Rudolph's Shiny New Year

"Oh, but I'm getting ahead of myself.  Running a little fast, as it were."

The baby new year, Happy, goes missing shortly after Christmas.  Father Time (Skelton) asks Rudolph (Richards) for help finding Happy before New Year's Eve, or it will be December 31 forever.  His search is hindered by Eon the Terrible (Frees), who doesn't want the new year to come and is also looking for Happy.

Father Time believes that Happy is hiding in the Archipelago of Last Years.  The Archipelago of Last Years are the islands where past years rule / live.  Rudolph is helped by Big Ben (Peary) a whale who knows the islands.  As the search, they are joined by neanderthal One Million BC (Amsterdam), knight Sir 1023 (Gorshin), and 1776 (Frees).  Can they find Happy before the new year begins?


Rankin/Bass Productions, founded by Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass, was well-known for making seasonal movies.  Their best-known and enduring films were stop-motion animation.  They made 3 stop-motion movies about Rudolph: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer in 1964, this film in 1976, and Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July in 1979.

The film, written by Romeo Muller, gets creative with mythology about the new year.  They have the freedom to take the story in any direction and have some fun with the idea that each past year has it's own island, which is made up of the important things that happened during that year.  For example, Sir 1023's island is fairy tales, and on 1776 island every day is July 4th.  It gives them the opportunity to show off some fun characters.

This film reiterates the ideas from the other Rudolph movies... it is cute and readily available to watch every year.  Not my favorite Rudolph movie, but it is still enjoyable.

Rudolph's Shiny New Year (1976) minutes
Director: Jules Bass & Arthur Rankin Jr.
Starring: Red Skelton as Father Time, Baby Bear
Billie Richards as Rudolph
Morey Amsterdam as One Million BC
Frank Gorshin as Sir 1023, Quarter Past Five
Paul Frees as 1776, Santa Claus, General Ticker, Eon the Terrible, Humpty Dumpty
Don Messick as Papa Bear, Rumpelstiltskin, Prince Charming, Seven Dwarfs
Harold Peary as Big Ben
Iris Rainer as Mama Bear, Nanny Nine O'Clock

Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas

"Of course there's a Santy.  Otherwise, we'd have a lot of jobless elves running around."

The Narrator (Grammer) tells three Christmas stories:
Huey, Dewey, and Louie (Taylor) are excited about Christmas.  They love diving into gifts and devouring Daisy's (MacNeille) delicious turkey dinner.  That evening they wish for every day to be Christmas, but can they have too much of a good thing?

Goofy (Farmer) and his son Max (Fleming) eagerly await the arrival of Santa.  But their neighbor Pete (Cummings) says Santa isn't real and puts doubt in Max's mind.  Goofy will do anything to show Max what Christmas is really about.

Mickey (Allwin) is saving to buy a special present for Minnie (Taylor).  Minnie is also watching her money so she can buy the perfect gift for Mickey.  They both work on Christmas Eve, but what will they do if the money doesn't come through?


This is a sweet Christmas movie.  The three stories are woven together by Kelsey Grammer's narration, based on three gifts under a tree.  That is the only connection until the end of the film when all three groups come together to sing Christmas carols in front of the house.

The stories themselves are well-known stories / tropes, with a Disney twist.  Donald Duck and family star in "Donald Duck Stuck on Christmas."  The story is basically Groundhog Day, with a Christmas twist... and the boys wished for it.  It is predictable, but still enjoyable.  Goofy and his son Max (as a child, unlike the Goof Troop TV show and the A Goofy Movie and An Extremely Goofy Movie) star in "A Very Goofy Christmas".  Their story is about believing in Santa, it has some good moments but not as interesting as it thinks.  And finally, Mickey and Minnie star in the "The Gift of the Magi", which is based on the short story by O. Henry.  If you know the story, you know where the story is going... but it works.

The stories feature a good number of Mickey side characters: Uncle Scrooge, Mortimer Mouse, Pete, Chip and Dale, and cameos by other little characters (Clarabelle Cow, Horace Horsecollar, etc).  I enjoyed the film, but don't think I'll watch it again.

In 2004 Disney released a sequel, Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas.  Unlike this film, the sequel is computer-animated.

Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas (1999) 66 minutes
Director: Jun Falkenstein, Alex Mann, Bradley Raymond, Toby Shelton, Bill Speers
Starring: Wayne Allwin as Mickey Mouse
Russi Taylor as Minnie Mouse, Huey, Dewey, Louie
Tony Anselmo as Donald Duck
Tress MacNeille as Daisy Duck, Chip, Aunt Gertie
Diane Michelle as Daisy Duck
Alan Young as Scrooge McDuck
Bill Farmer as Goofy, Pluto
Shaun Fleming as Max
Corey Burton as Dale
Jim Cummings as Pete, Santa, Police, Mailman
Kelsey Grammer as the Narrator

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

"What did she says the play is called?"

"Christmas Pageant."

"That's no name. That's what it is."

"I know a name. I'd call it "Revenge at Bethlehem."

The Herdman kids, Imogen (Hunt), Claude (Heaton), Gladys (Dean), Leroy (Micus), Ollie (Punt), and Ralph (Reid), are well-known in their home town.  Their father is gone and their mother works late, leaving them to wreak havoc on the town.  They steal, cheat, smoke cigars, and terrify everyone... leaving only church as a safe haven from the Herdmans'.

The church is preparing for the annual Christmas pageant.  Everyone year the pageant is run by Alice Wendlekin (Hellman), but this year she fell and is in the hospital.  Directing duties are given to Grace Bradley (Swit).  Grace gathers the children to discuss parts for the play, and is shocked when the Herdmans' arrive.  Imogen announces that she will play Mary, with Gladys as the Angel of the Lord, and their brothers as Joseph and the Wise Men.  With the Herdmans' in the pageant, will anything go according to plan?


This made for TV film is based on the children's book "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" written by Barbara Robinson.  Robinson adapted the story into a play in 1982 and then into a TV movie for ABC the following year.  Due to the popularity of the book, play, and special, Robinson wrote 2 more stories about the Herdman kids: "The Best School Year Ever" in 2005 and "The Best Halloween Ever" in 2006.

I loved this book as a child.  I also grew up watching and loving this movie.  The characters are funny and memorable, with Gladys stealing the show (and pageant).  Loretta Swit is great as the mom, and all of the kids are funny.  This was the film debut of actress Fairuza Balk, who plays Alice the narrator.

This film is funny, while still focusing on the Christmas story, and the pageant packs an emotional punch.  I finally found a copy of this film and now I plan to watch it every Christmas.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (1983) 48 minutes
Director: George Schaefer
Starring: Loretta Swit as Grace Bradley
Jackson Davies as Bob Bradley
Anthony Holland as Reverend Hopkins
David Alexander as Charlie Bradley
Fairuza Balk as Beth Bradley
Ocean Hellman as Alice Wendlekin
Janet Wright as Helen Armstrong
Megan Hunt as Imogen Herdman
Beau Heaton as Claude Herdman
Teri Dean as Gladys Herdman
Jason Micus as Leroy Herdman
Shane Punt as Ollie Herdman
Glen Reid as Ralph Herdman

Logan Lucky

"This kind of stuff don't happen to normal folk."

Jimmy Logan (Tatum) loves his daughter Sadie (Mackenzie) more than anything in the world.  He works construction at the Charlotte Motor Speedway and sees Sadie at every opportunity.  On the day he loses his job, he learns that his ex-wife Bobbie Jo (Holmes) is moving to Lynchburg, which will make visiting his daughter even harder.  In desperation, he convinces his brother Clyde (Driver) that they need to plan a heist.

They plan to use the tunnels by the Charlotte Motor Speedway to rob the Coca-Cola 600 race on Memorial Day.  But to pull off the job, they need the help of Joe Bang (Craig).  Joe is a safe-cracker and explosives expert, he is also incarcerated.  He agrees to do the job, as long as his brothers (Gleeson and Quaid) are involved and as long as no one knows he left jail.  With sister Mellie (Keough) running interference, can Jimmy pull off the heist and still make it to his daughter's beauty pageant?


Director Steven Soderbergh has a history with heist movies: directing Ocean's 11, Ocean's 12, and Ocean's 13 (and will produce Ocean's 8).  Those movies are interesting and funny, so I was excited to see this film.

It's an ok film, but not as entertaining as the Ocean's flicks.  Channing Tatum and Adam Driver work well together and get a few laughs.  The female characters are ok, but don't get to do much.  The real star of the film is Daniel Craig as Joe Bang.  He is the most interesting character, aside from his idiot brothers (played by Brian Gleeson and Jack Quaid).  Dwight Yoakam is also entertaining.

