Gun Crazy [Deadly is the Female] (1950)

"We go together, Laurie. I don't know why. Maybe like guns and ammunition go together."

Beginning during childhood, Bart Tare loved guns.  At the age of 14 he steals a gun from a hardware store and is sent to reform school.  After reform school he does time in the Army, and then returns to his home town.  Despite the years, Bart (Dall) resumes his childhood friendships with Clyde (Lewis), who is now the sheriff, and Dave (Young), a lawyer.  The friends visit a traveling carnival, where Bart is captivated by the female sharpshooter, Laurie Starr (Cummins).  Laurie gets Bart a job with the carnival, but the job does not last long as their boss, Packett (Kroeger) is jealous of their relationship and fires both.

Bart and Laurie get married and begin robbing banks to make extra money.  Bart wants to stop while they are ahead, but it is not enough for Laurie.  As they gain notoriety and the cops get closer, can they both get out alive?


I discovered this film on TCM's Essentials last week, and was pleasantly surprised / impressed.  This film is not widely known, and is considered a "B" film, but it still an "essential" picture.  The staying power of this film is apparently due to the director, Joseph H. Lewis (who I had never heard of, but had a reputation for elevating mediocre films... based on the explanation on the TCM webpage).

The characters are loosely based on Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker.  Barrow and Parker were the subjects of several other subsequent films, most notably 1967's Bonnie and Clyde, which changed the depiction of violence in film.  The film starts slow, but builds when Bart and Laurie meet.  John Dall (best known for Rope and Spartacus) and Peggy Cummins are great.  Dall is the deeply conflicted good guy, trying to reconcile his decisions.  Cummins is a deeper psychological study, changing from vulnerable to menacing at the drop of a hat.  The movie may focus on Bart, but it belongs to Laurie, mostly due to Cummins performance.  It is a shame that Cummins didn't make more films, she could have been a huge name.

An overlooked noir gem... yes, there are issues with the film, but it is an entertaining flick.

Gun Crazy [Deadly is the Female] (1950) 86 minutes
Director: Joseph H. Lewis
Starring: Peggy Cummins as Annie Laurie Starr
John Dall as Bart Tare
Berry Kroeger as Packett
Morris Carnovsky as Judge Willoughby
Anabel Shaw as Ruby Tare
Harry Lewis as Sheriff Clyde Boston
Nedrick Young as Dave Allister

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

"How was India? I'll tell you how India was. I got up this morning and I shot an elephant in my pajamas."
"How an elephant got in my pajamas, I shall never know."

Caractacus Potts (Van Dyke) is an unsuccessful inventor.  Most people call him a crackpot, but his children, Jeremy (Hall) and Jemima (Ripley), believe he is a genius.  He buys an old car from a junkyard and makes a few adjustments to it.  His eccentric father, Grandpa (Jeffries), thinks it won't start or if it does start, it will never stop.

The car runs and the family loves it.  They name the car Chitty Chitty Bang Bang after the sound it makes.  The children befriend Truly Scrumptious (Howes), the daughter of a renowned candy maker.  But the car is anything but ordinary, and soon attracts the attention of Baron Bomburst (Frobe), the greedy ruler of Vulgaria.  When he kidnaps Grandpa, can the family and Chitty get him back?

I love musicals (which I believe I've mentioned a few times).  My parents owned the VHS of this tape, which I wore out... but it has been years since I watched or thought about this film.  My 2 year old niece loves this movie and dances around the house singing the "Me Ol' Bamboo" (it's adorable, trust me)... so I decided to watch it again.

Dick Van Dyke is incredible.  He is a phenomenal dancer: energetic and entertaining.  Four years before making this film, he starred in Mary Poppins, and tried his best to steal the film from Julie Andrews.  This film is similar to Mary Poppins and it was his chance to shine.  They wanted to reignite the magic of Mary Poppins by reteaming Van Dyke with Andrews, but she turned down the role.  The female lead went to Sally Ann Howes, who replaced Andrews on Broadway in My Fair Lady.  Howes was a Broadway and West End star.

