chaos. And they all seek help from the mysterious Tia Dalma (Harris).


I saw this film in a theater and did not like it...but I recently watched it again and found it to be much better. The plot is complicated...there are more individual characters to keep track of and the story is harder to grasp. The effects are stunning, including Jones' crew who all possess parts of the sea (i.e. one has the head of a hammerhead shark, Bootstrap has a starfish on his face, etc), and his pet the Kraken. So I suggest watching the film twice: once to take it all in and a second time to understand what is going on.

Dude, it's quotable: Jack once again has some fascinating phraseology, and now the rest of the cast has a chance to be funny as well. The crew of the Black Pearl really shine.
Rent it multiple times: Theres too much to understand the first time...plus, then you have a reason to watch the first one again!

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006) 150 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of adventure violence, including frightening images
Director: Gore Verbinski

Starring: Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow
Orlando Bloom as Will Turner
Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Swann
Jack Davenport as Norrington
Bill Nighy as Davy Jones
Jonathan Pryce as Governor Swann
Kevin McNally as Gibbs
Stellan Skarsgard as Bootstrap Bill
Tom Hollander as Cutler Beckett
Naomie Harris as Tia Dalma

Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl

"You best start believing in ghost stories Miss Turner. You're in one."

2003: a year that turned two Disney rides into feature films with popular leading men: the highly unsuccessful "Haunted Mansion" with Eddie Murphy, and this film "The Pirates of the Caribbean" with Johnny Depp. The ride tells the story of a band of pirates who drink and pillage...and chase attractive women. If you are familiar with the ride, look for little touches throughout the film that mimic characters from the ride.
Elizabeth Swann (Knightley) the governors daughter is kidnapped by pirates. But these aren't ordinary pirates...Captain Barbossa and his men are cursed. They cannot die and when they step into the moonlight they look like skeleton's with rotting flesh (See the picture above).

Meanwhile two different parties seek to rescue her. The first is Will Turner (Bloom), the handsome blacksmith who is in love with her, and Captain Jack Sparrow (Depp), a pirate. Jack is the original captain of the Black Pearl, but Barbossa and the rest of the crew mutinied and took the ship from him, and Jack wants his ship back! Together Will and Jack assemble a rag-tag crew of pirates, in a ship they stole...I mean commandeered (Nautical term) from the British Navy. The second group is led by Commodore Norrington (Davenport), who is also interested in Elizabeth (although she has no interest in him), and her father Governor Swann (Pryce).


Overall this is a fun film to watch, and the actors are obviously having a good time as well. There are many little quotes, plus you get to watch Johnny Depp's Sparrow steal every scene he is in...although Geoffrey Rush's Barbossa is also a strong character. This is the best of the POTC films. It is visually stunning...the sword fights are excellent...and it's the Caribbean, what is there to not love?

Dude, it's quotable: It is incredibly quotable...just looking at the things Jack says it is amazing, but the other characters have good quotes as well.
Rent it multiple times: It is always a crowd pleaser!!

Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) 143 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for action/adventure violence.
Director: Gore Verbinski
Starring: Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow
Geoffrey Rush as Barbossa
Orlando Bloom as Will Turner
Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Swann
Jack Davenport as Norrington
Jonathan Pryce as Governor Swann

My 10 Top Christmas Movies

Every year Christmas movies (and music) gets overplayed and we all get sick of them, but these are the Christmas films that I could see over and over again and not be bothered...

1. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
It's Christmas and Charlie Brown is depressed.  He wants to know what the meaning of Christmas is, but everyone else is wrapped up in the commercialism.  His dog Snoopy has every decoration available to decorate his dog house, his little sister Sally asks Santa for some money "All I want is what I...I have coming to me.  All I want is my fair share." Their Christmas program can't seem to get it together because the musicians keep breaking into an upbeat version of "Linus & Lucy" (amazing song) and the actors start dancing. So it's up to Charlie Brown and Linus to find a tree and save Christmas.

We always watch this Christmas classic in my family!  It's not Christmas until we've sang along with "Christmastime is Here", danced out hearts out to "Linus & Lucy" and ended the film with "Hark the Herald Angels Sing".   In a time when we are consumed with buying the newest gadgets and getting best deals..."a time when people want to call this holiday "Santa Day" instead of Christmas...this film is a definite must.  Nobody does Christmas better than the Peanuts, "Merry Christmas Charlie Brown!"

2. The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
It's the old Dickens classic as only the Muppets can do it. Michael Caine is Ebenezer Scrooge, a bitter old man with no friends who saves all his money and treats people badly.  Everyone knows the story, but the Muppets make it fresh: with brand new songs that touch the heart.  The story is narrated by Gonzo "I am here to tell the story" and Rizzo "And I am here for the food." and that pretty much illustrates the whole story...it's "The Christmas Carol" but with characters saying what you wish they would say..

Scrooge: Bob Cratchit, I've had my fill of this.

Miss Piggy: And I have had my fill of you, Mr. Scrooge.

Scrooge: And therefore, Bob Cratchit...

Miss Piggy: And therefore, you can leave this house at once.

Scrooge: And therefore, I'm about to raise your salary!

Miss Piggy: Ooh, and I am about to raise you right off the pavement...

This film does not appear on television as often as the others, but it is still a Christmas must!  There have been other versions of the Christmas Carol...more traditional, and my favorite of those is probably the Disney version with Mickey as Bob Crachit (but it's still scary for kids).  And while I am traditionally a purist when it comes to literature, the Muppets can't be beat.   So watch out for the wrath of Miss Piggy (and Lew's flying Boomerang Fish) and as Gonzo says, it's suited for the kiddies...

Rizzo:This is scary stuff! Shouldn't we be worried about the kids in the audience?

Gonzo: Oh, no, this is culture!

3. How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966)

Dr. Seuss's beloved Christmas story about a different type of Scrooge...a nasty, green Grinch who is so bitter about Christmas he steals Christmas (hence the title).

A cartoon, using the original book as a template...and songs by Seuss, it is hard to pass this one up.  The narrator, and the Grinch are voiced by Boris Karloff (Frankenstein) who truly brings the story to life.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

In 2000 Ron Howard made a live-action version of the the Grinch with Jim Carey in the title role.  This is also a good Christmas film...it keeps the spirit of the original, with some added backstory.  Like WHY does the Grinch hate Christmas? WHO is Cindy Lou? Ect.   The actors are funny and Carey is fabulous as the Grinch.

I think I prefer the cartoon version, but I do own the newer Grinch film.  Both are classics and include the Grinch song.  So remember, don't miss with the Grinch because

"If you utter so much as one syllable, I'LL HUNT YOU DOWN AND GUT YOU LIKE A FISH!"

and watch out for the side effects from both films "Oh no. I'M SPEAKING IN RHYME!"

Classic.

4. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (1983)
Based on the book by the same name, this made-for-tv movie is a blast.  The Herdman's (Imogene, Ralph, Leroy, Ollie, Gladys, and Claude) are a wild family, each kid worse then the previous one...they always pass even if they don't do their work because one Herdman per class is one too many!  The boys beat up a kid named Charlie (the narrators brother) who tells them about church... he will let them take his dessert because he always gets dessert at church.  Needless to say the Herdman's show up and want to be in the Christmas play, with all the main parts.

Ralph: What did she says the play is called?

Leroy: 'Christmas Pageant.'

Ollie: That's no name. That's what it is.

Gladys: I know a name. I'd called it 'Revenge at Bethlehem.'

