I Was a Male War Bride

"I wonder what the army'd do if I deserted?"

"They'd shoot you. The thought makes my mouth water."

After WWII, French Army Captain Henri Rochard (Grant) is given a special mission.  To complete his mission he needs to work with American Lieutenant Catherine Gates (Sheridan).  Rochard and Gates worked together before and do not get along.

Through a series of misadventures on their mission, they fall in love and get married.  But when it's time to return to the states they are forced to fight through a mound of red tape to stay together.


The plot of this film is based on the biography of Henri Rochard, "I Was an Alien Spouse of Female Military Personnel Enroute to the United States Under Public Law 271 of the Congress."  In the biography, Rochard documented all of the bureaucratic red tape to get married.  Director Howard Hawks and the screenwriting team turned this frustrating tale into a screwball comedy.

This film marked the fourth collaboration between Hawks and Cary Grant; they made 5 films together (Bringing Up Baby, Only Angels Have Wings, His Girl Friday, and Monkey Business).  As usual, Grant owns the screen.  He doesn't even try to be French, but that isn't a sticking point.  He dives into the character (and slapstick) with gusto.  Ann Sheridan matches his energy and delivers a strong performance.  I am not familiar with Sheridan's body of work, but I enjoy her here.

Check out this underrated gem.

I Was a Male War Bride (1949) 105 minutes
Director: Howard Hawks
Starring: Cary Grant and Captain Henri Rochard
Ann Sheridan as Lieutenant Catherine Gates
Marion Marshall as Lieutenant Kitty Lawrence
Randy Stuart as Lieutenant Eloise Billings
William Neff as Captain Jack Ramsey

Houseboat

After the death of his estranged wife, Tom Winters (Grant) decides to come back into his children's lives.  His three children want nothing to do with him, especially when he moves them into his tiny apartment in the city.  David (Petersen) steals, Elizabeth (Gibson) can't sleep by herself, and Robert (Herbert) is always angry and playing his harmonica.  One night Robert runs away and meets Cinzia (Loren), who is also running away, and convinces Tom to hire her as their maid.

After their house and car are wrecked, Tom moves the family into a houseboat.  The houseboat needs some serious work, and Cinzia doesn't cook or clean.  As Tom's sister-in-law Carolyn (Hyer) and the rest of the town watch, can they repair their relationships and their floating home?


Apparently the original script was written by Cary Grant's wife, actress Betsy Drake, and was to serve as a vehicle for them (they previously starred in Room for One More and Every Girl Should Be Married).  However, Grant was having an affair with Sophia Loren and had them change the script so that she could be the lead (Drake's version is very different from the film version).  Based on the film, it would have been better to keep Drake's version and keep as the female lead.  I like Loren, but not here.

The film is ok, but there is something off.  Most of the characters are consistently unlikeable, including the leads.  And what was the deal with Sophia Loren and anyone else on screen singing "Bing, Bang, Bong" every so many minutes?

Sure, some parts are funny and / or cute, but overall I was not impressed.  Both Grant and Loren have made better films.

Houseboat (1958) 110 minutes
Director: Melville Shavelson
Starring: Cary Grant as Tom Winters
Sophia Loren as Cinzia Zaccardi
Martha Hyer as Carolyn Gibson
Paul Petersen as David Winters
Charles Herbert as Robert Winters
Mimi Gibson as Elizabeth Winters
Harry Guardino as Angelo Donatello
Eduardo Ciannelli as Arturo Zaccardi

Father Goose

"So far you're shared me out of my clothes, my food and my house. Now, how about sharing some of my things with me."

Walter Eckland (Grant) wants to be left alone to sail around and drink.  His plans are interrupted by the Royal Australian Navy, who force him to serve as a coast watcher to report the movements of the Japanese Navy and planes.  He is stationed on Matalava Island, a deserted island, to live in a shack and communicate with Houghton and his men by radio, using the code name "Mother Goose."  To further encourage him, the Navy hide his alcohol around the island.

When the position of another watcher is compromised, he travels to another island to rescue the man and gain his freedom.  However, when he arrives at the island, the only person he finds is Catherine Freneau (Caron), the daughter of a French diplomat and her seven students, who are all daughters of diplomats.  With the Japanese closing in, he takes them back to his island.  It is too dangerous to remove the women, so they are forced to work together.


This is one of Cary Grant's last films (the last is Walk, Don't Run).  In this film he plays the most against type, shedding his typically suave and sophisticated film personality.  Apparently, Grant considered this character to be the most like his actual personality.

This film returns Grant to his comedy roots, after a dramatic turn in Charade.  He is funny and charismatic, like all good Grant characters.  He is matched by Leslie Caron, who is also funny and endearing in her role.  The girls are hilarious and work well as a team and as individuals with unique personalities.  The Navy officials are equally entertaining.  The relationship between Trevor Howard's Frank and Grant's Walter really sells the story and delivers the laughs.

An enjoyable flick with a great cast and funny story.

Father Goose (1964) 118 minutes
Director: Ralph Nelson
Starring: Cary Grant as Walter Eckland
Leslie Caron as Catherine Freneau
Trevor Howard as Frank Houghton
Jack Good as Lieutenant Stebbings
Sharyl Locke as Jenny
Pip Sparkle as Anne
Verina Greenlaw as Christine
Stephanie Berrington as Elizabeth
Jennifer Berrington as Harriet
Laurelle Felsette as Angelique
Nicole Felsette as Dominique

Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House

"You've been taken to the cleaners, and you don't even know your pants are off."

Jim Blandings (Grant) is a successful advertising executive.  He and his wife Muriel (Loy), and his two daughters Joan (Moffett) and Betsy (Marshall), live in a cramped apartment in New York City.  Muriel wants to hire an interior decorator to redesign the interior of the apartment, and consults family friend and lawyer Bill Cole (Douglas) to make sure their finances can handle the expense.  Jim is livid and decides that the better decision is to purchase a home in Connecticut.  They find a historic old home, fall in love with it, and purchase it, despite the protestations of Bill.

The home is over 200 years old and in serious need of renovations.  They plan to do renovations to turn it into their dream home.  They soon learn that the home is not structurally sound and all of their experts advise them to tear it down and build from scratch.  They hire architect Mr. Simms (Denny) to service the building of their home, but nothing goes as planned.  Meanwhile, Jim is given the job of designing a new slogan for "WHAM" Brand Ham, a task that has destroyed the careers of the last few executives.  He is also concerned that Muriel is having an affair with Bill.  Can Jim and Muriel really have it all?


As I have previously state, Cary Grant is one of my favorite actors, and I have been enjoying watching his films, especially his comedies.  This film is marked as a comedy, but heavily embraces reality.  And despite the decades since it's release, the struggle of home ownership (specifically building a home of your own), is still very accurate.

Grant is at his befuddled best as Jim Blandings, constantly confused by the woman in his life and the entire process that he has gotten into.  I enjoy Myrna Loy, especially in the The Thin Man films (After the Thin Man and Another Thin Man).  However, in this film she is smidge annoying and unlikeable.  There are moments when she is funny, but overall I was not amused.  The daughters, played by Sharyn Moffett and Connie Marshall, are entertaining, although I don't think they went on to do many other films.  Melvyn Douglas rounds out the main cast as their overly pessimistic friend, who is also the voice of reason throughout.  He gets some of the best lines.

The film still holds up well after all of these years.  It is still funny and a comedy classic.

Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948) 94 minutes
Director: H.C. Potter
Starring: Cary Grant as Jim Blandings
Myrna Loy as Muriel Blandings
Melvyn Douglas as Bill Cole
Reginald Denny as Simms
Sharyn Moffett as Joan Blandings
Connie Marshall as Betsy Blandings
Louise Beavers as Gussie
Ian Wolfe as Smith
Harry Shannon as Tesander

Happy Anniversary (1959)

Chris (Niven) and Alice (Gaynor) are preparing to celebrate their thirteenth year of marriage.  They are still very much in love, but don't have much time for each other.  They have two children, Ockie (Coughlin) and Debbie (Duke).  Chris is a successful lawyer, who works alongside his best friend Bud (Reiner), who also served as his best man.