There are several minor characters that step forward in small but memorable roles.  Lionel Jeffries excels as Grandpa, getting a large wardrobe and the best reactions.  Robert Helpmann is terrifying and intriguing as the Child Catcher.  Alexander Dore and Bernard Spear are hilarious as the spies Herman and Sherman.  They play off each other well and get some great exchanges:

"Now then, where are we?"

"I have here, a map."

"I know WHERE we are, stupid!  We are in England! But when we are in England, what do we do?"

"We play cricket."

"We play cric- no! We dress like Englishmen!"

"A-ha!"

"Remarkable weather we are having for this time of year, do you not think so, Cuthbert?"

[dressed in the same outfit] "Indubita-ba-bly, Basil. "

The film is based on a series of children's books by Ian Fleming (although the script was written by Roald Dahl).  Fleming also wrote the James Bond series.  Like the Bond films, this film was produced by Albert R. Broccoli.  The film plot is slightly different from the books.  The film version was popular enough to turn the film into a West End musical in 2002 and a Broadway musical in 2005.

It's a quality film, that children will enjoy (young children might be scared by the Child Catcher).

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) 144 minutes
Director: Ken Hughes
Starring: Dick Van Dyke as Caractacus Potts
Sally Ann Howes as Truly Scrumptious
Lionel Jeffries as Grandpa Potts
Gert Frobe as Baron Bomburst
Anna Quayle as Baroness Bomburst
Benny Hill as Toymaker
James Robertson Justice as Lord Scrumptious
Robert Helpmann as Child Catcher
Heather Ripley as Jemima Potts
Adrian Hall as Jeremy Potts

The Great Mouse Detective

 "Item 96: A heavy tax shall be levied against all parasites and spongers, such as the elderly, the infirm, and especially little children."

When toy maker Hiram Flaversham (Young) is kidnapped, his young daughter Olivia (Pollatschek) doesn't know what to do.  She is found by Dr. David Q. Dawson (Bettin), who is returning to England after a stint in the military.  Together they seek the great mouse detective Basil of Baker Street (Ingham).  Basil is an eccentric detective, who has no problem destroying the property of his landlady, Mrs. Judson (Chesney), to solve a case.

Coincidentally, his case and Olivia's missing father are one and the same.  He is trying to find the notorious criminal Ratigan (Price), who always manages to stay a step ahead.  Ratigan's hunchman Fidget (Candido), a bat with a crippled wing and a peg leg, kidnapped Olivia's father.  With Basil's trusty bloodhoud Toby sniffing out clues, can Basil stop Ratigan's latest crime?

The film was based on the children's series Basil of Baker Street by Eve Titus, which was based on the Sherlock Holmes series by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.  Disney winks at the connection by showing shadows of Holmes and Watson (voiced by Basil Rathbone, who portrayed Holmes in numerous films, and Laurie Main).  Physically the characters of Basil and Dawson are based on Holmes and Watson, but filmmakers didn't want the characters to have the personalities of Rathbone and Nigel Bruce (who appeared as Watson opposite Rathbone), making them a mini Holmes and Watson.  They wanted the characters to have their own personalities, that made adults see the connection to Holmes, but didn't shove it down your throat.

While the film is about Basil, it belongs to Ratigan.  Ratigan is voiced by horror icon Vincent Price, who has an incredible, distinctive voice and laugh, dominates the film.  He is the only main character that sings, "The World's Greatest Criminal Mind" and "Goodbye, So Soon," and he gets the best lines.  As I was looking for a quote to open the review, all the funny ones belonged to Ratigan.  Yes, he is the villain, but with someone like Price voicing the character, do the good guys really stand a chance at being memorable?

After the failure of The Black Cauldron, Disney wanted a simpler film that could be a success.  The animation department was tasked with bringing the story to live, unlike relying on CGI like The Black Cauldron.  The film was a moderate success and was one of the films that kick-started Disney's renaissance (as seen in Waking Sleeping Beauty).

A solid, entertaining flick (probably not suitable for young children... there are a few scary moments for kids).

You should check out Waking Sleeping Beauty's review of the film.  She is very detailed and has extensive knowledge about the artists and what else was happening when the film was released.