I haven't seen this film in a long time, but it still sticks with me.  I remember how Imogene gets to be Mary (and how scary that story was) and many other parts of the film.  If you can find it (or the book) check it out. It may not be the flashy Christmas movies we have now...but it has a certain zing that the others miss....

5. A Christmas Story (1983)
Yes, it is overplayed (24 hours a day, the day before Christmas) but come on...you know you love it! All Ralphie wants for Christmas is an "Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle! ", but this film is about more than just wanting a BB gun for Christmas...it's about family, bullies, school, and all that. And who can forget Ralphie's little brother bundled up so much that when he falls to the ground he can't get up. Or the results of a triple-dog dare (yes, it is that movie). And the different type of men "Some men are Baptists, others Catholics; my father was an Oldsmobile man." You could write a book with all the quotes from that movie!

I saw the whole film for the first time last Christmas, during it's 24 hour run on cable and all these years later it is still relevant. This is one of the few Christmas films my father tolerates (the other one comes later in the list), so it holds a special place in my heart. But watch what you ask for this Christmas, or you might get the classic "You'll shoot your eye out".

6. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (1964)
Its the story of Santa's most famous reindeer, Rudolph.  Using the song as a template, we follow the young life of Rudolph the outcast. Rudolph meets up with Hermey the elf who wants to become a dentist (not make toys) and Yukon Corneilus who is searching Silver & Gold & Peppermint mines.  And then there are all the misfit toys, the Charlie in a box, the bird who swims, the cowboy who rides an ostrich...and many more!

The first of the Bass-Rankin Christmas films, this is one of my favorites.  The misfit toy song is my favorite song, but the whole film is a fun adventure.  So watch out for Bumbles and get ready to strike it rich with Corneilus. But remember to watch those dog commands "Whoa. Whoa. Unmush, will ya?"

7. Frosty the Snowman (1969)
The kids at school are bored.  There is a stupid magician (and he isn't very good), but there's snow outside, so they build a snowman and use the magician's hat as the final touch.  Well that hat brings old Frosty to life and he has some fun with the kids, and stays away from the evil magician (if Frosty loses the hat, he goes back to being a normal snowman).

"Happy birthday! Hey, I said my first words. But... But snowmen can't talk. Ha ha ha, come on now, what's the joke? Could I really be alive?"

I love this cartoon. It's fun and one that can never be overplayed. Jimmy Durante is the narrator and the rest of the voices are fun too! I hate snow...but watching this film makes me love it...and want to build a snowman, yay!

8. Santa Claus is Coming to Town (1970) / The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974)
Santa Claus is Coming to Town - The best of the Rankin Bass films.  An exceptional cast (Fred Astaire, Mickey Rooney, and Keenan Wynn) make the story of Santa Claus an adventure.  Little Kris was raised by the Kringle family, a family of toymaker elves, who taught him the joy of making toys.  And during this time he makes the decision to brave the wild forest (and the snow wizard) to deliver toys to the kiddies.  But that's just the beginning of the story.

The Year without a Santa Claus - Santa decides he needs a holiday because kids don't care about Christmas anymore.   Two of his elves set off to find some kids that do care.  Along the way the run into Mother Nature and her sons Heat Miser and Snow Miser.  The Misers are the best part of this film...and their songs are so catchy!  Once again Mickey Rooney is Santa Claus.

Both are fun Christmas films.  The Santa story is good and explains all the myths about Santa. And the Year without a Santa is also good, especially the Miser brothers.  Yes, these two are also overplayed, but its all in good fun!

9. Elf (2003)
A young man raised by elves learns that he is human, not an elf, so he sets out to find his real father.   But is the world ready for Buddy, a grown-up who acts like a small child (especially about Santa) 

"SANTA! OH MY GOD! SANTA'S COMING! I KNOW HIM! I KNOW HIM!"

Will Ferrell is great!  He makes Buddy into a sweet loveable character, which by any other actor could have been a creepy, creepy part.  You can't help but smile along with Buddy, because "smiling's my favorite"

10. It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
It's a story that resonates today, 60 years later.  It is the story of George Bailey, a good man with a good life.  We are witness to the major moments in his life, such as when he meets his wife.  Years later, George hits rock bottom; he owes a large amount of money to the bank, but the money gets lost on the way there.  With no other alternative, he considers suicide.  But his attempt is thwarted by an angel named Clarence.  Clarence shows George what life would be like if he was never born.  And we all know what happens next.

"Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?"

Yes, it is severely overplayed.  And the rip-offs have been many, and vary in quality.  But this film will never die.  We all have moments when we lose sight of ourselves and our visions and have hit rock bottom.  And George is there to remind us what COULD happen.

One Night with the King

"You were chosen for a time such as this..."

When I first heard about this film I was very excited! I love the story of Esther and the fact that they were making a movie..not just a Focus on the Family film that could only be found at a Christian Bookstore, but a film that I could actually see in a normal theater. With a semi-impressive cast (people I had actually heard of...who were in Hollywood films, whoa!)...and the trailer even looked promising. Ha! Famous last words.
The film opens with some backstory...to explain the bitterness of Haman (Callis). Basically all his relatives were slaughtered by King Saul at the urging of his prophet Samuel (O'Toole, totally underused).

I shouldn't have to explain the plot, but basically the King (Goss) is gets some bad advice and divorces Queen Vashti (Jyoti Dogra), so he looks for a new one. The available/attractive women are rounded up so he can pick the next queen. One of his options is Hadassah (Dupont), a young attractive Jewish girl. Her uncle Mordecai (Rhys-Davies) suggests that she change her name to Esther so she won't stand out from the rest of the girls. She ends up befriending the head Eunuch, Hegai (Lister) who helps her attain the position of queen.


The costumes are beautiful, they may be the best part of the film. The film is sappy. Esther has two love interests: the first is Jesse (Jonah Lotan) who is her childhood sweetheart and the second is the King. Jesse is an unnecessary character. The King, just doesn't work. He has a decent body, but in general he isn't the dreamboat they act like he is.

They had good objectives and I admire that they tried, but what were they thinking? They added cheesy love stories to appeal to mass audiences, but in general it just makes the film more like a teenage girls dream. And they strayed way too much from the story. In general it was just a bunch of bad decisions...yes, it works in some cases, but in general it becomes a tween chick-flick. Ugh!

--: it's a clean movie, no sex and violence, so it's the kind of movie you can take your teenage daughter, sister, cousin, whatever to and not worry about content
--: the costumes and locales are extravagant and worthwhile, but they don't outweigh the rest of the film


One Night with the King (2006) 123 min
Rating: PG for violence, some sensuality and thematic elements.
Director: Michael O. Sajbel
Starring: Tiffany Dupont as Hadassah/Esther
Luke Goss as King Xerxes
John Noble as Prince Admantha
Omar Sharif as Prince Memucan
John Rhys-Davies as Mordecai
Tommy Lister as Hegai
James Callis as Haman the Agagite
Peter O'Toole as Samuel the Prophet

Ghost Rider

"The story goes he made a deal to save someone he loved. He'd be normal during the day, but at night, in the presence of evil, the Rider takes over."

1. I am not a fan of Nicolas Cage
2. Superhero films...don't always work (like Daredevil and Elektra)...give me a good Batman film anyday (Christian Bale...oooo)
3. Why?