On their anniversary they recreate a romantic tryst, and enjoy some time away from life.  That evening they have a party with Alice's old-fashioned parents Arthur (Smith) and Lillian (Povah), who bring a gift for the family: a television.  Chris is vehemently against owning a TV.  The evening continues to go downhill when Chris drunkenly discloses a secret to the entire family.  The ensuing arguments escalate and threaten the Walters happy marriage.


I decided to watch this film on a whim after I saw it on Amazon Instant Video and liked the main cast.  It is a cute film, but unmemorable.

This is the second film collaboration of David Niven and Mitzi Gaynor.  Their first film was The Birds and the Bees, in which Niven plays Gaynor's father, three years before.  This is the film debut of Carl Reiner, he was a writer and performer on TV.  The three leads are all talented, and do ok here.  Niven and Reiner are entertaining, especially together, and Gaynor gets one song.  The kids are entertaining, but a little grating.  Patty Duke's next film was The Miracle Worker, which was her big break.

This is not the best use of any of the stars talents, but it isn't terrible either... just dated and light.

Happy Anniversary (1959) 83 minutes
Director: David Miller
Starring: David Niven as Chris Walters
Mitzi Gaynor as Alice Gans Walters
Carl Reiner as Bud
Loring Smith as Arthur Gans
Monique van Vooren as Jeanette Revere
Phyllis Povah as Lillian Gans
Elizabeth Wilson as Millie
Patty Duke as Debbie Walters
Kevin Coughlin as Ockie Walters

Christmas in Connecticut

"I deceived you?"
"Yes! You're engaged!"
"You're married!"
"That has nothing to do with it!"

Elizabeth Lane (Stanwyck) writes one of the most popular food articles in New York.  Her articles share delicious recipes straight from her idyllic farm in Connecticut.  However, it is all a lie.  Lane lives in a small apartment in New York and can't cook.  Her recipes come from her friend Felix (Sakall), who owns a restaurant nearby.  Her magazine publisher, Alexander Yardley (Greenstreet) invites himself and war hero Jefferson Jones (Morgan) to her farm for Christmas.

Facing the end of her career, and that of her friend and editor Dudley Beecham (Shayne) if the truth should come out, she agrees to a crazy plan: she will marry John Sloan (Gardiner) and use his farm in Connecticut to host the holiday meal as requested, taking along Felix to do all of the cooking.  The farm is just as she describes in the articles, and during the day they borrow a neighbor's baby to pass off as their own.  Can Elizabeth keep up the charade, even as she falls in love with Jefferson?


A few months ago I read a synopsis of this film and bought it.  I had never seen it, but decided to take a chance.  And I loved it!

This is my second Barbara Stanwyck movie, and I love her!  She is great here.  She has a great supporting cast.  Dennis Morgan is charming as Jefferson Jones.  Reginald Gardiner is good as John Sloan, making him somewhat likeable while still showing that he isn't the right man for Stanwyck's Elizabeth.  But the best characters are Sydney Greenstreet as Yardley and S.Z. Sakall as Felix.  Greenstreet is gruff, but hilarious.  Sakall is perfect, I love him in all of his pictures.  When Sakall is introduced to Greenstreet's character, he makes a comment about a fat man...  Greenstreet played a character called "fat man" in The Maltese Falcon and Casablanca, the latter of which also starred Sakall.

The film is charming and funny, and I plan to add it to my yearly Christmas movie viewing!  Apparently they tried to remake it in 1992 as a made-for-TV movie, but it bombed.

Christmas in Connecticut (1945) 102 minutes
Director: Peter Godfrey
Starring: Barbara Stanwyck as Elizabeth Lane
Dennis Morgan as Jefferson Jones
Sydney Greenstreet as Alexander Yardley
Reginald Gardiner as John Sloan
S.Z. Sakall as Felix Bassenak
Robert Shayne as Dudley Beecham
Una O'Connor as Norah

Guardians of the Galaxy

"Metaphors go over his head."
"NOTHING goes over my head!... My reflexes are too fast, I would catch it."

When Peter Quill (Pratt) steals a mysterious orb, he becomes a target for several groups.  The orb is sought by Ronan the Accuser (Pace), a Kree warrior who needs the orb to destroy the planet Xandar.  He sends assassin Gamora (Saldana) to obtain the orb.  Quill is supposed to bring the orb to his mentor Yondu (Rooker) to take to a buyer, but Quill decides to collect the reward on his own.  Yondu puts a sizable bounty on Quill, which draws bounty hunters Rocket (Cooper), a genetically engineered racoon, and Groot (Diesel).  Soon Quill, Gamora, Groot, and Rocket are captured by Nova Corps and placed in a prison.  In the prison they meet Drax the Destroyer (Bautista) who wants to avenge the deaths of his family at the hands of Ronan.

Gamora reveals that she has a buyer for the orb, who will pay a hefty price.  They agree to team up to escape the prison and collect the reward.  As they escape, Ronan and his forces, including Gamora's sister Nebula (Gillan), are hot on their trail.  Can they stop fighting long enough to save the day?


This is the fourth film in Marvel's Phase 2, following Iron Man 3 and Thor: The Dark World, and Captain America: The Winter Soldier.  Unlike it's predecessor's, this film had the added pressure to introduce audiences to a whole new cast of characters and a new world.  And, the film had / has minimal ties to the other films and characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe: the character of Thanos appears at the end of The Avengers and The Collector appears at the end of Thor: The Dark World.

The Guardians of the Galaxy comic series, created by Arnold Drake and Gene Colan, debuted in 1969 and ran until 1995.  In 2008 Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning started writing a new volume of the series, with a new team.  The series is an obscure Marvel property, but has a strong fan-base.  The series allows Marvel to explore more of the universe that might not intersect as easily with the Avenger team.  A sequel is planned for 2017.

I came into the film with minimal knowledge of the characters / series.  My only experience with the Guardians of the Galaxy characters came from their appearance on the TV show The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes (Season 2, Episode 6).  I was pleasantly surprised by the film.

The cast and their portrayals of the characters are excellent.  The film excels because it gives each of the Guardians a chance to shine and to be vulnerable.  They are fully realized characters that make you laugh and cry.  Chris Pratt, who is one of my favorite characters on Parks and Recreation, is the perfect lead here.  His Peter Quill / Star Lord is charismatic and funny, and you understand why others would follow him.  Zoe Saldana again portrays a strong warrior, while still making you care for the character.  Dave Bautista is soulful and intense as Drax, while still providing comic relife.  Bradley Cooper is hilarious as Rocket, talking a mile a minute.  Vin Diesel infuses so much into the character of Groot, although he only says "I am Groot", he is able to convey so much.  Lee Pace is intense as Ronan and Benicio del Toro is over the top as The Collector.  Karen Gillan's Nebula is an intriguing character and hopefully she will appear in the sequel.  Djimon Hounsou and Michael Rooker as welcome additions to the cast.

The visuals and effects are incredible.  The soundtrack is full of popular songs from the 1960s and 1970s, along with a great score by Tyler Bates.  Everything about the film works and once again proved that Marvel knows how to take risks and deliver quality films.

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) 121 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and for some language
Director: James Gunn
Starring: Chris Pratt as Peter Quill
Zoe Saldana as Gamora
Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer
Vin Diesel as Groot
Bradley Cooper as Rocket
Lee Pace as Ronan the Accuser
Michael Rooker as Yondu Udonta
Karen Gillan as Nebula
Djimon Hounsou as Korath
John C. Reilly as Corpsman Dey
Glenn Close as Nova Prime
Benicio del Toro as The Collector

Call Me Madam

"You are the most American American I have ever met."

"That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me."

Sally Adams (Merman), a wealthy Washington socialite, is named the ambassador to Lichtenburg.  At the farewell party, she hires reporter Kenneth Gibson (O'Connor) as her assistant.  At the Lichtenburg embassy, they meet Pemberton Maxwell (De Wolf), who is the third member of their team and a stickler for the rules and protocol.