The heist takes place at the fictitious Coca-Cola 600 race and includes cameos from several NASCAR drivers.  Some are playing themselves, and some are little walk-on roles.

I enjoyed watching film, but don't remember much about it after the fact.  It's fine... but there are better heist movies (and better Soderbergh movies).

Logan Lucky (2017) 119 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for language and some crude comments
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Starring: Channing Tatum as Jimmy Logan
Adam Driver as Clyde Logan
Daniel Craig as Joe Bang
Riley Keough as Mellie Logan
Farrah Mackenzie as Sadie Logan
Katie Holmes as Bobbie Jo Chapman
Katherine Waterson as Sylvia Harrison
Dwight Yoakam as Warden Burns
Seth MacFarlane as Max Chilblain
Sebastian Stan as Dayton White
Brian Gleeson as Sam Bang
Jack Quaid as Fish Bang

My Favorite Wife

"Oh, by the way, how was my funeral?"

"Lovely.  Doctor Blake preached a wonderful service."

"Oh, I wish I had been there."

Seven years after being lost at sea, Ellen Wagstaff Arden (Dunne) returns home.  She was declared dead, and her husband Nick (Grant) is preparing to remarry.  Her children, Tim (Beckett) and Chinch (Harrington), don't remember her.  She is too late to stop the wedding, but goes to the hotel where Nick and his new bride Bianca (Patrick) are celebrating their honeymoon.

Nick is thrilled to see Ellen, but doesn't know how to explain the situation to Bianca.  He gets rooms at the hotel for both women, confusing the staff and infuriating both women.  All three return to the Arden home, adding to Nick's stress over the situation.  He is shocked to learn that Ellen wasn't alone on the island: her companion was the athletic Stephen Burkett (Scott).  Can Ellen save her marriage, or will she have to start over alone?


They planned to remake this film in 1962, called Something's Got to Give, with Marilyn Monroe and Dean Martin, but Monroe died before the film could be completed.  The studio decided to continue with the remake, but changed the title and recast the film.  The new film was released in 1963 as Move Over, Darling with Doris Day and James Garner.

Cary Grant and Irene Dunne made three films together.  This was the second of the three, after The Awful Truth in 1937 and before Penny Serenade in 1941.  They were hired after the success of The Awful Truth and have excellent chemistry here.  Dunne is the lead and gets the top billing.  Grant gets to make the big, over-the-top reactions and bring in the big laughs.  Together, they are a great team.  Gail Patrick is the right amount of annoying... and Randolph Scott is the perfect foil for Grant.  It is a funny film, and I worth checking out.

My Favorite Wife (1940) 88 minutes
Director: Garson Kanin
Starring: Irene Dunne as Ellen Wagstaff Arden
Cary Grant as Nick Arden
Randolph Scott as Stephen Burkett
Gail Patrick as Bianca Bates
Ann Shoemaker as Ma
Scotty Beckett as Tim Arden
Mary Lou Harrington as Chinch Arden

A Christmas Prince

Amber Moore (McIver) is a journalist, waiting for her big break.  She is sent to the country of Aldovia to cover the coronation of Prince Richard (Lamb).  Richard is a playboy and there are rumors that he will abdicate the throne.  The press conference is cancelled, but Amber refuses to give up.  When she is mistaken for Princess Emily's (Kneafsey) new tutor, Martha, she continues the charade to get her story.

Amber is introduced to the royal family and is fascinated by Richard.  He is not what she expects and she wants to know more.  She is welcomed into the palace for the holidays, along with Count Simon (Devaney), who is next in line for the throne after Richard, and Baroness Sophia (Sanders), Richard's ex.  Can she pose as Martha long enough to get the story and maybe find love?


This is a Netflix original film.  It takes place at Christmas and has beautiful scenery and elaborate decorations.  It captures the look and feel of the holidays, and ends on New Year's Eve.

The film feels like a Hallmark movie... all the right feelings, lots of schmaltz, and a happy ending.  You know how the film will end, not all the little turns in between.  Rose McIver (who I love in iZombie), is charming and enjoyable as the lead.  Honor Kneafsey is excellent as Emily.  The cast is decent, with the exception of Theo Devaney and Emma Louise Sanders.  Devaney and Sanders are one dimensional characters, mostly serving as mustache-twirling villains.  They aren't terrible, just boring.

This is a harmless, heartwarming Christmas film.  Enjoyable and charming.