With those thoughts in mind, here is my review of Ghost Rider.
Johnny Blaze (Matt Long) is a motorcycle stunt rider, following in the path of his father, Barton Blaze (Brett Cullen)...but his dad is dying of cancer, so he makes a deal with Mephistopheles (Fonda) i.e. the Devil. Johnny gives the devil his soul in exchange for his father.

Years later, Johnny (Cage) has gained a following for his death-defying stunts. After several close encounters with death, Mephistopheles comes to collect...and makes Johnny his Ghost Rider. You know, collecting souls and all that jazz. With the Caretaker (Elliott) to guide him, Ghost Rider must stop the evil plans of Mephistopheles son Blackheart (Bentley). I couldn't really explain what Blackheart is up to...but the dude is creepy. Attempting to keep Johnny sane/human are Roxanne (Mendes) the love of his life, and Mack (Logue) his friend and the man in charge of his stunts.

It was interesting...I'll give it that...but come on. What possessed Mark Stephen Johnson to make this film? And what is up with the complex...pointless storyline. I feel like I wasted two hours of my life.

Don't waste your time: total waste of time!
--: ugh!

Ghost Rider (2007) 114 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for horror violence and disturbing images.
Director: Mark Stephen Johnson
Starring: Nicolas Cage as Johnny Blaze/Ghost Rider
Eva Mendes as Roxanne Simpson
Peter Fonda as Mephistopheles
Donal Logue as Mack
Wes Bentley as Blackheart
Sam Elliott as Caretaker

Vertigo

"Anyone could become obsessed with the past with a background like that!"

As a writer (and perfectionist) I can understand the intricacies involved in obsession...planning down to the smallest detail. It's a powerful feeling...and that is how this film works...it's an obsession.

Detective Scottie Ferguson (Stewart) is a retired cop who meets up with an old acquaintance, Gavin Elster (Helmore) who has a job for him. Elster wants Scottie to follow his wife Madeleine (Novak). In general it's a complicated story...but she's messed up. Scottie follows her and becomes obsessed. She commits suicide and Scottie is left alone with his obsession. And then he meets a woman who looks like Madeleine. Her name is Judy (also Novak), but she is nothing like Madeleine. So like any man with an obsession...well, I can't give away too much information. But it is creepy and obsessive.


Anyway, as a film student I can understand/appreciate the intricate details Hitchcock uses to illustrate Scottie's obsession. But as a viewer its hard to watch. It moves slow, and the plot is incredibly complicated. The first time you watch it, how are you supposed to keep up? And honestly, after the first time...why would you want to watch it again? Yeah, it's incredible...but hard to watch.

--: I don't know what to say about it...it's supposed to be great, and it is...but if you want to enjoy film this isn't necessarily the film for you.
--: However, watch it for the sheer beauty of film...it's impressive

Vertigo (1958) 128 minutes
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Starring: James Stewart as Det. Scottie Ferguson
Kim Novak as Madeleine Elster/Judy Barton
Barbara Bel Geddes as Midge Wood
Tom Helmore as Gavin Elster

The Birds

"I have never known birds of different species to flock together. The very concept is unimaginable. Why, if that happened, we wouldn't stand a chance! How could we possibly hope to fight them?"

Honestly, I don't know what to say about this film...I admit, in general I was curious about it...and having seen it, there are no words to adequately describe it.

Beginning in a store filled with birds in cages, and ending with a town overrun with emancipated birds, "The Birds" certainly covers a lot of ground. The film opens with wealthy, carefree Melanie Daniels (Hedren) trying to buy some birds. She ends up wanting the attention of Mitch Brenner (Taylor), who plays a prank on her. Deciding to surprise him, and get even, she buys a pair of lovebirds (which he wants) and delivers them to the small town he lives in. Shortly after arriving in Bodega Bay, his town, Melanie is attacked by birds...which leads to the town being plagued by various kinds of birds. After the initial attack Melanie meets Mitch's family: his uptight, overprotective mother Lydia (Tandy, aren't all Hitchcock mothers overbearing!), and his innocent, adorable sister Cathy (Cartwright), and stays with his ex Annie (Pleshette).

I read a review that called "The Birds" Hitchcock's monster movie...and I can see that. But I prefer his other films. It's campy, poorly acted, and what is up with the ending? I wasn't impressed...but lets face it, compared with other Hitchcock films this one royally sucks! (even though there are worse ones...and worse films by other directors).

Rent it once: if nothing else, you can laugh at the sheer camp...it is entertaining, although it moves a tad slower than previous Hitch films
Watch it while doing homework: if you don't watch tooo closely, it could be incredibly entertaining...or if you could watch it during the wee hours of the morning when everything is more interesting due to lack of sleep.

The Birds (1963) 119 minutes
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Starring: Rod Taylor as Mitch Brenner
Jessica Tandy as Lydia Brenner
Suzanne Pleshette as Annie Hayworth
Tippi Hedren as Melanie Daniels
Veronica Cartwright as Cathy Brenner

Psycho

"A boy's best friend is his mother."

Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho": the movie that made people afraid to take a shower and started a new trend in horror films. Still considered the scariest film (at least according to AFI a few years ago), it keeps the edge and shock value even though its secrets have been revealed. My first encounter was intense (and I knew the ending!)

Marion Crane (Leigh) dreams of a different life and when an opportunity arises for her dreams to come true (and to help her boyfriend out fiancially) she takes the chance and steals a sizable amount of money. On the run from the law she finds seclusion at the Bates Motel with the owner Norman (Perkins). Everyone knows the rest of her story...but the film does not end there (it has barely even started).

The remainder of the film is about Marion's sister Lila (Miles). Lila is worried about her sister and hires a private detective, Arbogast (Balsam) to help her locate Marion. They go to the one person would could know, Sam (Gavin) Marion's boyfriend. Will they find Marion? Will they survive the trip? What's the deal with Norman's mom?


Wow. I've heard the Psycho theme (eee...eee...eee) and seen portions of the famous shower scene, but it packs a punch. This film is unlike any other Hitchcock...more blood and more shocking (how many films kill off it's supposed protagonist within the first 30 minutes?) This is one film that will stand the test of time...and trends of horror films. Well done Hitch!

Rent it: if you haven't seen it...what are you waiting for (then again my mother refuses to watch it...hmmm)
--: I don't know if I'd call it quotable, but it's definitely memorable

Psycho (1960) 109 minutes
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Starring: Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates
Janet Leigh as Marion Crane
Vera Miles as Lila Cran
John Gavin as Sam Loomis
Martin Balsam as Detective Arbogast

Bee Movie

"No flying in the house!"

I admit, I thought the entire premise of this film was ubsurd. A movie about bees? Seriously? But despite that, I still saw it...and found this film to be quite enjoyable.

Barry B. Benson (Seinfeld) isn't an ordinary bee. After graduating from college, young bees are given a tour of the Honex Corporation where they get to choose which job they will have for the rest of their lives! Barry can't imagine a life with only one job, unlike his best friend Adam (Broderick) who longs to wear a funny hat and catch the very last drop of honey. On a dare from some bees, Barry goes outside the hive and interacts with a human florist, Vanessa (Zellweger). Through his relationship with Vanessa, Barry learns that humans are exploiting the work of the bees, and selling THEIR honey...so Barry sues the human race.

The story is funny, including an appearance by musician Sting (obviously the bees object to this name). It's not the new Shrek, but it is an entertaining film that both parents and children can enjoy.