Lichtenburg is ruled by Grand Duke Otto (Stossel) and Grand Duchess Sophia (Skala), who are brokering a marriage between their niece Princess Maria (Ellen) and Prine Hugo (Dantine).  Their advisors see Sally as the answer to all their financial issues, and a ensure that the marriage takes place.  However, Kenneth falls for the Princess, who returns his affection.  Sally is wooed by General Cosmo Constantine (Sanders), who claims that he does not want any of her money.  Pemberton warns that it is all a political ploy.  Can Sally sort out the politics and romances so that everyone gets what they want?



In 1950, composer Irving Berlin teamed up with Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse for a musical based on Perle Mesta.  Mesta was a hostess and political fundraiser who was named as ambassador of Luxembourg 1949-1953 by Harry Truman.  They thought it would make a great show and envisioned Ethel Merman in the lead role.  The show was a hit and Merman remained the star for the show's entire Broadway run of 644 performances, from 1950-1952.

Merman is the perfect choice for this role.  She has excellent comedic timing, along with a boisterous personality that work well on stage, but sometimes feel a little too big for film.  I love Merman, but her voice is huge and can be overwhelming.

Donald O'Connor is an incredible dancer.  His "Make 'Em Laugh" scene from Singin' in the Rain is my favorite moment / song from the film.  In this film he gets another chance to have a big, iconic dance that steals the show (the song starts around the 1 minute mark, he starts dancing at 1:13)

His dancing is matched by Vera-Ellen, who is a beautiful and graceful dancer.  Her songs were dubbed by someone else, but her dancing is unparalleled.  O'Connor and Ellen are a great dancing match-up, with complimentary styles.  Unfortunately, this film is the only time they appear together. This is George Sanders only musical, but he holds his own.  The rest of the cast is good as well.

This isn't a great musical.  It is fun to watch, but none of the songs are particularly memorable.  "It's a Lovely Day Today" and "You're Just in Love" are good songs, but not as good as other Berlin songs.  It is ok, but probably better on stage or live.

Call Me Madam (1953) 114 minutes
Director: Walter Lang
Starring: Ethel Merman as Sally Adams
Donald O'Connor as Kenneth Gibson
Vera-Ellen as Princess Maria
George Sanders as General Cosmo Constantine
Billy De Wolf as Pemberton Maxwell
Helmut Dantine as Prince Hugo
Walter Slezak as August Tantinnin
Steven Geray as Prime Minister Sebastian
Ludwig Stossel as Grand Duke Otto
Lilia Skala as Grand Duchess Sophie

Three Guys Named Mike

Small town girl Marcy Lewis (Wyman) is a flight attendant.  She is friendly and smart and easily charms the passengers and everyone around her.  Her first stewardess position pairs her with pilot Mike Jamison (Keel).  Despite a rocky first day, they quickly establish a light and friendly relationship.

Marcy is transferred to a different schedule, which allows her to move in with her close friends Kathy (Kirk), Jan (Sargent), and Alice (Donnell).  At her new airline, she meets and befriends passenger Mike Lawrence (Johnson), a graduate student who works as a bartender to make ends meet.  While moving, she meets successful advertiser Mike Tracy (Sullivan) and inspires his new advertising campaign.  When all of the Mikes meet, she has to decide who she really loves.


This film was recommended for me, based on my movie tastes.  It sounded good, and I had never heard of it... so I decided to give the film a chance.  It was a charming and funny film.  It was a delight to watch.

Jane Wyman is sweet and endearing here; you can completely believe that everyone loves her.  Her suitors are all entertaining, but Barry Sullivan's Mike is the least developed.  He is fine, but his character doesn't have the same amount of screen time as the other two.  Van Johnson is good.  Howard Keel had the best chemistry with Wyman, which overshadows her screen time with the other two.

A gem of a film with an excellent cast!

Three Guys Named Mike (1951) 90 minutes
Director: Charles Walters
Starring: Jane Wyman as Marcy Lewis
Van Johnson as Mike Lawrence
Howard Keel as Mike Jamison
Barry Sullivan as Mike Tracy
Phyllis Kirk as Kathy Hunter
Anne Sargent as Jan Baker
Jeff Donnell as Alice Raymend

The Grass Is Greener

"Well then, so long, be seeing you, as you say in America."
"Cheerio, as you say in Britain."

Victor (Grant) and Hilary (Kerr) Rhyall are facing financial struggles.  They cannot afford the upkeep on their lavish family estate and have allowed tourists to have guided tours of the home, while they keep to a few rooms.  One day American millionaire Charles Delacro (Mitchum) enters their private chambers and charms Hilary.

When the affair begins, Victor invites Charles to visit for the weekend.  He also invites Hilary's best friend, who also happens to be Victor's former girlfriend, Hattie (Simmons).  Will Hilary choose Victor, or will he be forced to go to drastic measures to untangle the love quandrangle?


This film marks the third collaboration between Cary Grant and Deborah (they previously starred in Dream Wife and An Affair to Remember).  I found it on Amazon Instant Video, and since it sounded too good to pass up, I added it to my queue.  And I was not disappointed.


The film is adapted from the 1958 play The Grass Is Greener which was written by Hugh Williams and Margaret Vyner.  The play was a considered one of the best plays of 1958-1959, and the studio asked Williams and Vyner to write the screenplay for the film.

The film is intriguing from the beginning.  The opening credits, which were designed by Maurice Binder, are cute and creative.  Binder created the opening titles for most of director Stanley Donen's films, and later gained notoriety for his work on the James Bond films.

The cast is excellent, and Jean Simmons received a Laurel Award nomination for her performance.  My favorite scene is the telephone call between Victor and Charles, which appears on split screen with the two couples mirroring each other.  It is a great scene, and feels like something that would work well on stage (maybe it happened in the original play, regardless it is funny).

The Grass Is Greener (1960) 104 minutes
Director: Stanley Donen
Starring: Cary Grant as Victor Rhyall, Earl
Deborah Kerr as Lady Hilary Rhyall
Robert Mitchum as Charles Delacro
Jean Simmons as Hattie Durant
Moray Watson as Trevor Sellers

Topper

"Perhaps you can explain the red on this cigarette."

"Yes, I... cut my tongue when I was shaving this morning."

George (Grant) and Marion (Bennett) Kerby are a wealthy, carefree couple.  Their partying ways are cut short by a fatal car crash that kills both.  However, since they have never been responsible enough to be too good or bad, they begin to fad away.  They decide that they need to do a good deed to get into heaven.

Meanwhile, their friend Cosmo Topper (Young) is tired of having his wife (Burke) plan his life.  He impulsively purchases the Kerby's car and gets a flat tire.  George and Marion decide to make helping Topper their good deed.  Can the Kerby's help Topper enjoy life, or will they just ruin his life and marriage?


Cary Grant is one of my favorite actors and have yet to dislike one of his films.  This month, TCM (Turner Classic Movies) is showing his films on Monday nights, and I can't pass up the chance to check out some of his films.  Topper is one that I heard of, or saw listed in his filmography, but had never gotten around to seeing.


This film was a major success and helped the careers of all of the leads.  Constance Bennett is a treat.  She and Cary Grant have charm to spare and are an entertaining pair, but the real star of the film is Roland Young as Topper.  Young was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance.  Young, who worked with Grant again in The Philadelphia Story, is a talented physical comedian, which is put to use here as he interacts with the ghosts.  His wife is played by Billie Burke, who went on to play Glinda in The Wizard of Oz, who is fine in her role.  Alan Mowbray is entertaining as their butler with an attitude.  There are other small roles that are memorable, including Arthur Lake as the confused bellhop, Eugen Pallette as the detective, and Ward Bond as one of the cab drivers.

Check out this classic screwball comedy!