The film was popular and Netflix decided to return to the kingdom of Aldovia for additional films: A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding in 2018 and A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby in 2019.

A Christmas Prince (2017) 92 minutes
Director: Alex Zamm
Starring: Rose McIver as Amber Moore
Ben Lamb as Prince Richard
Alice Krige as Queen Helena
Theo Devaney as Count Simon
Emma Louise Sanders as Baroness Sophia
Sarah Douglas as Mrs. Averill
Honor Kneafsey as Princess Emily
Tom Knight as Prime Minister Denzil
Daniel Fathers as Rudy
Amy Marston as Max Golding

The Mummy (2017)

"It's not an exact science, this business."

"What?  And the business being?"

"Evil, Mr. Morton.  Recognize, contain, examine, destroy."

Nick Morton (Cruise) and Chris Vail (Johnson) are working reconnaissance for the U.S. Army in Iraq.  While on assignment, they stumble onto the tomb of Princess Ahmanet (Boutella).  They are joined by archaeologist Jenny Halsey (Wallis) to remove the sarcophagus and anything else they find before an air strike is set to destroy the area.

On the orders of Colonel Greenway (Vance), they evacuate the area by plane, with the sarcophagus.  Vail is possessed by Ahmanet and is shot.  Moments later the plane is disabled and is set to crash.  Jenny escapes the plane in a parachute, and Nick is the only survivor of the crash.  After the crash, he experiences visions of Ahmanet and is haunted by Vail.  Ahmanet has escaped from the sarcophagus and is regenerating her body.  She is trying to find and kill Nick.

Nick and Jenny escape and are aided by Dr. Henry Jekyll (Crowe).  Jekyll is the head of a group called Prodigium that hunts supernatural threats.  He reveals that Nick has been cursed by Ahmanet and is needed to release pure evil.  Can they stop Ahmanet's plans?


In 2012, Universal Studios announced plans to reboot The Mummy franchise.  In 2014, they revealed that the new Mummy film would launch a shared cinematic universe, "The Dark Universe," to reboot all of the classic Universal monsters.  Alex Kurtzman and Chris Morgan were hired to develop The Dark Universe, and Kurtzman signed on to direct the first film.

In 1932, Universal Studios released The Mummy with Boris Karloff in the title role.  The film was a success and was reimagined in 1940 with The Mummy's Hand, with Tom Tyler as the new mummy Kharis.  Kharis returned for 3 sequels (The Mummy's Tomb in 1942, The Mummy's Ghost in 1944, and The Mummy's Curse in 1944), with Lon Chaney Jr. taking over the role of Kharis.  In 1955, they made Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy, with a new mummy, played by Eddie Parker.  In 1959, Hammer Film Productions released The Mummy with Christopher Lee as the title character.  They made 3 more mummy films (The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb in 1964, The Mummy's Shroud in 1967, and Blood from the Mummy's Tomb in 1971), each featuring a new mummy.

The series was remade in 1999, with Stephen Sommers as the director.  His The Mummy, focused on Brendan Fraser's character, instead of the titular mummy (played by Arnold Vosloo).  This mummy is a remake of the 1932 film, with the same character names.  It was a success, and Fraser starred in 2 more mummy films (The Mummy Returns in 2001 and The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor in 2008).

The new "Dark Universe" mummy is a completely original character.  They chose to focus on a female mummy and start a new mythology.  I like the idea of a new, female mummy... it changes the stakes, as you need to pay attention to learn her motivations (while the previous films were well-known and used the same characters / stakes).  This film had the difficult task of creating the new mummy and establishing the franchise... and while I applaud their ambition, neither piece works.

Like the Fraser Mummy films, they chose to focus on the modern characters, specifically Tom Cruise's Nick Morton.  Morton has questionable motives / morals, but works as an action hero.  But Ahmanet, the titular mummy played by Sofia Boutella, is underdeveloped and underused.  She is barely in the film, despite appearing in all promotional materials.  The audience doesn't know much about her, except that she is evil.  She doesn't speak much in the film and barely gets to use her powers / abilities.  It is a huge letdown.  The other characters are fine.  They had some good ideas with Jake Johnson's Vail, and Annabelle Wallis is fine as Jenny.  They wasted the talents of Courtney B. Vance.