The Great Mouse Detective (1986) 74 minutes
Director: Ron Clements, Burny Mattinson, Dave Michener, John Musker
Starring: Barrie Ingham as Basil of Baker Street
Vincent Price as Ratigan
Val Bettin as Dr. David Q. Dawson
Susanne Pollatschek as Olivia Flaversham
Candy Candido as Fidget
Diana Chesney as Mrs. Judson
Alan Young as Hiram Flaversham 

The Ugly Dachshund

"Take away rion!"
"That's not a lion, that's a dog."
"You call THAT, dog?"

When her Dachshund has puppies, Fran Garrison (Pleshette) hopes that one of the puppies will be a champion.  Her husband, Mark (Jones) is less thrilled.  Their vet, Dr. Pruitt (Ruggles), asks Mark to take in a Great Dane puppy that is pushed away by it's mother.  The puppy, who Mark names Brutus, is raised with the Dachshunds and thinks he is one.

"Demolition squad? Well what about that, that wrecking crew of yours?"

As the puppies grow, Brutus is blamed for any and all disasters at the house.  As they prepare for a big party at the house, he scares the party planner Mr. Toyama (Kino) and his nephew Kenji (Mako).  Will the party go off without a hitch, and will Mark be forced to give up his dog?


This film is a family favorite.  My dad loves the film, so we grew up watching it.  Our version was recorded from a TV showing of the film.  There were a few other short movies on the tape.  Somehow, it managed to survive my childhood... then when I was in college there was a film that I needed to see for a class project.  My loving mother used The Ugly Dachshund tape to record the movie, and in the process taped over The Ugly Dachshund... it was tragic (not that it matters anymore, because I don't currently have a VHS player).

Anyway, this film served as another vehicle for Disney favorites Dean Jones (The Love Bug, That Darn Cat, etc.) and Charlie Ruggles (The Parent Trap).  Jones was paired with Suzanne Pleshette.  Their pairing was successful enough that Disney coupled them again in Blackbeard's Ghost.  Jones is great in this film (but I have yet to see a Disney film that he did not excel in), but Pleshette's character can be a tad unlikeable.  The film also features small parts for other Disney regulars and other character actors.   And the dogs are adorable, especially as puppies.

Watching the film 40+ years later, the characters are Mr. Toyama and Kenji are caricatures of Asian stereotypes... but they are also my favorite characters.  The party is my favorite scene, beginning when Mr. Toyama arrives at the house until the next morning cleanup.  Toyama and Kenjji are funny and the party is just a disaster waiting to happen... but it's fun to watch.  Another enjoyable, classic, family film from Disney!

The Ugly Dachshund (1966) 93 minutes
Director: Norman Tokar
Starring: Dean Jones as Mark Garrison
Suzanne Pleshette as Fran Garrison
Charlie Ruggles as Dr. J.L. Pruitt
Kelly Thordsen as Officer Carmody
Parley Baer as Mel Chadwick
Robert Kino as Mr. Toyama
Mako as Kenji
Charles Lane as Judge

Candleshoe

"I'm not deprived; I'm delinquent. There's a difference, you know."

Casey (Foster), an orphan and thief / smooth talker, gets in over her head.  She is rescued by conman Harry Bundage (McKern), who has a plan.  He wants Casey to pose as the long lost granddaughter of wealthy Lady St. Edmund (Hayes) to search for the long-lost family fortune.

At Candleshoe, Casey is able to convince Lady St. Edmund that she is Margaret, the missing granddaughter, but the rest of the house is not convinced.  Candleshoe is run by Priory (Nivens), the butler, and is in monetary distress.  The estate is just barely making ends meet, so Priory and the four orphans who were taken in by Lady St. Edmund, Cluny (Quilligan), Peter (Sharrock), Anna (Tamakuni) and Bobby (Samuels), give tours and sell produce at the local farmers market.  As Casey stays on the estate her loyalties are divided: if they find the treasure, who should get it?


By the time this film aired, Jodie Foster was a hit.  She was nominated for an Academy Award for her role in Taxi Drive, and was under contract to Disney.  The previous year she appeared in Disney's Freaky Friday.