Rent it: or better yet, see it on the big screen

Dude, it's quotable: IMDb.com doesn't have many quotes, however there are tons of little one-liners in the show

Bee Movie (2007) 90 minutes

Rating: PG for mild suggestive humor, and a brief depiction of smoking

Director: Steve Hickner and Simon J. Smith

Starring: Jerry Seinfeld as Barry

Renee Zellweger as Vanessa

Matthew Broderick as Adam

Patrick Warburton as Ken

John Goodman as Layton T. Montgomery

Chris Rock as Mooseblood

Rent

“I’m a New Yorker, fear is my life!"

It’s hard to talk about Rent without turning people off to the whole story: a story with two gay couples, a stripper, a transvestite, people with AIDS and lots of questionable morals… Based on the popular rock opera by Jonathan Larson, Rent takes on a lot. In a time when people were constantly afraid of AIDS and artists dreamed of Bohemia, how do you tell that story? When your friends are dying and the rest of the world turns a blind eye, how do you shake things up?

The story follows the lives of 8 New Yorkers for one year (Christmas to Christmas), mostly through the lens of filmmaker Mark Cohen (Rapp). At the beginning of the film Mark decides to abandon the scripts he’s written and just film life. At his side is his broody roommate Roger (Pascal), who has AIDS and is mourning the suicide of his girlfriend. Roger falls for fell AIDS victim Mimi (Dawson), a stripper with a strong drug addiction. Their ex-roommate Tom Collins (Martin), is an outspoken teacher and AIDS activist who also has AIDS. Collins lives with transvestite Angel (Heredia) who has AIDS and a heart of gold. Then there is Mark’s ex, Maureen (Menzel) a diva who left him “for a lawyer named Joanne” (Thoms). And the man who makes life a little harder for them all, ex-friend Benny (Diggs), who is now the landlord of their building.


These diverse characters bond to become a family, fight AIDS and seek the Bohemia that haunts their dreams.

The songs are strong and memorable…and while there are two gay couples in the film, that is not the main focus of the film. Don’t focus on the morals of the film, just enjoy it for what it is and let the power of the story affect you.

Rent it once: I can't get enough of this film...I even have the soundtrack, however some people may still be turned off by the morality of the film...but it is still one that should be seen.

Dude, it's quotable: the music is catchy and sinks into your very soul...check out the Broadway cast recording for the original versions of all the songs, and a few that didn't make it into the film

Rent (2005) 135 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for mature thematic material involving drugs and sexuality, and for some strong language
Director: Chris Columbus
Starring: Anthony Rapp as Mark
Adam Pascal as Roger
Rosario Dawson as Mimi
Wilson Jermaine Heredia as Angel
Jesse L. Martin as Collins
Idina Menzel as Maureen
Taye Diggs as Benny
Tracie Thoms as Joanne

The Simpsons Movie

"Look at that, you can see the four states that border Springfield: Ohio, Nevada, Maine, and Kentucky!"

Yes, I admit it: I saw "The Simpsons Movie" in theaters and paid the $8 to see it (hangs head in shame), actually I didn't pay for it...but someone else did. Anyway, before I write this review I must admit that I am not the typical Simpsons fan. I discovered the Simpsons when I was in college because my roommate was obsessed. Since then I've watched episodes when I could, but I wouldn't say I'm a try, die-hard fan of the series. With that in mind, here is my review...

Basically, Springfield (bordered by Ohio, Nevada, Maine & Kentucky...just to clear up it's location) has a pollution problem. It's lake is heavily polluted, so Lisa begins going door to door to get people to stop the pollution. Inevitably it is her father, Homer, who destroys the lake (but I won't tell how). The family is driven out of town and finds refuge in Alaska, BUT when we all know that they'll come back (oh no, was that a spoiler?). Oh yes, and the government is behind the whole thing.

In general I have to say I enjoyed the film, as did the other 5 people in the theater. There are some laugh-out-loud funny moments (Spider-pig and the skateboarding scene), some mildly funny moments and then there are the parts that drag (the woman Homer meets in Alaska...boring...I was staring at my watch the whole time). The film should have either been longer or a made-for-tv-movie...especially if theaters wanted to charge regular prices...the movie is only an 80 some minutes...and not worth the extra money. Yes it was funny...and yes I like the Simpsons, but come on people!

If you like the show currently you might like the movie...if you are disappointed in the show over the years, don't go it will continue to disappoint you. But hey, what do I know...

Dude, it's quotable: don't take small children to the movie, but otherwise there are some classic lines (and the Spider Pig theme is pretty catchy)

Rent it/wait till it's shown on TV: Honestly (and don't hate me for saying it), don't waste your money. We all know it will be on TV sometime (probably on Fox) and if not every Blockbuster will have it, so just wait till the film is thrown at you to see it. It isn't life-changing, it doesn't affect the newest season of the show, and there aren't too many new characters.

The Simpsons Movie (2007) 87 minutes

Rating: PG-13 for irreverent humor throughout

Director: David Silverman

Starring: The voices of...

Dan Castellaneta as Homer, Krusty the Clown, Itchy

Julie Kavner as Marge

Nancy Cartwright as Bart

Yeardley Smith as Lisa

Hank Azaria as Moe, Apu

Harry Shearer as Mr. Burns, Scratchy

Kelsey Grammer as Sideshow Bob

Joe Mantegna as Fat Tony

Little Shop of Horrors

"Does this look "inanimate" to you, punk? If I can move and I can talk, who's to say I can't do anything I want?"

Based on the Broadway musical with the same name, "Little Shop of Horrors" is the story of a flowershop in a rough town called Skid Row. Seymour (Moranis) is a klutz and total nerd, but plants are his life. He works at the Skid Row Flowershop and enjoys weird plants. He meets his match after finding a weird type of Venus Flytrap that no one else has ever seen. He calls his plant Audrey II (after the love of his life) and attempts to make it grow. After accidentally cutting himself at the shop he discovers the only thing that Audrey II wants is blood (and hey, a little blood couldn't hurt, right?), and this blood is making the plant grow bigger and bigger. As the plant grows the flowershop starts becoming more popular as people want to learn more about this strange plant.

Also at the shop is Mr. Mushnik (Gardenia), the owner, and the original Audrey (Greene). Audrey is in an abusive relationship with a sadistic dentist, Orin (Martin). And keeping commentary on the whole situation are the Urchins: Crystal (Arnold), Ronette (Weeks) and Chiffon (Campbell).

While this film does follow the original story-line of the Broadway show there are some differences: there are new songs and a different ending. I love the music from the original show, and the film does not disappoint musically! Steve Martin steals every scene he is in...even though you do hate him, but the rest of the cast is wonderful as well. Also watch the minor characters closely for some hillarious cameos!

Rent it once: the plant is freaky, so I wouldn't suggest eating during or immediately after watching the film, but otherwise it is pretty awesome!

Dude, it's quotable: the music is catchy and story is funny

Little Shop of Horrors (1986) 94 minutes

Director: Frank Oz

Starring: Rick Moranis as Seymour Krelborn

Ellen Greene as Audrey

Vincent Gardenia as Mr. Mushnik

Steve Martin as Orin

Tichina Arnold as Crystal

Michelle Weeks as Ronette

Tisha Campbell as Chiffon

What About Bob?

"Well, if I fake it then I don't have it."

Dr. Leo Marvin (Dreyfus) is a well-known psychiatrist who is enjoying the success of his most recent book "Baby Steps."  A colleague refers a new patient to him: Bob (Murray).  Bob is afraid of pretty much everyhing, is very needy, and has gone through several psychiatrists.  Dr. Marvin is leaving for a month-long vacation to New Hampshire with his family, and is shocked to find Bob has followed him.