The other problem is establishing The Dark Universe.  They had many ideas and wanted to tease the other monsters... but it feels to obvious and overdone.  There is nothing subtle about it.  Russell Crowe is an interesting choice to introduce the franchise.  His Dr. Jekyll will be the glue that holds the franchise together, as his organization Prodigium investigates the monsters.  He eventually reveals his name, as another obvious wink to the audience (will he get a standalone Jekyll/Hyde film?).  They also let him be Hyde, and that transformation worked for me.  He is visibly different and his accent changes, which it is a great idea for the character... but again, was it necessary for this film?

I think they had some great ideas / ambition for this film and wanted to really pique interest for the Dark Universe... but it was too much for one film.  The end result is a muddied Mummy film and a clunky introduction to a potential franchise.  This film was a disappointment at the box office and Kurtzman and Morgan have moved on to other projects.  There are more Dark Universe films planned... but with the departure of the visionaries and the postponed Bride of Frankenstein film, will Universal Studios continue with their Dark Universe?

The Mummy (2017) 110 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for violence, action and scary images, and for some suggestive content and partial nudity
Director: Alex Kurtzman
Starring: Tom Cruise as Nick Morton
Annabelle Wallis as Jenny Halsey
Sofia Boutella as Ahmanet
Jake Johnson as Vail
Courtney B. Vance as Colonel Greenway
Russell Crowe as Dr. Henry Jekyll
Marwan Kenzari as Malik

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword

"You're no longer a myth.  You're starting to mean something."

Camelot is at war with Mordred (Rob Knighton), a powerful wizard.  King Uther Pendragon (Bana) uses the magical sword Excalibur to defeat Mordred.  Despite the victory, Uther is betrayed and killed by his power-hungry brother Vortigern (Law).  Before his death, Uther hides his young son Arthur in a boat.  The boat drifts away and Arthur is found and raised by a group of prostitutes.

Years later, Arthur (Hunnam) is a skilled fighter with a loyal crew.  He still protects the prostitutes that raised him.  When he gets between some Viking warriors and his adoptive family, he is arrested.  Vortigern has been the king since Uther's death, but desires control of Excalibur which is embedded in a stone.  All of the prisoners are sent to try and remove the sword.  Only Arthur is able to remove Excalibur from the stone, but that gift puts a price on his head.  The brothel is destroyed and Arthur and his friends are branded as outlaws.  Can Arthur find a way to wield Excalibur and claim his rightful throne?


King Arthur was a legendary British ruler.  His story is mostly told through folklore, with the best known version being Geoffrey of Monmouth's "Historia Regum Britanniae (History of the Kings of Britain)."  There have been many other literary versions of Arthur and they have spawned numerous films.  Every film focuses on a different side / gift of Arthur, while still presenting the story that people know.

Warner Brothers has been trying to make a King Arthur film (or series of films).  They ultimately settled on a script that encompassed may of the ideas from other stories, under the direction of Guy Ritchie.  The script was written by Ritchie, Joby Harold, and Lionel Wigram.

This film tries to do something different from previous Arthur stories.  There is no Guinevere or Launcelot or Morgan le Fay / Morgana.  Mordred is different, and Merlin is mentioned without ever appearing.

This is a Ritchie film, so there is lots of action / violence.  I like Charlie Hunnam as Arthur... but I don't love the film.  Why replace Merlin with the Mage?  I understand wanting to add female characters, but the character isn't interesting.  I like Arthur's friends, and the later reveal of their names that ties into Arthurian stories.  Overall, the film is a miss.  It tries to do something new, but can't quite decide what it wants to be.

It's not terrible, and definitely has some good ideas... but it never lives up to the potential.

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017) 126 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for sequences of violence and action, some suggestive content and brief strong language
Director: Guy Ritchie
Starring: Charlie Hunnam as Arthur
Astrid Berges-Frisbey as Mage
Djimon Hounsou as Sir Bedivere
Aidan Gillen as Goosefat Bill
Jude Law as Vortigern
Eric Bana as Uther Pendragon
Kingsley Ben-Adir as Wet Stick
Craig McGinlay as Percival
Tom Wu as George
Neil Maskell as Back Lack
Freddie Fox as Rubio
Bleu Landau as Blue
Annabelle Wallis as Maggie

Home for the Holidays (1995)

"Well, that was absurd, let's eat dead bird!"

Claudia Larson (Hunter) is having a bad day.  She was fired from her art restoration job, kissed her boss, and learned that her daughter Kitt (Danes) is planning to lose her virginity over the weekend.  She is flying back to Baltimore for Thanksgiving with her parents, which she is dreading.