Topper (1937) 97 minutes
Director: Norman McLeod
Starring: Constance Bennett as Marion Kerby
Cary Grant as George Kerby
Roland Young as Cosmo Topper
Billie Burke as Mrs. Topper
Alan Mowbray as Wilkins

Wish I Was Here

"We both spent our entire lives wishing we could be something great and now we're finally called upon to do something that requires some actual bravery."

Aidan Bloom (Braff) is a struggling actor who hasn't worked in years.  His family is financially supported by his wife Sarah (Hudson).  His children, Grace (Hudson) and Tucker (Gagnon) are in Jewish school, which is paid by his father Gabe (Patinkin).  When Gabe's cancer returns, his money goes towards his treatments and the kids are kicked out of school.  Aidan refuses to send the kids to public school and begins homeschooling them.  Aidan's brother Noah (Gad) refuses to help care for their father.  Aidan begins teaching the kids about life, while grappling with his father's illness.



This film marks Zach Braff's second time in the directors chair (following 2004's Garden State).  After the success of Veronica Mars successful Kickstarter campaign, Braff turned to Kickstarter to help fund this film.  Ultimately over 46,000 people donated to the campaign, and the film was picked up by Worldview Entertainment.

I enjoyed Braff on TV's Scrubs, but didn't love Garden State (although I am willing to give it a second try).  However, the previews looked interesting and I was intrigued to see how the Kickstarter campaign helped shape the film.  The trailers and descriptions of the film are misleading.  It seems like it should be a funny film that focuses on the relationship between Braff's Aidan and his children... nothing ever mentioned that it was also emotional.

The film tries too hard... it is ok, but not as great as it seems to think.  It has funny moments and heartwarming moments, but the story doesn't quite know what it's doing.  It is possible to have a funny moment that also deals with serious, emotional moments, but it didn't click here.  Yes, I laughed and cried, and was satisfied with the ending, but most of the characters are not fully fleshed out.  Josh Gad is completely wasted in his role, although he does get a nice moment later in the film.  I loved seeing Donald Faison in a cameo, along with other Scrubs alums in small cameos.

It's hard to describe this film.  I wouldn't recommend it... but I can't condemn it either.  It didn't leave an impression.

Wish I Was Here (2014) 106 minutes
Rating: R for language and some sexual content
Director: Zach Braff
Starring: Zach Braff as Aidan Bloom
Kate Hudson as Sarah Bloom
Joey King as Grace Bloom
Pierce Gagnon as Tucker Bloom
Mandy Patinkin as Gabe Bloom
Josh Gad as Noah Bloom
Ashley Greener as Janine

An Affair to Remember

"What makes life so difficult?"
"People."

Aboard a cruise from Europe to New York, wealthy playboy Nickie Ferrante (Grant) meets nightclub singer Terry McKay (Kerr).  Nickie is engaged to American heiress Lois Clark (Patterson) and Terry is in a serious relationship with Kenneth Bradley (Denning).  Despite their relationships, they are drawn to each other, although they try to keep it from the other passengers.

Nickie invites Terry for a day trip to visit his grandmother, Grandmother Janou (Nesbitt).  The visit changes their relationship and they realize that they are in love.  As the voyage comes to a close they agree to meet at the top of the Empire State Building in 6 months.


This film is considered one of the most romantic films of all time; it was #5 in AFI's 100 Years... 100 Passions lists (Cary Grant starred in the most films on the list: 6).  It was nominated for 4 Academy Awards.  The film is a remake of director Leo McCarey's 1939 film Love Affair, starring Irene Dunn and Charles Boyer.  It was a beloved film that was nominated for several Academy Awards.  In 1994, Warren Beatty and Annette Bening starred in a remake of Love Affair (and used the same title).

This marks the second (of 3) film collaborations between Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr.  In 1953 they starred in Dream Wife and in 1960 they starred in The Grass Is Greener.  This film is the most successful of the three.

Grant and Kerr have excellent chemistry.  They ooze charisma and are perfectly suited for their roles.  The rest of the cast pale in comparison.  The script draws you in from the beginning, with only a few rough / slow patches (is it really necessary to spend that amount of time with Terry's students... sure, they are adorable, but do we really need to see them perform twice?).  The film had a renaissance in 1993 when it was featured heavily in Nora Ephron's Sleepless in Seattle.

It is a wonderful film, that everyone should see at least once.

An Affair to Remember (1957) 119 minutes
Director: Leo McCarey
Starring: Cary Grant as Nickie Ferrante
Deborah Kerr as Terry McKay
Richard Denning as Kenneth Bradley
Neva Patterson as Lois Clark
Cathleen Nesbitt as Grandmother Janou

Snowpiercer

"My friend, you suffer from the misplaced optimism of the doomed."

In 2014 an experiment meant to counteract the effects of global warming causes a world-wide ice age that destroyed all life.  Eighteen years later, the only survivors reside on a luxury train, owned by eccentric billionaire Wilford (Harris).  The train has a special engine that allows it to travel around the globe and protect it's passengers from the frigid weather.  The occupants of the train are divided based on their location, with the wealthy and privileged in the front and the poor in the tail.  The inhabitants of the tail are preparing for a revolution.  They are tired of eating protein bars and having the guards take their children.  The revolution is orchestrated by Curtis (Evans), a quiet and thoughtful man who barely remembers life before the train.

Curtis plans to attack the train's water source so that they have bargaining power.  He is assisted by his best friend and second-in command Edgar (Bell) and their mentor Gilliam (Hurt) who also serves as the moral compass of the tail section.  After overcoming the first obstacle, they convince Namgoong Minsoo (Song), who designed the locking mechanisms for the doors, and his clairvoyant daughter Yona (Ko) to join their trip to the front of the train.  With Wilford's ruthless spokesman Mason (Swinton) and trained guards in their way, can they fight all the way to the engine?


I was skeptical about this film, but after reading several positive reviews, decided to give it a chance.  It marks the English-language debut for director Joon-ho Bong, who is a South Korean director and screenwriter with a distinctive style.  Bong based the screenplay on the French graphic novel Le Transperceneige by Jacques Lob, Benjamin Legrand, and Jean-Marc Rochette.  Prior to this, I was unfamiliar with Bong's films, but I can't wait to dive into more of his work.

Bong created a detailed world on the train, with each train having a distinct style and purpose.  It is visually stunning and creative.  They also utilized the space on the train well in the intricate and gruesome fight sequences.  Some of the action is a little far fetched, but others are impressive based on what they manage to do with the space and resources at hand (one scene is only lit by torches).

The cast list is also impressive.  Chris Evans, best know as Captain America, is the focus of the film, but the people around him are even more entertaining.  Kang-ho Song and Ah-sung Ko regularly collaborate with Bong, and are a great father-daughter team here.  Tilda Swinton has the showiest role as Mason.  She is hidden under ridiculous glasses and fascinating accent, but is still the most despicable character in the film... but you can't wait to see what she will do next.  The cast as a whole are intriguing characters, played by talented actors.

It is an interesting film.  It takes a bit to get into it, but the payoff is worth it.  A fascinating science fiction, action flick.

Snowpiercer (2013) 126 minutes
Rating: R for violence, language and drug content
Director: Joon-ho Bong
Starring: Chris Evans as Curtis
Kang-ho Song as Namgoong Minsoo
Tilda Swinton as Mason
Jamie Bell as Edgar
Octavia Spencer as Tanya
Ewen Bremner as Andrew
Ah-sung Ko as Yona
Vlad Ivanov as Franco the Elder
Luke Pasqualino as Grey
John Hurt as Gilliam
Ed Harris as Wilford

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues

"You're on the 2 AM to 5 AM slot."

"What? That's the graveyard shift!"

"I ain't afraid of no ghost!"

Ron Burgundy (Ferrell) and his wife Veronica Corningstone (Applegate) are the co-anchors at a news show in New York.  When the nightly news anchor retires, the job goes to Veronica and Ron is fired from the network.  Ron leaves Veronica and their son Walter (Nelson) and returns to San Diego.  Six months later he accepts an anchor position for GNN, a new network that wants to broadcast the news 24 hours a day.  He decides to reunite the old team: reporter Brian Fantana (Rudd) who is now a famed photographer, sports guy Champ Kind (Koechner) who now owns a fast food chain, and meteorologist Brick Tamland (Carell) who is still confused.