Dr. Marvin's wife Fay (Hagerty) and children Siggy (Korsmo) and Anna (Erbe) are thrilled to have Bob join them.  Bob and Siggy are kindred spirits and quickly become best friends.  Bob also strikes up a a friendship with Anna when she needs someone to talk to.  Bob charms everyone he meets, except for Dr. Marvin.  Dr. Marvin just wants life to return to normal, but can he survive vacation with Bob?


What happens when your life gets turned upside-down and there's nothing you can do about it? If you are psychiatrist Dr. Leo Marvin (as played by Richard Dreyfus) you want to maim, kill, destroy, etc. (not necessarily in that order) the problem and return your life to a state of normalcy. But when you have a problem like Bob...

I love Bill Murray films...especially this one. Murray is completely lovable as Bob and watching Richard Dreyfus' descent to madness is great! There are some classic one-liners, and the film is great fun to watch!!

Rent it once: I own it...but I think everyone should see it at least once

Dude, it's quotable: so many lines, so little time!

What About Bob? (1991) 99 minutes

Director: Frank Oz

Starring: Bill Murray as Bob Wiley

Richard Dreyfus as Dr. Leo Marvin

Julie Hagerty as Fay Marvin

Charlie Korsmo as Siggy Marvin

Kathryn Erbe as Anna Marvin

Tom Aldredge as Mr. Guttman

Susan Willis as Mrs. Guttman

Bobby

"Now that Dr. King is gone, nobody left but Bobby. Nobody."

In a time of turmoil and chaos, when great men were assassinated (and we still remember) one figure rose up and caught the heart of the American public: Robert Kennedy. The film "Bobby" is a snapshot of the Ambassador Hotel on the day Bobby was shot, through the perspectives of others at the hotel.

There are the former employees Nelson (Belafonte) and John Casey (Hopkins) who come to the hotel every day, play chess and talk about the good-old-days. There are current employees: the switchboard operators (Bryant and Graham) and the kitchen staff (Fishburne, Vargas and Rodrigez). The hairdresser Miriam (Stone) who is married to the general manager Paul (Macy), and his bitter second-in-command Timmons (Slater). And the waitress in the cafe Susan (Winstead).

Then there are the guests...the superstar Virgina Fallon (Moore) and her long-suffering husband Tim (Estevez), and her manager Phil (Krumholtz). The socialites on a second honeymoon Jack (Sheen) and Samantha (Hunt). The newlyweds William (Wood) and Diane (Lohan). And the drug dealer, Fisher (Kutcher).

And finally the Kennedy campaign staff...the slackers Jimmy (Geraghty) and Cooper (LaBeof), the leaders Dwayne (Cannon) and Wade (Jackson), and the communist reporter who wants an interview Lenka (Metkina).

Its a BIG cast, but you can't help but be swept up. Yes, we all know what will happen, but by that point you believe, as the characters do, that life is going to get better not worse. It gives you hope...even when things seem hopeless. And if you can keep track of the cast (and know all their names) congrats...it's quite a feat!

Rent it once: it's powerful, but you may not agree with the sentiments of the characters or director

--: The actors give passionate performances...and it is an all-star cast. My only question is why Elijah Wood and Lindsay Lohan? Lohan was alright...but Wood wasn't right for the part. But otherwise the casting is excellent!!

Bobby (2006) 120 minutes
Director: Emilio Estevez
Starring: Harry Belafonte as Nelson
Joy Bryant as Patricia
Nick Cannon as Dwayne
Emilio Estevez as Tim Fallon
Laurence Fishburne as Edward Robinson
Brian Geraghty as Jimmy
Heather Graham as Angela
Anthony Hopkins as John Casey
Helen Hunt as Samantha
Joshua Jackson as Wade
David Krumholtz as Phil
Ashton Kutcher as Fisher
Shia LaBeouf as Cooper
Lindsay Lohan as Diane
William H. Macy as Paul
Svetlana Metkina as Lenka Janacek
Demin Moore as Virginia Fallon
Freddy Rodriguez as Jose
Martin Sheen as Jack
Christian Slater as Timmons
Sharon Stone as Miriam
Jacob Vargas as Miguel
Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Susan Taylor
Elijah Wood as William

Ratatouille

"Food always comes to those who love to cook."

Wow! Well done Pixar! I admit I own almost all the Pixar films (I don't have Toy Story and Monsters Inc.) and I enjoy watching them...but I was impressed with this film.

The story follows Remy (Oswalt), a rat who loves to cook. After being separated from his family Remy finds himself in the heart of Paris cooking, a restaurant called Gusteau named after the late-great chef (Garrett) who owned it and who is Remy's hero. After an accident in the kitchen Remy teams up with the newest employee of the restaurant, Linguini (Romano) who is hopeless in the kitchen. Together they create culinary masterpieces adored by critics and customers alike. But...life is not easy for the pair. They are taught by Colette (Garofolo) the tough female cook, watched by head chef Skinner (Holm), criticized by Remy's father Django (Dennehy) and brother Emile (Sohn)...and together they must impress the toughest food critic, Anton Ego (O'Toole) who's last review caused the owner to die and the restaurant to lose some appeal.

The story is fun. The accents are French. The scenery is divine. And you just want to eat a huge, gourmet meal afterwards (even if you've never eaten gourmet food before!). I especially enjoyed some of the commentary about critics...soo true, I think anyways. The humor is more adult in nature, but the little kids in the audience still enjoyed the film.

Dude, it's quotable: imdb was lacking in good quotes, but the dialogue was superb!

See it!: it's worth the $7 (or more) to see it...I saw it last night and I'm going again later this week!!

Ratatouille (2007) 110 minutes

Director: Brad Bird

Starring: Patton Oswalt as Remy

Ian Holm as Skinner

Lou Romano as Linguini

Brian Dennehy as Django

Peter Sohn as Emile

Peter O'Toole as Anton Ego

Brad Garrett as Gusteau
Janeane Garofalo as Colette

Will Arnett as Horst
Julius Callahan as Lalo/Francois
James Remar as Larousse
John Ratzenberger as Mustafa

Juyuso seubgyuksageun: Attack the Gas Station

Korean Punk Rock Culture

The film opens with four guys robbing a local gas station: they take all the money and knock some stuff around. A few minutes later they are bored and so they decide to rob the gas station again, "just because". But this time the owner was smart and doesn't have any money...so the guys decide to hold the owner and his three teenage employees hostage while they run the gas station and take all the money.

Leading the group is No Mark (Sung-jae) who has an issue with authority, especially the owner, but treasures his family photo. Mad Dog (Oh-seong) wears a hat, wields a bat and makes the hostages stand on their heads. Rockstar (Seong-jin) has long hair and gets uber violent without music. And Painter (Ji-tae) has bleached blonde hair and enjoys graffiti art.

The four learn how to run the gas station and then charge the customers extra, if you don't pay you get locked in the trunk of your car! But they manage to piss off the following people: the owner (Yeong-gyu), multiple members of a local gang, an attractive woman, the woman's boyfriend, his mafia father, the police, and the local delivery boys.

--: The characters react with violence to just about everything. They beat up people, they subvert authority, they vandalize property, terrorize the police, etc. and don't seem to have a conscience.