Her parents, Henry (Durning) and Adele (Bancroft), are overbearing and overwhelming.  Henry plays the organ and washes any car that sits in his driveway.  Adele wears a red wig and wants to know everything that happens in the lives of her children.  That evening, Claudia's brother Tommy (Downey Jr.), arrives with his friend Leo Fish (McDermott).  The next day the Larson family gathers for Thanksgiving, including Adele's odd sister Aunt Glady (Chaplin), and Claudia's sister Joanne (Stevenson) and her family.  Can the family survive the holidays?


Many people dread heading home for the holidays, but watching this film will help you feel better about your own family.  This was the second film directed by Jodie Foster (following Little Man Tate in 1991).

Holly Hunter grounds the film.  She is sympathetic, but still strong.  The cast is filled with big name actors / actresses who give big performances.  It all works well here and is an enjoyable holiday film.

Home for the Holidays (1995) 103 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for thematic material, language and brief drug use
Director: Jodie Foster
Starring: Holly Hunter as Claudia Larson
Robert Downey Jr. as Tommy Larson
Anne Bancroft as Adele Larson
Dylan McDermott as Leo Fish
Geraldine Chaplin as Aunt Glady
Steve Guttenberg as Walter Wedman
Claire Danes as Kitt Larson
Cynthia Stevenson as Joanne Larson Wedman
Charles Durning as Henry Larson

Police Academy

"You make me sick."

"Thank you, sir.  I make everybody sick."

The newly elected mayor has removed the law that restricts the qualifications for police cadets.  Her actions frustrate Police Chief Henry Hurnst (George R. Robertson) and other members of the police force.  Hurnst orders Commandant Eric Lassard (Gaynes) to accept all candidates, but encourages Lieutenant Harris (Bailey) to force the undesirables to quit.

The police academy is overwhelmed with cadets, who move onto the campus for the duration of their training.  Carey Mahoney (Guttenberg) enters the academy as an alternate to prison.  His father was a well-known and respected police officer, but Mahoney spends more time on the other side of the law.  He also recruits Larvell Jones (Winslow), who is a human beatbox.  They are joined by trigger-happy security guard Eugene Tackleberry (Graf), ladies man George Martin (Rubin), pushover Leslie Barbara (Scott), timid Laverne Hooks (Ramsey), gentle giant Moses Hightower (Smith), and wealthy Karen Thompson (Cattrall) among others.  Can they survive training wht Harris and Sergeant Debbie Callahan (Easterbrook) to officially join the police force?


Despite receiving mixed reviews from critics, this film launched a film franchise.  The film was written by Neal Israel and Pat Proft.  They wrote the screenplay with Hugh Wilson, who also directed the film.  The film was produced Paul Maslansky, who was one of the few people to be involved in all 7 films (Police Academy in 1984, Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment 1985, Police Academy 3: Back in Training in 1986, Police Academy 4: Citizens of Patrol 1987, Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach in 1988, Police Academy 6: City Under Siege in 1989, and Police Academy: Mission to Moscow in 1994).

The film is funny and makes the most of it's cast.  It launched the careers of many of the cast members.

In addition to the 7 films, Warner Brothers made a TV show, Police Academy: The Series.  It ran for 26 episodes from 1997-1998 and featured several cast members from the film franchise.

Police Academy (1984) 96 minutes
Director: Hugh Wilson
Starring: Steve Guttenberg as Carey Mahoney
Bubba Smith as Moses Hightower
Kim Cattrall as Karen Thompson
G.W. Bailey as Lieutenant Thaddeus Harris
Donovan Scott as Leslie Barbara
George Gaynes Commandant Eric Lassard
Michael Winslow as Larvell Jones
Andrew Rubin as George Martin
David Graf as Eugene Tackleberry
Leslie Easterbrook as Sergeant Debbie Callahan
Bruce Mahler as Douglas Fackler
Marion Ramsey as Laverne Hooks
Brant Von Hoffman as Kyle Blankes
Scott Thomson as Chad Copeland

Spider-Man: Homecoming

"You need to stop carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders."

After the Battle of New York, Adrian Toomes (Keaton) and his team are collecting Chitauri wreckage.  They are ordered away from the wreckage, but manage to keep one of the pieces.  Eight years later, Toomes is a successful business man, selling Chitauri powered weapons.