They are given the graveyard shift and decide to use their time slot to give the people news that they actually want to hear.  With station owner Kench Allenby (Lawson) and director Linda Jackson (Good) watching their every move, and anchor Jack Lime (Marsden) mocking them, can the team beat the odds?


In 2004 Will Ferrell and director Adam McKay teamed up to bring Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy to life.  Ferrell and McKay worked together on Saturday Night Live, and have since collaborated on several films and the comedy website Funny or Die.  Nine years after the success of Anchorman, they decided to bring Ron Burgundy back to the big screen.

All of the main characters return for this film, some only for cameos.  The film also features some gags from the original.  The best use of these gags is the newscaster battle towards the end.  The scene is bursting with impressive cameos and ridiculous weapons.  It was my favorite scene.

Many of the funniest gags appeared in the film's trailer.  The film is funny, but it also drags in some scenes.  An ok sequel and comedy... funny but not great.

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013) 119 minutes
Rating: R for language, drug use, sexual material and references
Director: Adam McKay
Starring: Will Ferrell as Ron Burgundy
Steve Carell as Brick Tamland
Paul Rudd as Brian Fantana
David Koechner as Champ Kind
Christina Applegate as Veronica Corningstone
Dylan Baker as Freddie Shapp
Meagan Good as Linda Jackson
Judah Nelson as Walter Burgundy
James Marsden as Jack Lime
Greg Kinnear as Gary
Josh Lawson as Kench Allenby
Kristen Wiig as Chani Lastname

Double Indemnity

"We're both rotten."

"Only you're a little more rotten."

Walter Neff (MacMurray) is an insurance salesman, one of the best at his firm.  One day he goes to the Dietrichson home to renew an automobile insurance policy.  He is instantly smitten with Phyllis Dietrichson (Stanwyck) and they flirt.  She invites him to return the following evening to talk with her husband and then asks about getting a secret life insurance policy for her husband (Powers).  Neff guesses her intentions and leaves.

He can't get Phyllis off his mind.  A few days later she comes to his apartment to confess her love.  He agrees to help her kill her husband so they can be together.  He crafts a meticulous plan to fool the claims adjuster Barton Keyes (Robinson), who he works with and considers a close friend.  Can they fool the police, insurance agent, and Dietrichson's inquisitive daughter Lola (Heather)?


This film is considered a classic, and is often written about and talked about cinematic circles, and considered one of Roger Ebert's great movies.  I knew the basic plot, but wanted to officially watch the film, and I was not disappointed.

The story is based on the 1943 novel Double Indemnity by James M. Cain, and apparently he based the story on a 1927 murder by Ruth Snyder.  The screenplay was written by famed novelist and screenwriter Raymond Chandler and directed by Billy Wilder.  It is an incredible film, worth all of the hype it has received over the years.  The dialogue is sharp and dark, and the film is an early example of Wilder's talent and the noir genre as a whole.

The film is told as a flashback, with the end of the story happening at the beginning.  The story unfolds through voiceover narration by Fred MacMurray.  Before this I only knew MacMurray for his Disney roles, but I like him in this role as well... since it is so unexpected.  Barbara Stanwyck is the perfect femme fatale with questionable motives.  And Edward Robinson is the moral center of the film.  He is an intriguing character.

This feels like a film that gets better and better with each viewing, and I look forward to watching it again to find new things.

Double Indemnity (1944) 107 minutes
Director: Billy Wilder
Starring: Fred MacMurray as Walter Neff
Barbara Stanwyck as Phyllis Dietrichson
Edward G. Robinson as Barton Keyes
Porter Hall as Mr. Jackson
Jean Heather as Lola Dietrichson
Tom Powers as Mr. Dietrichson
Byron Barr as Nino Zachetti

Free Birds

"Do you know what "hypothetically" means?"

"No, but I can imagine a scenario where I might."

Reggie (Wilson) is pardoned by the President of the United States (Hayward) for Thanksgiving.  As the pardoned turkey, he lives a life of luxury, until he is kidnapped by Jake (Harrelson).  Jake received a mission from The Great Turkey to find Reggie and save all turkeys.  They break into a top secret government facility and take the time machine.  The time machine is controlled by an AI called S.T.E.V.E. (Takei), who takes them back in time to a few days before the first Thanksgiving.

The wild turkeys are led by Chief Broadbeak (David).  They are being hunted by Myles Standish (Meaney) and other colonists, to serves as the main course at their meal with the native tribe.  The turkeys are highly intelligent and their scouts, led by the Chief's son Ranger (Hayward), have a plan to stay alive and stay one step ahead of the hunters.  Reggie is captivated by the Chief's fearkess daughter, Jenny (Poehler).  Reggie and Jake join the flock and concoct a plan to save their friends and all future turkeys.  But the settlers have plans of their own; who will win the battle for the first Thanksgiving?


I watched this film on Thanksgiving morning.  As the aroma of turkey filled the air, I laughed at the antics on the screen.  It isn't a great animated film, but it does have it's moments... and I appreciate that there is finally another animated Thanksgiving film.

Owen Wilson has previous experience as a voice actor, starring in Pixar's Cars franchise as Lightning McQueen.  He brings the same charm to this role.  He is matched by the excitement of Woody Harrelson.  Harrelson always brings a unique perspective to his characters, and Jake is not exception.  Amy Poehler is an excellent comedian and her voice really lends itself well to the character and to animation in general.  George Takei brings a solid dose of sarcasm to S.T.E.V.E.  The voice cast is perfect.

The story is not great... it has good moments, but it looses track a few times.  It is funny, but definitely won't appeal to everyone.

Free Birds (2013) 91 minutes
Director: Jimmy Hayward
Starring: Owen Wilson as Reggie
Woody Harrelson as Jake
Amy Poehler as Jenny
Dan Fogler as Governor Bradford
George Takei as S.T.E.V.E.
Colm Meaney as Myles Standish
Keith David as Chief Broadbeak
Jimmy Hayward as Ranger; President of the United States

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

"Are you crazy?"

"Not yet. But I'm getting there."

It's two days before Thanksgiving and Neal Page (Martin) is anxious to get home.  He is stuck in a boring meeting at work in New York, with the minutes ticking down until his flight back to Chicago.  He gets to the flight just in time, but the flight is delayed.  During the wait, he begins chatting with a fellow traveler Del Griffith (Candy), who stole his taxi.  Neal and Del are seated together on the plane.  The plane is grounded in Wichita due to a blizzard in Chicago.

With no other option, they decide to team up to find a place to spend the night.  With all of the flights booked, can they find a way to get to Chicago in time for Thanksgiving?


Prior to today I had seen a few scenes from this film, but somehow I never watched the entire film.  I didn't even though it was about Thanksgiving (my guess was Christmas).  Anyway, since Thanksgiving is in a few days, I decided it was time to officially watch this film.

This film was written and directed by John Hughes, his fifth time as a director.  He was responsible for some of the most popular films of the 1980s.  He would go on to write and produce 2 popular Christmas films: Christmas Vacation and Home Alone.

The casting is perfect here, and the film revolves around these characters, with only a few other characters appearing in multiple scenes.  John Candy, who would collaborate with Hughes many more times, is great here... alternating between endearing and irritating.  Steve Martin does well with uptight characters, managing to skate the line between grating and funny.  Together they are excellent.

Check it out this Thanksgiving (instant streaming on Netflix) when you think your travel or family are too much.

Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987) 93 minutes
Rating: R
Director: John Hughes
Starring: Steve Martin as Neal Page
John Candy as Del Griffith
Laila Robins as Susan Page
Olivia Burnette as Marti Page
Matthew Lawrence as Little Neal Page
Susan Isaacs as Marie

Batman Returns

"Mistletoe can be deadly if you eat it."

"But a kiss can be even deadlier if you mean it."