Foster is a strong, charismatic lead.  She is matched by David Niven.  Niven portrays the butler, but gets to wear disguises to play a few other characters to keep up appearances.  He is a talented actor, and it is nice to see him show range with the different characters.  Disney favorite Helen Hayes, who previously appeared in Herbie Rides Again, is endearing as Lady St. Edmund.  The other kids are ok, but not particularly memorable.  David Samuels, who plays Bobby, gets to have some fun sliding across the floors.  Leo McKern is entertaining as Harry Bundage.

It is a nice little Disney treasure hunt, worth checking out for a look at Jodie Foster's early career.

Candleshoe (1977) 101 minutes
Director: Norman Tokar
Starring: David Niven as Priory
Helen Hayes as Lady St. Edmund
Jodie Foster as Casey
Leo McKern as Harry Bundage
Veronica Quilligan as Cluny
Ian Sharrock as Peter
Sarah Tamakuni as Anna
David Samuels as Bobby

That Darn Cat! (1965)

"You've got that terrible "butter-won't-melt-in-your-mouth" expression. I know what's going on, in your tiny little mind and I absolutely forbid it"

Two men rob a bank and kidnap the bank teller, Margaret Miller (Hall).  The police have no suspects and are not making any headway.  A few days later, the robber's, Iggy (Gorshin) and Dan (Brand), hideout is discovered by mischievous cat D.C.  Margaret manages to scratch a few letters onto the back of her watch and put it around D.C.'s neck.

D.C.'s owner, Patti Randall (Mills) finds the watch with the letters "H" "E" and part of an "L" scratched on the back.  She immediately assumes it belongs to Margaret, but has a hard time convincing her friends and sister, Ingrid (Provine).  So she turns to FBI Agent Zeke Kelso (Jones) to trail her cat and find the criminals.  Kelso moves into the Randall home, while their parents are away, with nosy neighbors and jealous boyfriends, can they find Margaret?


In the 1960s, Disney produced several films about animals.  They placed Hayley Mills at the lead, after her success with previous live-action Disney films: Pollyanna, The Parent Trap, etc.  She is a strong lead and makes the character relate-able.  This was the first Disney film for Dean Jones.  Jones would go on to make a string of films with Disney, including The Ugly Dachshund, The Love Bug, etc.  He was the perfect choice as Agent Kelso.  Comedy actress, Dorothy Provine, plays more of a straight-man role as Ingrid.  Roddy McDowall is Ingrid's would-be suitor, playing the character to a punchline and still making you laugh.  Elsa Lanchester and William Demarest are the odd couple neighbors.  She is the nosy neighbor that has an opinion about everyone and everything; he is the hen-pecked husband who enjoys thwarting her plans.

In 1997, the film was remade with Christina Ricci.  Dean Jones also appears in the film (but as a different character).

The film is funny, if a little outdated.  I saw the remake years ago, and cannot remember how it stacks up, regardless, the original is a classic.

That Darn Cat! (1965) 112 minutes
Director: Robert Stevenson
Starring: Hayley Mills as Patti Randall
Dean Jones as Zeke Kelso
Dorothy Provine as Ingrid Randall
Roddy McDowall as Gregory Benson
Neville Brand as Dan
Elsa Lanchester as Mrs. MacDougall
William Demarest as Mr. MacDougall
Frank Gorshin as Iggy
Grayson Hall as Margaret Miller

Pocahontas (1995)

 

"Pocahontas, that tree is talking to me."

"Then you should talk back."

In 1607, a ship sets sale from England, bound for the New World.  The expedition is led by Governor Ratcliff (Stiers), who is trying to redeem his reputation at court.  He hires explorer John Smith (Gibson) to protect the settlers as the dig for gold.

Meanwhile, the natives have returned from battle as victors.  Chief Powhatan (Means) gives permission for his best warrior Kocoum (Apaumut Fall) to marry his headstrong daughter Pocahontas (Bedard and Kuhn).  Pocahontas dreams of something more.  She is encouraged by Grandmother Willow (Hunt) and her animal friends, mischievous raccoon Meeko and stern hummingbird Flit.

When the ships arrive, Pocahontas and John Smith are drawn to each other.  As they steal away to learn more about each other, the natives and colonists want to start a war.  With trouble on the horizon, can Pocahontas and John Smith broker peace or is their love doomed?