Meanwhile, Peter Parker (Holland) is recruited by Tony Stark (Downey Jr.) to help with an internal Avengers matter.  After the battle, he gives Peter a high-tech Spider-Man suit.  He doesn't think Peter is ready to be an official Avenger and has Happy Hogan (Favreau) monitor Peter and be his connection to the Avengers.  Peter continues to monitor the city as Spider-Man, while telling everyone in his life that he has an internship with Tony Stark.

No one else knows that Peter is Spider-Man: he hides the secret from his Aunt May (Tomei) and best friend Ned (Batalon).  He is a high school student, which keeps him busy by day, and Spider-Man keeps him busy by night.  The job gets a lot harder when Toomes advanced weapons hit the streets and put people in danger.  Can Peter protect his city and become a real member of the Avengers?


The character of Spider-Man was created in 1962 by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko.  It was one of the first comics to focus on a teenage superhero and became a huge success.  The character starred in numerous animated TV shows since 1967.

In 2002 director Sam Raimi brought the character to the big screen in Spider-Man, with Tobey Maguire as the lead character.  The film was popular enough for Sony to make 2 more sequels, Spider-Man 2 in 2004 and Spider-Man 3 in 2007, all starring Maguire and directed by Raimi.  A fourth film was planned, but never made.  In 2012 director Marc Webb made The Amazing Spider-Man with Andrew Garfield in the lead.  The film offered a fresh take on the character and his origin story and featured a different villain from the Raimi trilogy.  It did well and they returned in 2014 with The Amazing Spider-Man 2.  The planned to build up the world of Spider-Man, with sequels and spin-offs, but ultimately those plans fell through.

In 2016 Sony Pictures (who own the film rights to the character) reached a deal with Marvel Studios to allow the character to appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  Tom Holland was cast as Peter Parker and made his debut in Captain America: Civil War.

Unlike the previous Spider-Man films, this one does not show how Peter gained his abilities.  It begins with the Chitauri invasion from The Avengers, and jumps to Peter's involvement in Captain America: Civil War.  He has the abilities and is trying to figure out how to be a hero.  Holland captures the humor and heart of the comic.  He is clearly a high school student, while also trying to be a hero.

Michael Keaton is menacing as Adrian Toomes, while also being very grounded.  Bokeem Woodbine is his right-hand man, Herman, also known as Spider-Man villain Shocker (the film also features Logan Marshall-Green as the other version of Shocker, Jackson Brice).  Jacob Batalon is funny as his best friend Ned.  And Tony Revolori is the perfect foil as Flash Thompson.  Marisa Tomei is good as Aunt May.  The other female characters are ok, but not as developed.  Peter has a crush on Liz, played by Liz Harrier, but the film doesn't focus on the romance.

An enjoyable Spider-Man film.  Holland is set to appear in the next 2 Avengers films: Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers 4.  And they are planning to make a sequel to this film.

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) 133 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for sci-fi action violence, some language and brief suggestive comments
Director: Jon Watts
Starring: Tom Holland as Peter Parker / Spider-Man
Michael Keaton as Adrian Toomes / Vulture
Jon Favreau as Happy Hogan
Zendaya as Michelle
Jacob Batalon as Ned
Laura Harrier as Liz
Tony Revolori as Flash Thompson
Marisa Tomei as May Parker
Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark / Iron Man
Bokeem Woodbine as Herman Schultz

Wonder Woman

"I will fight for those who cannot fight for themselves."

The island of Themyscira is home to the Amazons.  The women, under the rule of Queen Hippolyta (Nielsen), are hidden from the rest of world and trained by Antiope (Wright) to protect their island.  The only child on the island is Hippolyta's daughter Diana (Gadot), who is trained to be the best warrior for the Amazons.

Everything changes when Diana sees a plane crash near the island.  She rescues the pilot, Steve Trevor (Pine), but his enemies follow and soon the island is under attack.  Steve is a spy for British Intelligence during World War I and tells them about his mission.  Diana helps him leaves the island, with the promise that he take her to the front to stop the war.

They travel to England to complete Steve's mission.  The leaders refuse to authorize a mission to the front, so they recruit Steve's friends: con artist Sameer (Taghmaoui), sharp shooter Charlie (Bremner), and track Chief (Brave Rock).  Can Diana and her new friends get to the front and stop the war before a deadly gas outbreak kills everyone?


The character of Wonder Woman debuted in DC Comics in 1941 and she has been a popular character ever since.  She is one of the most recognizable super heroes.