With Christmas around the corner, corrupt businessman Max Shreck (Walken) is trying to convince Gotham City officials to approve his new power plant.  He teams up with the Penguin (DeVito), who has lived in Gotham sewers since childhood when he was abandoned.  The Penguin saves the Mayor's (Murphy) son and is called a hero.  He uses his newfound fame to learn his real name, Oswald Cobblepot.

Meanwhile, Shreck's secretary Selina Kyle (Pfeiffer) discovers the truth behind the power plant and is killed.  She is revived by a pack of alley cats and becomes Catwoman to destroy Shreck.  Bruce Wayne (Keaton) is not convinced that Shrek and the Penguin are being completely honest and begins investigating.  He and Selina are attracted to each other, while their alter egos have a bitter rivalry.  Can Bruce save the city and get the girl?


After the success of the 1989 Batman film, Tim Burton and Michael Keaton were approached to do a sequel.  Burton did not want to make a direct sequel, so Vicki Vale (portrayed by Kim Basinger) did not return for the sequel, although she is mentioned a few times.  The only actors to return for the film were Keaton, Pat Hingle as Commissioner Gordon, and Michael Gough as Alfred.

Once again the writers used iconic Batman villains from the 1960s TV show.  This time Danny DeVito put his own spin on the Penguin.  Burgess Meredith was the Penguin in the show and 1966 film.  DeVito takes a much darker spin on the character, who has not appeared in any subsequent Batman films, although he is a main character on TV's Gotham.  Michelle Pfeiffer is perfectly cast as Catwoman.  Catwoman was portrayed by 3 different women on the show: Julie Newmar, Lee Meriwhether, and Eartha Kitt.  She also appeared on the WB show Birds of Prey, along with every cartoon version of Batman, and was played by Anne Hathaway in The Dark Knight Rises.  She is a beloved character, and Pfeiffer is one of the best parts of the film.

This film is even better than Burton's first Batman film, but much darker and more gruesome.  The film might have worked better with only 1 villain, and potentially setting up future villains (the script originally featured Harvey Dent and setup his transformation into Two-Face).  Or maybe it needed less emphasis on Max Shreck, who is a new character.  Christopher Walken is good, creepy and calculating, but he could be better used elsewhere.  A decent Batman film, although it ushered in 2 terrible Batman films (Batman Forever and Batman and Robin).

Batman Returns (1992) 126 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for brooding, dark violence
Director: Tim Burton
Starring: Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne / Batman
Danny DeVito as Oswald Cobblepot / Penguin
Michelle Pfeiffer as Selina Kyle / Catwoman
Christopher Walken as Max Shreck
Michael Murphy as Mayor of Gotham City
Pat Hingle as Commissioner James Gordon
Michael Gough as Alfred Pennyworth

Batman (1989)

"What do you want?"
"My face on the one dollar bill."
"You must be joking."
"Do I look like I'm joking?"

Gotham City is overrun with corruption and crime.  Police Commissioner Gordon (Hingle) and District Attorney Harvey Dent (Williams) are trying to increase the police presence and eradicate crime, especially with the city's bicentennial celebrate on the horizon.  But their efforts are continually thwarted by corrupt police officers and the mob organizations that have a strong hold on the city.  At the head of the mob presence is Carl Grissom (Palance) and his ambitious second-in-command Jack Napier (Nicholson).  Napier is seemingly killed when he falls into a vat of dangerous chemicals, but is reborn as the Joker.  Now insane, he brutally murders the other crime bosses and begins a violent crime wave.

Meanwhile, reporter Alexander Knox (Wuhl) is investigating a mysterious giant bat that is terrorizing criminals.  He is joined by famed photographer Vicki Vale (Basinger), although the rest of the city views his story as a joke.  The Batman is striking fear into the hearts of criminals and doing what the city police are unwilling or unable to do.  Batman is the alter ego of millionaire Bruce Wayne (Keaton), who is scarred by murder of his parents that he witnessed as a child.  He is focused on justice for the city, and with the help of his trusted butler Alfred (Gough), fights crime every evening.  He is intrigued by Vicki and the two begin a relationship.  Can he protect the city and the woman he loves?


In 1939, artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger created Batman for DC comics.  He was a dark character, the perfect contrast to DC's most famous character: Superman.  In the 1960s the character was restyled with a campier feel, which appeared in the comics and in the live-action TV show starring Adam West in 1966.  There was also a 1966 film version of Batman, starring the cast of the TV show.  Over 2 decades later it was time for Batman to change again.

Tim Burton, having only directed 2 films, envisioned a darker Batman, reminiscent of the character's 1940s origin.  The script, by Sam Hamm and Warren Skaaren, made Batman and Gotham much darker.  He cast Michael Keaton, previously known for comedy roles, as the caped crusader, despite protests from fans.  For Batman's iconic villain the Joker, he cast Jack Nicholson.  Nicholson took the character to a darker, weirder place.  The Joker has appeared in 3 Batman films, each having a different iconic take on the character: Cesar Romero in 1966, Nicholson, and Heath Ledger (in an Oscar winning performance) in The Dark Knight.

Fans of the comics were upset by several major discrepancies in the film.  Their main issue involved the identity of the man who murdered Bruce's parents, which changed for this film.  However, these changes were approved by Bob Kane.

The film is visually impressive, bringing Gotham City to life.  Nicholson's performance is also a great aspect of the film.  He owns the film and every scene.  The rest of the cast are fine.  Michael Keaton is distant but good as Batman, and returned in the sequel Batman Returns.  Pat Hingle and Michael Gough appeared in all four of the 1990 Batman films, and are the only actors / characters to appear in all four.  Kim Basinger's character is not well developed, despite her large presence in the Batman comics, and her screaming is grating.  The film is interesting to watch, especially when compared to Christopher Nolan's trilogy and the 1966 film / TV show.

Batman (1989) 126 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for brooding, dark violence
Director: Tim Burton
Starring: Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne / Batman
Jack Nicholson as Jack Napier / The Joker
Kim Basinger as Vicki Vale
Robert Wuhl as Alexander Knox
Pat Hingle as Commissioner Gordon
Billy Dee Williams as Harvey Dent
Michael Gough as Alfred Pennyworth
Jack Palance as Carl Grissom
Jerry Hall as Alicia Hunt
Tracey Walter as Bob

TV: The Middleman

"I tell ya. Some chucklehead's always tryin' to take over the world."

Wendy Watson (Morales) is a painter working temp jobs to pay her rent.  One day at her temp job a lab experiment turns into a tentacled monster.  The monster is dispatched by the Middleman (Keeslar), who is impressed with Wendy's demeanor in the face of imminent danger.  He hires Wendy as his sidekick / Middleman in training, to help deal with weird situations / circumstances.  They are assisted by Ida (Gleeson), a cranky android.  Their cover is a temp agency called Jolly Fats Wehawkin Temp Agency.

Wendy shares an apartment with her best friend, Lacey (Morgan), a performance artist.  And they across the hall from Noser (Smollett), a laid-back musician who relishes his song-lyric conversations with Wendy.  Can Wendy protect the world and her secret job, and still have time for her friends and her art?


Fighting evil so you don't have to.
This show is based on the comic series by Javier Grillo-Marxuach and Les McClaine.  Grillo-Marxuach adapted the series for ABC Family.  The show was cancelled after 12 episodes, but the cast reunited at Comic Con in 2009 to perform a live reading of the 13th episode, which was never filmed.  You can watch the whole thing on YouTube.

Natalie Morales is snarky perfection as Wendy.  She is the audience surrogate and gets some of the funniest lines, besides Mary Pat Gleeson's Ida.  The main cast members perfectly breathe life into their characters.  They also had a slew of talented guest stars to play opposite.  It was ridiculous and endearing, with lots of in jokes and pop culture references... and all of the villains monologue that "My plan is sheer elegance in it's simplicity."  The show was enjoyable, but was too unique to have any hope to survive long-term.