RECOMMENDED: Honestly, I liked this film. The use of color and camera techniques are marvelous and the story sucks you in. Watch the film in Korean with subtitles...b/c it's difficult to take the dubbed version seriously...regardless of what they are saying. The flashbacks are insightful and the music is fun!!

Attack the Gas Station [Juyuso seubgyuksageun] (1999) 113 minutes

Rating: R for pervasive language and violent behavior

Director: Kim Sang-Jin

Starring: Lee Sung-jae as No Mark (the leader)

Yu Oh-seong as Mu Dae-po (according to imdb.com his name is Bulldozer, but according to the subtitles of the movie he is Mad Dog)

Kang Seong-jin as Ddan Dda-ra (Rockstar)

Yu Ji-tae as Painter
Park Yeong-gyu as the Gas Station Owner

Jeong Jun as Geon-Bbang
Lee Yu-won as Ggal-chi

Lee Jeong-ho as Meek Man
Kim Su-ro as the Angry Delivery Boy

Goyangileul butaghae: Take Care of my Cat

The Ultimate Korean Chick-flick...and it even has substance!

After graduating from high school friends say they will keep in touch...but that vow grows more difficult over time. The film opens with five girls taking a picture together on their last day of school. They are obviously close and having a wonderful time.

A few years later they are living their own lives. Hae-joo (Yo-won) has moved away and works for a large company. She lives on her own and is overall spoiled. She removed all ties to home and her former life, except for her friends. Tae-hee (Doo-na) still lives at home, and works for the family business (some weird spa thing). She wants a different life...and adventure, but isn't sure what that is. She keeps the group together (organizing things). Ji-young (Ji-young) is unemployed and lives with her grandparents. They live in poverty and she hates her life. She is most aware of the changing dynamics of their friendships. And the twins Bi-ryu and Ohn-jo (Eun-sil and Eun-ju) are the most stable of the group. They live together, and make-and-sell jewelry. They are impossible to tell apart.

The cat in the title, Titi, is physically passed around between the girls but serves more as motif for the film than as the protagonist.

--: At first it is hard to distinguish the differences between the girls (the narrative jumps around between their lives), but the characters do emerge as individuals. The characters are easy to identify with...and this is the type of chick-flick even the guys will be interested in!

RECOMMENDED: This film was incredible. Watch it with friends (and at least one person who studied film or literature) and just enjoy the flowing narrative and excellent cast. There are male characters in the film (about 6) but they never really emerge from the background. And you probably won't see the ending coming.

Take Care of My Cat [Goyangileul butaghae] (2001)

Director: Jeong Jae-eun

Starring: Bae Doo-na as Tae-hee

Lee Yo-won as Hae-joo

Ok Ji-young as Ji-young

Lee Eun-sil as Bi-ryu

Lee Eun-ju as Ohn-jo

Oh! Soo-jung: The Virgin Stripped Bare by her Bachelors

Honestly, I can't say anything positive about this film...except I was so happy when it was over!

This is the story of a relationship...but what is really happening? Based on the notion that no one remembers a story in the same way, this relationship is first shown through the eyes of the man waiting, Jae-hoon, and the second part is a combined view of the "innocent" gal, Soo-jung, and her boss, Young-soo.

Young-soo (Seong-kun) is an independent filmmaker. He is interested in Soo-jung (Eun-ju) who is his writer. Then there is Jae-hoon (Bo-seok) who is interested in financing Young-soo's film. Eventually Jae-hoon and Soo-jung date. But what really happens? Who started the relationship? What happened? Who cheated on whom? Did either of them cheat? What kind of personalities do ANY of the characters have?

--: Overall this film is about sex. All the characters talk about it....frequently. You get to the point where you just want Jae-hoon and Soo-jung to just have sex and get it over with...but predictably this is the film scene of the film. There is lots of nudity or partial nudity. An extremely graphic (and long) sex scene. One character gets raped (or almost gets raped)...and there are a few other scenes that are sexual in nature...

NOT RECOMMENDED: In my opinion there is no redeemable qualities in this film. I have no idea what happened...I didn't like any of the characters...and after the first few minutes I didn't care, I just wanted it to end. I didn't want to review this film...I didn't want to think about it again, but I couldn't find any reviews of this film online so I decided to write one so no one else would have to suffer through this film (and I had to watch it for a class...gross)

The Virgin Stripped Bare by her Bachelors [Oh! Soo-jung] (2000) 126 minutes

Director: Hong Sang-soo

Starring: Lee Eun-ju as Soo-jung

Mun Seong-kun as Young-soo

Jeong Bo-seok as Jae-hoon

Bakha satang: Peppermint Candy

If "Memento" and "Forrest Gump" were set in Korea...

I say "Memento" because it is told out of order...and "Forrest Gump" because Yong-ho, our flawed protagonist, is interacting with Korean history which (like Forrest Gump) would be recognizable to Koreans.

The film opens in a secluded picnic grounds, agroup of old friends are reuniting after many years. Their seclusion is broken by the entrance of Yong-ho (Kyeong-gu) who they haven't seen for years, but he has changed: he is drunk and miserable. Finding no solance from his old friends he climbs onto a rail road bridge waiting for a train to come and end his misery. As the train gets closer he yells: I want to go back! And thats what the film does...

Told in reverse this is the story of Yong-ho and why he is so miserable. The passage of time is marked by the train traveling in reverse in between scenes (7 in all), ending twenty years before the opening scene when the same group of people met for the first time...

--: While this film is well-made, it is hard to watch. There is at least one graphic sex scene along with several scenes of nudity...they swear a lot...and there is quite a bit of violence (he is in the military and he tortures prisoners)...don't eat directly before, during, or after watching this film

RECOMMENDED: This is the BEST Korean film I have seen. The story is incredibly powerful; if you you don't feel anything after you watch this film...you are dead!

Peppermint Candy [Bakha satang] (2000) 130 minutes
Director: Lee Chang-dong
Starring: Seol Kyeong-gu as Yong-ho
Moon So-ri as Sunim
Kim Yeo-jin as Hongja

Shrek 3

"The only thing you're ever gonna be king of, is king of the stupids!"

I admit it...I love the first two Shrek films and despite the so-so reviews I had read I was excited about the 3rd as well......and I was disappointed.

Shrek (Myers) and Fiona (Diaz) are still at the palace, due to her fathers failing health. When the king (Cleese) dies he names Shrek as his heir. But there is another: Artie (Timberlake), so Shrek, Donkey (Murphy), and Puss (Banderas) set off to find him. Meanwhile, Fiona is pregnant...and hanging out with other princesses: her mother Queen Lillian (Andrews), Sleeping Beauty (Oteri) who keeps falling asleep, Snow White (Poehler) the diva, Rapunzel (Rudolph) who is rumored to have extensions, and Cinderella (Sedaris) who has a cleaning obsession; Dragon and Doris (King) the ugly stepsister.

After being publicly humiliated in the last Shrek, Prince Charming (Everett) wants revenge, and asks all the evil characters (like the Queen from Snow White, Rumplestilskin, ther evil trees, Captain Hook, etc) and Doris' sister Mabel (Philbin) to join him in taking over the castle. Will Artie assume the throne? Will Fiona have little ogres? Will Shrek accept fatherhood? Will Charming win?