Pocahontas debuted while I was in middle school.  I saw it in theaters and fell in love with the beautiful animation and intense songs / score.  Years later, I am still captivated by the film.

Pocahontas is performed beautifully, by an incredible Broadway talent, Judy Kuhn.  Nothing against Irene Bedard who voices Pocahontas, but the best parts of the character are the songs, and the credit goes to Kuhn.  She is also animated beautifully and is a strong female character.

Native American actors portray Pocahontas' tribe, and provided information to the animators to get the portrayals more accurate (some people still had problems with the story).  Mel Gibson brought star power to the film (back when his presence on screen carried significant weight).  David Ogden Stiers hits all the right notes as the villain, Governor Ratcliff.

The story is not historically accurate, let's just get that out of the way now.  However, I don't think it ever claims to be the definitive story of Pocahontas... it is telling a story that happens to be about real people.  Disney was expecting this film to be the next big hit, but it was overshadowed by Disney's other animated film released in 1995: The Lion King.  It is still a beautifully animated film, with a gorgeous score.  The ending still gives me chills (the orchestral reprise of "Colors of the Wind" and the the wordless exchange between John Smith and Pocahontas... chills).

For a more detailed overview of the film, the characters, the animation, the music, etc, check out the blog Waking Snow White.

Pocahontas (1995) 81 minutes
Director: Mike Gabriel and Eric Goldberg
Starring: Irene Bedard as Pocahontas (voice)
Judy Kuhn as Pocahontas (singing voice)
Mel Gibson as John Smith
David Ogden Stiers as Governor Ratcliff / Wiggins
Russell Means as Powhatan
Christian Bale as Thomas
Linda Hunt as Grandmother Willow
Billy Connolly as Ben
Joe Baker as Lon
Michelle St. John as Nakoma
James Apaumut Fall as Kocoum

The Wiz

"The genius who created me only took care of my dashing good looks, my razor sharp wit and my irresistible attraction to the wrong women."

Dorothy (Ross) is a shy schoolteacher, who is unhappy with her life.  She lives with Aunt Em (Merritt) and Uncle Henry (Stanley Greene) and resists change.  After Thanksgiving with the extended family, her dog Toto runs out of the apartment.  Dorothy chases him and they get caught in a blizzard, which transports them to the land of Oz.

Dorothy inadvertently kills Evermean, the wicked witch, and frees the Munchkins from her spell.  Miss One (Carpenter), a witch without power, tells Dorothy to go to the Emerald City to see the Wiz (Pryor) to find a way home.  She frees a Scarecrow (Jackson), who is stuffed with garbage and continually reciting bits of wisdom, who decides to join her quest.  Soon they help a rusted Tinman (Russell) and encounter a cowardly Lion (Ross), who also want to see the Wiz.  Their progress is tracked by Evilene (King), another wicked witch, and her motorcycle Flying Monkees.  Will they ever reach the Emerald City and gain an audience with the elusive Wiz?


In 1974 Charlie Smalls and William F. Brown reimagined L. Frank Baum's "The Wizard of Oz" in African American culture.  The show was a success and won 7 Tony Awards in 1975.  The show's success led to the plan to make a film adaptation, which would star Stephanie Mills (who starred in the Broadway show)... however, Diana Ross expressed interest in the role.  When the original producer turned her down, she went around him and was ultimately cast in the part.  Her casting led to a revamp of the story to make Dorothy older (Ross was in her 30s, so they made Dorothy 24), the director left and was replaced with Sidney Lumet, and they decided to scrap the plot of the stage show.  The result was considered a commercial and critical failure.

Despite the poor showing, the film was nominated for four Academy Awards: Art Direction, Costume Design, Original Music Score, Cinematography.  It did not win any awards.  Michael Jackson's performance as the Scarecrow was widely revered.  Nipsey Russell has good moments as the Tinman.  Ted Ross and Mabel King reprise their roles from the Broadway show as Lion and Evillene respectively.  Each gets a showstopping number.  Lena Horne is great as Glinda, but should appear in more of the film.  The only acting dud is Ross, the character is not warm or sympathetic.  She isn't horrible, but this isn't the part for her.  The film is too dark and doesn't capture the joy or enthusiasm of the stage show.