The Middleman (2008)
Creator: Javier Grillo-Marxuach
Starring: Matt Keeslar as The Middleman
Natalie Morales as Wendy Watson
Brit Morgan as Lacey Thornfield
Mary Pat Gleeson as Ida
Jake Smollett as Noser

Crimes of Fashion (2004)

"Look, I am a fashion student. I design pretty clothes that don't include gun holsters."

Brooke Taylor (Cuoco) is a hapless fashion student.  She works hard on her designs, but can't seem to catch a break.  All that changes when she is approached by George (Chianese), an associate of her grandfather.  She learns that her grandfather died and named her as his successor in the family business: mob boss of the Sarto family.

Meanwhile, her actions are being monitored by the FBI, who intend to use her to take down the mob.  Clumsy agent Jack Lawton (Kelly) is assigned to go undercover at the school to gain Brooke's confidence.  Brooke also has to contend with mob boss Sal Hugo (Shamata), who intends to destroy her family.  Can Brooke divide her time between her classes and the family she never she had?


This was an ABC Family original movie that aired in 2004.  I remember seeing commercials for the film, but never got around to watching it.  I rediscovered this film recently on Netflix.  Since the film aired, the two female leads have become household names.  Kaley Cuoco, who is best known for her TV roles (Penny on The Big Bang Theory and Bridget on 8 Simple Rules), is charming here.  Megan Fox is the perfect foil as Candace.  Fox is best known for her film roles (in the Transformers series).

The film is predictable, but entertaining.  It is mindless fun and good for a lazy afternoon.

Crimes of Fashion (2004) 89 minutes
Director: Stuart Gillard
Starring: Kaley Cuoco as Brooke Taylor
Dominic Chianese as George
Megan Fox as Candace
Pat Kelly as Jack Lawton
Chuck Shamata as Sal Hugo
Jill Morrison as Dee
Serena Lee as Page
Anthony Sherwood as Sr FBI Agent

Swiss Family Robinson

"Why don't we put up a distress flag?"

"Don't you think we look distressed enough? Anyone who sees a ship stuck on the rocks might possibly guess it's in trouble."

The Robinson family leave their home in Bern, Switzerland for a new life in New Guinea.  Their ship is attacked by pirates and caught in a terrible storm.  When the storm subsides, they discover that the crew is gone and they are shipwrecked.  An island is nearby and Father (Mills) suggests they build a raft and go to shore.

On the island, they build an elaborate treehouse to protect them from the wild.  Mother (McGuire) still hopes they will be rescued, but her sons want to explore the island.  Fritz (MacArthur), the oldest son is resourceful, Ernst (Kirk) is the brains of the family, and Francis (Corcoran) wants to go on adventures and catch different animals.  Can they survive the wild and evade pirates until they get rescued?


We watched this film many times during my childhood.  My brother and I loved the film and all of the animals and always dreamed of living in a tree house like the family.  It is a classic Disney film, that featured many Disney favorites.

The film does not translate as well in modern times... and this film could not be made the same way today.  The main problem is the treatment of the animals, which were not as strict as they are now.  The movie was filmed in Tobago and looks great.

Apparently the story is based on a book ("The Swiss Robinson" written by Johann David Wyss).  And the story has been adapted for TV movies on several occasions.  It is an interesting story, and gave the filmmakers lots of freedom for adaptation.

The film works so well because you love the characters.  English actor John Mills is a compelling lead, who starred in future Disney films alongside his daughter Hayley Mills.  Doroth McGuire starred in several Disney films and is best known for playing the mother in Old Yeller, alongside Tommy Kirk and Kevin Corcoran who  played her sons again in this film.  James MacArthur went on to star in Hawaii Five-O.  Tommy Kirk and Kevin Corcoran were Disney regulars, who made several movies together.  And Janet Munro starred in several other Disney films including Darby O'Gill and the Little People.

I love the ending with the big battle and the family festival.

Swiss Family Robinson (1960) 126 minutes
Director: Ken Annakin
Starring: John Mills as Father Robinson
Dorothy McGuire as Mother Robinson
James MacArthur as Fritz Robinson
Janet Munro as Roberta
Sessue Hayakawa as Kuala, Pirate Chief
Tommy Kirk as Ernst Robinson
Kevin Corcoran as Francis Robinson
Cecil Parker as Captain Moreland
Andy Ho as Auban

Galaxy Quest

"Did you guys ever WATCH the show?"

Seventeen years after their show aired, the cast of Galaxy Quest are out of work and spend their time signing autographs at fan conventions.  The show followed the adventures of the crew of the NSEA Protector.  Jason Nesmith (Allen) was the star of the show and his ego has alienated all of his co-stars.  He arrives late to conventions and manages to steal the spotlight.  The rest of the cast includes Gwen DeMarco (Weaver) who has a history with Nesmith and had no purpose on the ship, Alexander Dane (Rickman) a classically trained actor who hates his character and catchphrase, Fred Kwan (Shalhoub) is laid back, Tommy Webber (Mitchell) was a child on the original show, and Guy Fleegman (Rockwell) was an unnamed character who was killed in an early episode.

At one convention, he meets a group of Thermians, who he believes are hosting the next gig.  The Thermians, led by Mathesar (Colantini), believe the show is a historical account and want Nesmith to negotiate with their oppressor Sarris (Sachs).  Believing it is just another convention with fans, fires on Sarris and returns to the earth.  The Thermians return and ask Nesmith to negotiate peace between them and Sarris, and he takes his co-stars along.  They soon realize that the ship and situation are real, and they must help the Thermians or be killed with them.


The film is an homage to the original Star Trek series, specifically the cast and character perceptions and the rabid fandom.  Cast members from the original series and the Star Trek: The Next Generation apparently enjoyed the film and the references to the show, their characters, and their personalities.

The film is still funny today, with many memorable quotes and moments, especially for science fiction fans.  Tim Allen is always funny, and here is no different.  Sigourney Weaver has some great moments and lines "Let's get out of here before one of those things kills Guy."  I love Alan Rickman's delivery and the fact that although his character hates his persona, he stays in costume for the entire film.  Tony Shalhoub, who is best known for Monk, proves that he can be other characters convincingly.  Daryl Mitchell also has great delivery, the scene on the alien planet cracks me up.  But the real scene-stealer is Sam Rockwell.  He spends most of the film in terror that his character is going to die because on the show he didn't have a name.

The Thermians are equally entertaining, with their stilted speech and mannerisms.  It's great to look at the different actors and actresses who had minor roles as Thermians, who have since gone on to more memorable roles: Rainn Wilson (from The Office), Sam Lloyd (from Scrubs), etc.  This was Missi Pyle (Laliari) and Justin Long's (Brandon) film debut.  Both are good in their roles.

Overall, it is a funny film that science fiction fans and non-fans will enjoy.

Galaxy Quest (1999) 102 minutes
Director: Dean Parisot
Starring: Tim Allen as Jason Nesmith / Captain Taggart
Sigourney Weaver as Gwen DeMarco
Alan Rickman as Alexander Dane
Tony Shalhoub as Fred Kwan
Sam Rockwell as Guy Fleegman
Daryl Mitchell as Tommy Webber
Enrico Colantini as Mathesar
Robin Sachs as Sarris
Patrick Breen as Quelleck
Missi Pyle as Laliari
Jed Rees as Teb
Justin Long as Brandon

Cuban Fury

"I have something you don't"

"Type 2 diabetes?"

As a teen Bruce Garrett was an unstoppable salsa champion, until bullies crushed his spirit.  Twenty years later he is an engineer and hasn't danced for decades.  No one in his life knows about his dance past, except his sister Sam (Colman), who was his dance partner.

His new boss, Julia (Jones), is beautiful and unattainable, until he learns that she loves salsa.  With his jerky co-worker Drew (O'Dowd) also pursuing Julia, Bruce decides to return to salsa.  Can his former teacher Ron Parfitt (McShane) and the other dancers at the studio reignite Bruce's passion for dance in time to win Julia's heart?