What were the writers thinking? Where is the classic opening used by the last two...where is the opening song to establish the style and such of the film? The opening, in a dinner theater, was funny...but it went downhill from there. The beauty of the previous Shrek installments was the subtle hits at Disney and pop culture...but this film openly uses the fairytale princesses and it just doesn't work. I like the actresses they chose, and yes some parts were funny or passable, but it didn't work. Even the charm of Puss & Donkey wasn't enough to save this film. Yes, they were excellent as usual, and so was Mike Myers as Shrek...but how was this a kids film? It seemed like a coming of age story...something for adults...and that took away from the film. And the baby idea....NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Not funny...didn't work.

Yes, I will still probably buy it...but overall I was disappointed

--: there aren't as many one-liners or classic songs...but there are still some classic lines

Rent it once: I wouldn't suggest paying $7 or more to see the film (i went to a matinee b/c they are cheaper), but wait till it hits the stores and rent it (or borrow it for free from public libraries)

Shrek the Third (2007) 92 minutes

Director: Chris Miller and Raman Hui

Starring: Mike Myers as Shrek

Eddie Murphy as Donkey

Cameron Diaz as Princess Fiona

Antonio Banderas as Puss in Boots

Julie Andrews as Queen Lillian

John Cleese as King Harold

Rupert Everett as Prince Charming

Eric Idle as Merlin

Justin Timberlake as Artie
Larry King as Doris

John Krasinski as Lancelot

Cheri Oteri as Sleeping Beauty

Regis Philbin as Mabel
Amy Poehler as Snow White

Maya Rudolph as Rapunzel
Amy Sedaris as Cinderella

The Sound of Music

"Oh, there's nothing wrong with the children. Only the governesses."

Austria prior to WWII. Maria (Andrews) lives in a convent, but the Mother Abbess (Wood) and the other Sister Superiors feel that she is not ready to be a nun, so they send her to the von Trapp household as their governess. Capt. von Trapp (Plummer) has seven children who have gone through multiple governesses, even though he has them trained to report like Navy soldiers. Liesl (Carr) is the oldest and not interested in a governess, she is more interested in Rolfe (Truhitte) the paperboy she flirts with. The children enjoy tormenting their governesses until they quit, leaving little gifts such as live animals in their clothing and pine cones on their chairs.

Despite the odds Maria manages to win over the children and shares her love of music and life with them in preparation for the surprise their father is bringing home: his girlfriend. With friend Max (Haydn) and Elsa (Parker) in tow, the Capt. learns what family truly means.

Ok, so it's not the best summary of the film...but really, are their people who have never seen this film? I grew up watching it because my mom loves Julie Andrews...and I love R&H musicals. The Sound of Music, while not my favorite R&H or even my favorite musical, holds a special place in my heart and has proven time and again it's lasting power since it is still regularly shown on television. The story is based (loosely) on the real von Trapp family, and if you buy the 40th Anniversary DVD they talk about the family (and there are also books written about them). Regardless we will always sing about our "Favorite Things", wish we could play with a huge puppet theater, try to learn the dances, and feel the power of the final scene (despite the "wind" from the helicopter the camera was in)...and will we still "Climb Every Mountain" until we find our dreams!!

The Sound of Music (1965) 174 minutes

Director: Robert Wise

based on the stage musical by Rogers & Hammerstein

Starring: Julie Andrews as Maria

Christopher Plummer as Capt. Georg von Trapp

Richard Haydn as Max Detweiler

Peggy Wood as Mother Abbess
Ben Wright as Herr Zeller
Daniel Truhitte as Rolfe
Charmian Carr as Liesl von Trapp

Nicholas Hammond as Friedrich von Trapp

Heather Menzies as Louisa von Trapp

Duane Chas as Kurt von Trapp

Angela Cartwright as Brigitta von Trapp

Debbie Turner as Marta von Trapp

Kym Karath as Gretl von Trapp

Eleanor Parker as Baroness Elsa Schraeder

South Pacific

"When all you care about is here, this is a good place to be."

It is WWII in the South Pacific, on a little island with the Navy, French planters, and the natives. On the island there is constant competition between local Bloody Mary (Hall) and everyone else: she hires other locals so the French planters can't make them work in the fields and charges the Navy extra just for the fun of it. Her major competition is Navy shyster Luter (Walston) who is always looking for a scam...and women. When the army sends Joe (Kerr) to the island for a special mission, Luther sees his chance to see the island where all the women (and the boar's tooth ceremony) are kept. Paralleling Joe's story is Nellie (Gaynor) one of the nurses, who falls in love with French planter Emile de Becque (Brazzi). But racism stands in the way of love for both Joe & Nellie, along with a dangerous mission.

This film is beautiful. Mostly shot on location the film luxuriates in its tropical surroundings. Overall the film is well acted, well sung, and well-done. My major problem is the filters. Throughout the film colored filters were applied to emphasize certain aspects of scenes...and while this was a good idea, the colors are overpowering and distract the audience from the scene (I usually start laughing at that point in time). It is a powerful story and makes me cry every time...but the filters hurt the story. But watch it anyway...and maybe you will accept the filters the way the filmmakers wanted them to be viewed! (I still love it...and own it!!)

South Pacific (1958) 157-171 minutes

Director: Joshua Logan

based on the stage musical by Rogers & Hammerstein

Starring: Rossano Brazzi as Emile de Becque

Mitzi Gaynor as Nellie Forbush

John Kerr as Lt. Joseph Cable

Ray Walston as Luther Billis

Juanita Hall as Bloody Mary

France Nuyen as Liat

Russ Brown as Capt. George Brackett
Floyd Simmons as Cmdr. Bill Harbison

Flower Drum Song

"So where are you folks from?"

"The East."

"Oh, New York, huh?"

"Further east."

The only Rogers & Hammerstein musical to have an all Asian cast, Flower Drum Song is not as well-known or oft performed as other R&H musicals.

The story opens with Mei Li (Umeki) & her father Doctor Li (Kam Tong) illegally coming to America. Mei Li is supposed to marry Sammy Fong (Soo), but he was born and raised in the states and does not care for old customs. He works at an Asian night club and is in love with the head-liner Linda (Kwan), but he can't marry her. To get rid of Mei Li, he has them live with the uber-traditional Wang family. Chi-Yang (Fong) the father does not understand his Americanized sons, or sister Madame Liang (Hall), and welcomes the Li's into his home. He hopes Mei Li will attract the attention of his oldest son Ta (Shigeta), who happens to be interested in Linda as well.

I just bought this film and was overall impressed. The settings and costumes are beautiful and while the songs aren't as well-known as others in the R&H collection, they are just as good. Its hard to find, BUT definitely worthwhile!! Also look for The King & I Prince (hes the youngest member of the Wang family) and Bloody Mary from South Pacific is Madame Liang.

Flower Drum Song (1961) 133 minute

Director: Henry Koster

based on the stage musical by Rogers & Hammerstein

Starring: Nancy Kwan as Linda Low

James Shigeta as Wang Ta

Benson Fong as Wang Chi-Yang

Jack Soo as Sammy Fong

Juanita Hall as Madame "Auntie" Liang

Reiko Sato as Helen Chao

Patrick Adiarte as Wang San
Kam Tong as Doctor Li

Miyoshi Umeki as Mei Li

The King & I

"When I sit, you sit. When I kneel, you kneel. Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera! "

Who doesn't love this film? Anna (Kerr) an English school teacher moves to Siam to teach the children of the King (Brynner). The King wants to appear scientific and cultured while retaining most of the local customs. Shortly after Anna arrives the King receives Tuptim (Moreno) as a gift from another nation, but she is in love with the man who brought her Lun Tha (Rivas). The King's assistant the Kralahome (Benson) and Lady Thiang (Saunders), the head wife of the King, try to explain the King and help Anna with life in Siam.