The Wiz (1978) 134 minutes
Director: Sidney Lumet
Starring: Diana Ross as Dorothy
Michael Jackson as Scarecrow
Nipsey Russell as Tinman
Ted Ross as Lion
Mabel King as Evillene
Theresa Merritt as Aunt Em
Thelma Carpenter as Miss One
Lena Horne as Glinda the Good
Richard Pryor as The Wiz

Troop Beverly Hills

"I may be a beginner at some things, but I've got a black belt in shopping!"

Beverly Hills socialite Phyllis Nefler (Long) is in the middle of a divorce, but trying to get her life together.  As part of her serious new life, she volunteers to be the troop leader for her daughter Hannah's (Lewis) Wilderness Girls of America troop.  Phyllis is not like other troop leaders, which annoys the district leader Velda Plendor (Thomas).  The troop consists of Hanna, Tiffany (Schulman) who gets paid to attend, icy Chica (Gugino) who never sees her parents, Lily (Soriano) who's father is a Dictator, Emily (Martin) who's father is an unemployed actor, outspoken Jasmine (Scott) who's father is a well-known athlete, Tessa (Hopper) who is in therapy due to her parents divorce, and Claire (Foster) a TV star.

When their first camping trip is ruined by rain, Phyllis and the girls relocate to the Beverly Hills Hotel.  Phyllis declares that she will teach the girls to survive in Beverly Hills and create her own badges.  Velda is not impressed and orders her meek second-in-command Annie Herman (Gross) to serve as a second leader / spy for Troop Beverly Hills.  Can Phyllis and the girls succeed, or will they be laughed out of the Wilderness Girls?


I love this movie.  I finally found it on Amazon, and decided it was destiny and had to buy it.  I watched it at least once after that, and then took it to my parents house for mother-daughter movie night.  This is one of those movies (like Clueless or Legally Blonde) that all girls should watch.

When I was in Brownies and Girl Scouts, I always had scout leaders that believed in the "Phyllis Nefler" camping experience: staying in nice cabins that include running water and heat / air conditioning... I have never had a real camping experience (I have slept outdoors, without a tent, which should count for something).  Anyway, this film is hysterical.

The film begins with an animated title sequence and the fun continues from there.  The funniest sequence is when she is teaching them to dance, and then the girls go to the nursing home.  Shelley Long fully commits to the performance and makes Phyllis fun and sympathetic.  Look closely at the girls, many are still acting today.  The end is mostly predictable, but it is still compelling (and just try to get the Troop Beverly Hills song out of your head).

Troop Beverly Hills (1989) 100 minutes
Director: Jeff Kanew
Starring: Shelley Long as Phyllis Nefler
Craig T. Nelson as Fred Nefler
Betty Thomas as Velda Plendor
Mary Gross as Annie Herman
Jenny Lewis as Hanna Nefler
Emily Schulman as Tiffany Honigman
Carla Gugino as Chica Barnfell
Aquilina Soriano as Lily Marcigan
Kellie Martin as Emily Coleman
Tasha Scott as Jasmine Shakar
Heather Hopper as Tessa DiBlasio
Ami Foster as Claire Sprantz

Here Comes the Boom

"I'm bringing the boom!"

Scott Voss (James) is a high school biology teacher that lost his passion for teaching.  He comes in late and reads the newspaper during class.  During a faculty meeting, Principal Betcher (Germann) announces that they will be cutting extracurricular activities, including the music program at the end of the year.  This cut means Marty Streb (Winkler), the music teacher, will lose his job and tenure, and his wife is pregnant.  To protect his friend, Scott makes a bold move: he will raise the money to keep the program.

With minimal support from the other teachers, the situation looks bleak.  Then he stumbles onto a new idea: become a mixed martial arts fighter.  One of the students in his citizenship class, which he teaches in the evening, teaches mixed martial arts and agrees to serve as his trainer.  Marty asks to come along for moral support.  They also recruit Mark DellaGrotte (as Himself) to serve as an advisor.  Can Scott last long enough in a fight to save the school?