I have loved Nick Frost since his days on Spaced and his film collaborations with Simon Pegg (who has a funny cameo here): Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Paul, and The World's End.  He also has a successful career on his own.  He starred in Hyperdrive, and has a nice variety of film roles.  This film proves that he has the ability to be a compelling lead actor and carry a film on his own.  He is endearing as Bruce and shows off his dance moves.  He is surrounded by talented actors who are clearly having a blast.

Chris O'Dowd, who typically plays good guys, goes for broke as the smarmy Drew.  I loved him in The IT Crowd and his movie roles, but it was nice to see him do something new.  The dance-off scene between Frost and O'Dowd is one of the best scenes in the film (pictured above).  Rashida Jones is underused and her character is underdeveloped.  She has proven that she can be compelling and funny, and it is tragic that she doesn't get to show off like the rest of the cast.  The real standout is Kayvan Novak.  He is hilarious.  Apparently in the UK, he created and starred in the show Fonejacker where he performs as several different characters.  Now he is poised to take Hollywood by storm.  Ian McShane and Olivia Colman are great in their respective roles.

A funny film with a solid Latin soundtrack and lots of salsa dancing.

Cuban Fury (2014) 98 minutes
Rating: R for language and sexual references
Director: James Griffiths
Starring: Nick Frost as Bruce Garrett
Rashida Jones as Julia
Chris O'Dowd as Drew
Olivia Colman as Sam
Ian McShane as Ron Parfitt
Alexandra Roach as Helen
Rory Kinnear as Gary
Kayvan Novak as Bejan
Tim Plester as Mickey

Blended (2014)

"What the fudge is he doing here?!"
"Is this a sick dream?"
"Do I have a new mommy?"

Lauren Reynolds (Barrymore) and Jim Friedman (Sandler) are setup on a disastrous blind date.  Lauren is a perfectionist and co-owns a closet organization business.  She is divorced with 2 sons, geeky teen Brendan (Beckham) and adventurous tween Tyler (Silverstein).  Jim is a manager at Dick's Sporting Goods, re-entering the dating pool after the death of his wife.  He is trying to raise 3 daughters, athletic Hillary (Thorne), Espn (Fuhrmann) who can't let go of her mother, and adorable Lou (Lind).

When Lauren's best friend / business partner Jen (McLendon-Covey) ends her relationship with Jim's boss, their family vacation to Africa is up for grabs.  Both Jim and Lauren's families end up on the trip, which is a retreat for blended families.  Can they put aside their differences long enough to enjoy the trip?


This is the third film collaboration of Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore.  In 1998 they starred in The Wedding Singer, also directed by Frank Coraci, then in 2004 they starred in 50 First Dates.  I enjoyed both of those films and looked forward to seeing them together again.  I was not disappointed.

Sandler and Barrymore have great chemistry and seem to enjoy working together. The film features small roles by the usual Sandler regulars, including cameos for characters from The Wedding Singer and 50 First Dates.  Wendi McLendon-Covey is entertaining as Lauren's best friend.  Terry Crews is over the top and Abdoulaye N'Gom is an understated funny.  Kevin Nealon and Jessica Lowe steal the show as the overly affectionate newlyweds.  The kids are good as well, although Braxton Beckham's Brendan can be grating.  Joel McHale is the right amount of smarmy.

This film won't appeal to everyone, but it is still funny.

Blended (2014) 117 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for crude and sexual content, and language
Director: Frank Coraci
Starring: Adam Sandler as Jim Friedman
Drew Barrymore as Lauren Reynolds
Bella Thorne as Hillary Friedman
Emma Fuhrmann as Espn Friedman
Braxton Beckham as Brendan Reynolds
Alyvia Alyn Lind as Lou Friedman
Kyle Red Silverstein as Tyler Reynolds
Terry Crews as Nickens
Abdoulaye N'Gom as Mfana
Joel McHale as Mark
Wendi McLendon-Covey as Jen
Kevin Nealon as Eddy
Jessica Lowe as Ginger
Zak Henri as Jake
Shaquille O'Neal as Doug

The Other Woman (2014)

"If we find anymore mistresses I'm going to have to send her to rehab."

Carly Whitten (Diaz) is in a serious relationship with Mark King (Coster-Waldau).  When he bails last minute on a dinner with her father, she decides to surprise him at home, where she discovers he is married.  His wife, Kate (Mann), visits Carly at work to confront her about the affair.  They bond over alcohol and their mutual disgust with Mark.

They follow Mark, and discover a third woman, Amber (Upton).  They meet Amber and explain the situation.  She is equally disgusted with Mark, and soon all three are plotting revenge, with a little help from Kate's architect brother Phil (Kinney), Carly's father Frank (Johnson) and her assistant Lydia (Minaj).


This film is mindless fun.  The previews (and the description of the film) show you exactly what the movie is about, and there is nothing wrong with that.  I enjoyed it.

Cameron Diaz and Leslie Mann are great at physical comedy, and those skills are put on display here.  They work well together and get some great physical moments and dialog.  Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, best known as Jaime Lannister on HBO's Game of Thrones, is the perfect foil for the ladies.  He is believable in the part and you enjoy watching his interactions with the women, especially as they get their revenge.  Kate Upton is good as well.  The rest of the cast are good in their respective roles.

Enjoyable, mindless fluff.

The Other Woman (2014) 109 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for mature thematic material, sexual references and language
Director: Nick Cassavetes
Starring: Cameron Diaz as Carly Whitten
Leslie Mann as Kate King
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Mark King
Don Johnson as Frank Whitten
Kate Upton as Amber
Taylor Kinney as Phil
Nicki Minaj as Lydia

Knights of Badassdom

"Needst is not a word."

"Where we are it is."

Joe (Kwanten) works as a mechanic by day and by night sings lead in a doom metal band.  His long-time girlfriend Beth (Levieva) is frustrated with his lack of ambition and ends the relationship.  He is heartbroken and plans to sulk and drink all weekend while his best friends / roommates are away to LARP (Live Action Role Play).  Eric (Zahn) and Hung (Dinklage) are accidental millionaires, and the three live in a castle.  Forced to choose between helping their friend and LARPing, they decide to do both and kidnap Joe.

When Joe wakes, he is dressed in armor and already at the event.  Eric is a level 26 wizard, who is trying to level up, and Hung is an expert with swords.  They convince Joe to stay and join their quest, despite the protestations of Ronnie (Simpson), the Game Master.  As the journey begins, Eric reads from an ancient book and unwittingly conjures a succubus from hell.  Can the make believe heroes defeat an actual foe?


I can't remember when and where I first heard about this film, but it was supposed to be epic.  After a long wait, it was finally released on DVD.  I thought it was great!

The cast is phenomenal; it is an impressive roster of geek icons.  Ryan Kwanten, best known for his role on HBO's True Blood,  is a charming lead.  He has great chemistry with Steve Zahn and Peter Dinklage, who play his best friends.  Zahn is adorably geeky and Dinklage, who is currently stealing the show on Showtime's Game of Thrones, is perfect and great with a sword.  Jimmi Simpson is hilarious as Ronnie.  He is a scene stealer and gets some great lines.  Summer Glau is great and holds her own with the boys.  The rest of the cast, including the small parts / cameos, are great as well.

Apparently, the film was mostly completed in 2011 and part was shown at the 2011 San Diego Comic Con.  However, the producers delayed the release for 2 years to re-edit portions of the film, without the consent of director, Joe Lynch.  Lynch has disowned the film, since it no longer reflects his vision.  You can read more about this at http://www.fthismovie.net/2013/12/assholes-please-release-joe-lynchs-cut.html

With that in mind, I enjoyed the film... but I won't add it to my collection until Lynch is able to release a Directors Cut.  Entertaining, but not perfect.

Knights of Badassdom (2013) 86 minutes
Rating: R for horror violence, language throughout, some drug use and sexuality
Director: Joe Lynch
Starring: Ryan Kwanten as Joe
Steve Zahn as Eric
Peter Dinklage as Hung
Summer Glau as Gwen
Margarita Levieva as Beth
Jimmi Simpson as Ronnie Kwok
Brett Gipson as Gunther
Danny Pudi as Lando