Anna learns to love the children, and grows especially fond of the King and his oldest son Prince Chulalongkorn (Adiarte) who wants to become like his father...while Anna tries to raise her own son Louis (Thompson).

The King & I is a wonderful film. The scenery is beautiful, the costumes are extravagant, the acting superb (I love Yul Brynner), and it is a wonderful film. Brynner originated the role of the Kin on Broadway and it is hard to see any production of the King & I without picturing him as the King. Although it may not be historically accurate, or true to Anna's story, this is a beloved classic...and it swept the nominations for the Academy Awards. The dance scene is memorable...and the quotes are phenomenal. What else is there to say?

The King & I (1956) 133 minutes

Director: Walter Lang

Starring: Deborah Kerr as Anna Leonowens

Yul Brynner as King Mongkut of Siam

Rita Moreno as Tuptim

Martin Benson as Kralahome

Terry Saunders as Lady Thiang

Rex Thompson as Louis Leonowens

Carlos Rivas as Lun Tha

Patrick Adiarte as Prince Chulalongkorn

Carousel

"You'd think a woman with nine children would have more sense."

"If I had more sense I wouldn't have had nine children. "

A musical adaptation of Liliom, this is the darkest Rogers & Hammerstein musical. In a fishing town in Maine, Billy (MacRae) is a Carousel Barker where he meets the young and naive Julie (Jones). She gets him fired (his boss, Mrs. Mullin (Christie) is jealous), and then he returns the favor (and keeps her out past curfew, so she gets fired)...and they realize their in love. They marry, although none of their friends understand the marriage. They are supported (morally and financially) by Julie's cousin Nettie (Turner) who feeds the local fishermen and tries to keep the chaos (of young love) at bay. Helping Nettie is Julie's best friend Carrie (Ruick) who is naive and ditzy. Carrie is engaged to herring boat captain Mr. Snow (Rounseville), and is chased by Jigger (Mitchell) the local holligan/criminal.

Julie's pregnant...money is tight...and temptation is all around...

Carousel is my favorite Rogers & Hammerstein musical, even though it is the darkest. Dealing with difficult topics like spousal abuse and the "hereafter", it is the most profound R&H show. The score is hauntingly beautiful with the romantic ballad "If I Loved You" and the most beautiful song "You'll Never Walk Alone" along with other beautiful songs. While this is the only R&H film to not be nominated for an Academy Award, you will not soon forget this film. Yes its dark. Yes you will cry...but you won't forget the score (and you shouldn't...I also own this soundtrack and dvd).

Carousel (1956) 128 minutes
Director: Henry King

Based on the stageplay by Rogers & Hammerstein

Starring: Gordon MacRae as Billy Bigelow

Shirley Jones as Julie Jordan

Cameron Mitchell as Jigger Craigin

Barbara Ruick as Carrie Pipperidge

Claramae Turner as Cousin Nettie

Robert Rounseville as Enoch Snow

Gene Lockhart as the Starkeeper/Dr. Selden

Audrey Christie as Mrs. Mullin

State Fair

"Abel Frake, I am not putting liquor in my cooking!"

The Frake family is headed for the Iowa State Fair. Both children, Margy (Crain) & Wayne (Haymes) are having relationship problems. Margy's fiance Harry (Phil Brown) doesn't understand her...and she dreams a new man will come into her life. And Wayne's girlfriend Eleanor (Jane Nigh) can't come to the fair, leaving him depressed. Their father, Abel (Winninger) bets his pig Blue Boy will win a prize, while mom Melissa (Bainter) wants her mincemeat to win, without the aid of liquor (which her husband wants her to add).

At the fair Margy & Wayne find new flames. Margy meets ace reporter Pat (Andrews) who helps her tame her fear of roller coasters, and Wayne finds Emily (Blaine) the singer for the Fair's Band who helps him find justice. Have they found true love? Will Blue Boy triumph? Will the mincemeat win? Will their dad silence their snooty neighbor?

This was the FIRST Rogers & Hammerstein musical to hit the big screen, and while I like it, I don't think it's the same caliber as the others. The plot is too simple, I mean the characters don't have a depth that later films achieved. Also, this film was made because of the Broadway success of Oklahoma and people wanted to see Rogers & Hammerstein in cinemas...R&H weren't willing to make Oklahoma yet (since it is the story about the land, they wanted to be able to show the beauty of the land...and cameras weren't up to the challenge), so they produced this film. I love the score (and own the soundtrack), but the story just doesn't cut it. It's cute and fluffy...but I prefer the others.

State Fair (1945) 100 minutes

Director: Walter Lang

Starring: Jeanne Crain as Margy Frake

Dana Andrews as Pat Gilbert

Dick Haymes as Wayne Frake

Vivian Blaine as Emily Edwards

Charles Winninger as Abel Frake
Fay Bainter as Melissa Frake

Oklahoma!

"Shut your face or I’ll fill your behind so full of buckshot you’ll be walking around like a duck the rest of your life."

It's the early 1900s, in the Oklahoma Territory...where folks are either farmers or cowboys (who don't tend to get along). At the heart of the narrative are two love stories. First is Curly (MacRae) and Laurey (Jones). Curly is a free-spirited cowboy and Laurey is a poised/prim & proper farm gal, and although they love each other (and everyone else knows it) they are too stubborn to admit it. Meanwhile Laurey's best friend, Ado Annie (Grahame) is also in a pickle: she loves getting attention from guys but now she has 2. First is Will Parker (Nelson) the "love of her life" who went to the rodeo to win $50 so he can marry her, and then their's Ali Hakim (Albert) the traveling salesman from Persia who just wants a little loving.

The fit hits the shan (as my father says) in both situations when 1.) Jud (Steiger) the dirty farmhand at Laurey's asks her to go to the dance with him (and makes it clear that Curly needs to get out of his way), 2.) Will wins the money, but spends it all, 3.) Annie's dad, Andrew (Whitmore), hears about Ali's advances (and comments about his daughter) and forces Ali to propose to Annie.

Honestly, I love this film...this was the first musical I ever saw, I've seen it live many times (more than any other musical), I own the dvd and the soundtrack...so hopefully this won't be too biased! Overall the film is fun and the characters seem to enjoy their lives, but this isn't a high-art film. The camera angles, scenery, etc. are pretty average (even though the country-side is fabulous)...and the acting isn't anything to write home about. The songs are catchy...and the best part is the Dream Sequence. It is a homage to the stage production: no dialogue or singing, just dancing, and was choreographed by Agnes DeMille. Both Curly & Laurey are replaced by professional dancers, but the rest of the cast does their own dancing. So maybe it won't be the best film you've ever seen...but for two hours you can laugh-out-loud (Will & Ali have some classic one-liners), sing-along, and wish you could have as much fun as the characters. Yee-haw!!

Oklahoma (1955) 145 minutes

Director: Fred Zinnemann (based on the stage show by Rogers & Hammerstein)

Starring: Gordon MacRae as Curly McLain

Shirley Jones as Laurey WIlliams

Gloria Grahame as Ado Annie Carnes

Gene Nelson as Will Parker

Charlotte Greenwood as Aunt Eller

Eddie Albert as Ali Hakim

Rod Steiger as Jud Fry

James Whitmore as Andrew Carnes