Comedian Kevin James dives into the world of the UFC / MMA Fighting.  He attacks the subject with the same vigor as his previous films.  Frank Coraci, the director, previously directed James in 2011's Zookeeper and the two seem to work well together.  It helps that James has a strong support cast.  Henry Winkler just about steals the show as Marty Streb, the music teacher.  He is exuberant and passionate, and the kind of teacher every parent should desire.

Yes, the story is predictable and the story isn't overly inventive, but it is an enjoyable family-friendly film (rated PG).

Here Comes the Boom (2012) 105 minutes
Director: Frank Coraci
Starring: Kevin James as Scott Voss
Salma Hayek as Bella Flores
Henry Winkler as Marty Streb
Greg Germann as Principal Betcher
Bas Rutten as Niko
Mark DellaGrotte as Himself

The Magic of Belle Isle

"Drinking is a very demanding profession, and I can't hold down two jobs at once."

Monte Wildhorn (Freeman) is a famous Western author who has given up on life.  He is confined to a wheelchair wants to drink himself to death.  His nephew, Henry (Kenan Thompson), rents a home on Belle Isle for the summer and transports Monte there to refocus.  Along with the house, he inherits a dog from the previous owner.  He wants to be left alone, but the locals have other plans.

Monte is drawn to the women who live next door, divorced Charlotte (Masden), her teenaged daughter Willow (Carroll), adventurous Finnegan (Fuhrmann), and precocious Flora (Pierini).  Finnegan is intrigued by Monte and his profession, and asks him to teach her about imagination.  Can his relationship with the O'Neil's break his writers block and renew his will to life?


Some friends wanted to watch a movie.  We didn't have anything in mind and wanted to watch something funny, so we randomly browsed Netflix and came upon this film.  With Morgan Freeman in the lead we decided to give it a try.

It is a quirky little story with sarcastic humor.  The film isn't what you expect and the story is far from predictable.  The cast is great and the characters are interesting.  I was surprised to learn that Rob Reiner directed this film.  Reiner is best known for his romantic comedy films.  I enjoyed the film, but it won't work for everyone.

The Magic of Belle Island (2012) 109 minutes
Director: Rob Reiner
Starring: Morgan Freeman as Monte Wildhorn
Virginia Masden as Charlotte O'Neil
Emma Fuhrmann as Finnegan O'Neil
Madeline Carroll as Willow O'Neil
Nicolette Pierini as Flora O'Neil
Ash Christian as Carl Loop

Oz the Great and Powerful

"I might not actually be a wizard."
"Yes, but they don't know that."

Oscar "The Great and Powerful Oz" Diggs (Franco) is a con man / magician in a traveling circus.  He longs to be more than a good man and dreams of life beyond the circus.  When his hot air balloon is sucked into a tornado, he is transported to the colorful land of Oz.

The people of Oz believe is the powerful wizard from their prophecies.  Not everyone is convinced and soon he is swept into the problems of Oz by three powerful witches, Theodora (Kunis), Evanora (Weisz), and Glinda (Williams).  Can he use become the man the land needs?


I have been excited for this film for months.  I have yet to read L. Frank Baum's stories (don't worry, they are in my Amazon.com cart), but I love the 1939 musical The Wizard of Oz (which was our marching band show my sophomore year of high school and a few months later it was also our high school musical, so I know all the songs and own the movie soundtrack).  One of my best friends also wanted to see the film, so we decided to see it opening night, and we loved it!



The film uses the characters from L. Frank Baum’s “The Wizard of Oz” series to tell the story of how the wizard arrived in Oz and gives some backstory on other characters.  The witches do have Baum’s original names, or the names from Gregory Maguire’s “Wicked.”  The story borrows more from the 1939 musical than the books, for example Kansas is sepia toned, while Oz is colorful.

The film captures your attention from the beginning, with an imaginative title sequence, and holds your attention until the curtain literally falls during the closing credits.  It is visually impressive and action packed.
The cast is entertaining and disappear into their roles.  James Franco plays to the balconies as the wizard, doing justice to the larger than life character.  Mila Kunis is the naive witch, Rachel Weisz is the crafty witch, and Michelle Williams is the smart one.  All three bewitching and make each character come to life, even as they change.  Zach Braff adds humor as Finley the flying monkey, and Joey King is irresistible as the China Girl (both actors also appear in Kansas as other characters).  Tony Cox is funny as Knuck the Munchkin.  The Munchkins appear, and sing.

The Wicked Witch of the West makes an appearance in all her green glory, but is never called by that name.  Don’t read spoilers about her identity (and I won't spoil it here), wait and find out in theaters.

Disney Studios had enough faith in this film to greenlight a sequel.


Oz the Great and Powerful (2013) 130 minutes
Director: Sam Raimi
Starring: James Franco as Oscar "Oz" Diggs
Michelle Williams as Glinda
Mila Kunis as Theodora
Rachel Weisz as Evanora
Zach Braff as Frank / Finley
Bill Cobbs as Master Tinker
Joey King as China Girl
Tony Cox as Knuck

Safe Haven (2013)

To escape her problems and a pursuing police officer, Katie (Hough) finds the quiet town of Southport, North Carolina.  She decides to stay, and buys a house in the middle of nowhere.  She plans to stay away from people, but reluctantly forms friendships with two locals: her neighbor Jo (Smulders) and the owner of the local convenience store Alex (Duhamel).  Alex is a widower with two young children, Josh (Lomax) and Lexie (Kirkland).

As Katie grows closer to the Wheatley family, back in Boston, police detective Kevin Tierney (Lyons) is dedicated to finding Katie.  After months of searching, he submits a wanted poster for her, which ends up in Southport.


I agreed to see this film with a group of girlfriends, but was not overly excited.  Yes, the trailers showed Josh Duhamel shirtless, which is always nice to see... but it's based on a Nicholas Sparks book.  I have nothing against Sparks, but you know what you're getting with his work: two people meet, fall in love, one gets sick and dies...  Having said that, I do own 4 of his movies (in my defense, they were a gift and not something I purchased / requested).

Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised by the film.  We missed the first few minutes (ok, fine, we were 10 minutes late), but it was easy enough to catch up.  The story is not what I was expected... yes, there were parts that were predictable, but they throw in a few twists that keep you from getting bored.  The cast is good and the kids are cute.  Yes, it is a chick-flick, but don't let that stop you from checking it out.

Safe Haven (2013) 115 minutes
Rated: PG-13 for thematic material involving threatening behavior, and for violence and sexuality
Director: Lasse Hallstrom
Starring: Julianne Hough as Katie
Josh Duhamel as Alex Wheatley
Cobie Smulders as Jo
David Lyons as Kevin Tierney
Noah Lomax as Josh Wheatley
Mimi Kirkland as Lexie Wheatley

For a Good Time, Call...

"Oh my gosh, you got me a gift! And it's pink!"

When Lauren Powell's (Miller) boyfriend ends their relationship, she needs to find a new place to live.  Her friend Jesse (Long) has a solution: move in with his friend Katie Steele (Graynor).  Katie has a large apartment, but can't afford her rent alone.  Lauren and Katie hate each other based on an incident during their freshman year of college.

Despite their hatred, they agree to live together for the summer.  Katie has a series of jobs to make ends meet.  One night Lauren overhears noises coming from Katie's room and worries that she is being attacked... but when she opens the door she finds Katie's secret: Katie is a phone sex operator.  After Lauren loses her job, they decide to open their own phone sex line, with Katie as the operator and Lauren as the accounting side.

I first heard about this film through a movie blog I read.  The author recommended it and the trailers were funny, so I decided to add it to my Netflix queue.  The film is funny and risque (based on the subject matter alone).  The script, which was co-written by Lauren Powell (who is married to Seth Rogen), focuses on the female friendship, but treats it like a romantic relationship.  There is no romance between the female characters, but everything is framed / setup like a romantic comedy.  It is an interesting film, and I enjoyed it.

For a Good Time, Call... (2012) 85 minutes
Rated: R for strong sexual content throughout, language and some drug use
Director: Jamie Travis
Starring: Lauren Anne Miller as Lauren Powell
Ari Graynor as Katie Steele
Justin Long as Jesse
Mimi Rogers as Adele Powell
Don McManus as Scott Powell
Mark Webber as Sean
Nia Vardalos as Rachel  Rodman