The character made her live action debut in 1974 on the TV show "Wonder Woman" with Lynda Carter in the title role.  They have tried and abandoned several other TV shows about the character.  With the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, fans were asking for a Wonder Woman film in the DC Universe.

Filmmakers have been discussing a Wonder Woman film since the 1990s, but it took until 2015 to bring the story to life.  Patty Jenkins was signed as the director, with a script by Allan Heinberg.  Even though the character appeared in 2016's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, they wanted to give the character her own origin story.  In the comics, she teams up with Steve Trevor during WWII, but they decided to move the story to WWI for this film.  The change in time period works

The cast is good, the characters are interesting, the cinematography / locations are beautiful, and the action holds your attention.  The film was a runaway success, and it is easy to see why.  It is an enjoyable film.

With the success of this film, they are already planning to make a sequel with Jenkins returning as the director.

Wonder Woman (2017) 141 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for sequences of violence and action, and some suggestive content
Director: Patty Jenkins
Starring: Gal Gadot as Diana Prince
Chris Pine as Steve Trevor
Connie Nielsen as Hippolyta
Robin Wright as Antiope
Danny Huston as Ludendorff
Said Taghmaoui as Sameer
Ewen Bremner as Charlie
Eugene Brave Rock as Chief
Lucy Davis as Etta
Elena Anaya as Dr. Maru

Pride and Prejudice (1995)

"For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbours, and laugh at them in our turn?"

The village of Hertfordshire is excited by the arrival of wealthy Mr. Bingley (Bonham-Carter) and his party.  He recently purchased a home in the village and everyone wants to make a good impression.  Mrs. Bennet (Steadman) is the most excited, determined that one of her 5 daughters: Jane (Harker), Elizabeth (Ehle), Mary (Briers), Kitty (Maberly), and Lydia (Sawalha) will catch Bingley's eye.  Bingley is instantly smitten with Jane, who returns his affections, while Elizabeth immediately dislikes Bingley's exceedingly wealthy friend Mr. Darcy (Firth).

Mr. (Whitrow) and Mrs. Bennet do not have any sons, so their estate will pass to the next male relative: Mr. Collins (Bamber).  Mr. Collins visits the family with the intent of taking a bride, but the girls find him ridiculous.  Collins sets his attentions on Elizabeth, but she is fascinated by Wickham (Lukis) from the newly arrived militia.  As she avoids Collins, she continually runs into Darcy.  Can she find happiness with any of the men in her life?


I fell in love with Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" when I was in high school.  I was then introduced to the 6 hour BBC miniseries (it is billed as a TV show, but I consider it a miniseries), which is the best version of the book.  While no film can match the book, this captures the spirit of the novel and characters, and shows a deep love for the novel.  The novel is broken into 6 hour-long segments, so you can watch it in pieces, or binge watch all 6 hours at once.

The casting is perfect.  Jennifer Ehle is smart and funny, and has a mischievous twinkle in her eye.  While Colin Firth is handsome and a little awkward, but in the best way possible.  David Bamber embraces the odd quirks of Mr. Collins and is funny throughout, through his mannerisms and facial expressions.  Julia Sawalha is perfect as the uninhibited Lydia, and is the right amount of annoying, while Polly Maberly whines well as Kitty and Lucy Briers is the right amount of disgusted as Mary.  Crispin Bonham-Carter is endearing and adorable as Mr. Bingley and Susannah Harker is sensible and loving as Jane.  The smaller characters are equally well-cast.

The soundtrack is beautiful and strikes the right mood in every scene.  The costumes and dancing are beautiful.  And they were mindful of the time period.  There are little details here and there that I don't love... but as a whole, this is a wonderful adaptation of a beloved novel.

This is Austen's best known novel (she wrote 7 novels).  People love the novel so much that they have written sequels, adapted it to TV and film, and modernized the story countless times.  The novel is still the best, but I appreciate the creativity.  I have to admit, I also enjoy the Keira Knightley version... and I thought "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" (the book, not the movie) was hilarious.  This is still the best version of the book and worth watching.

Pride and Prejudice (1995) 327 minutes
Director: Simon Langton
Starring: Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennet
Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy
Susannah Harker as Jane Bennet
Julia Sawalha as Lydia Bennet
Alison Steadman as Mrs. Bennet
Benjamin Whitrow as Mr. Bennet
Crispin Bonham-Carter as Mr. Bingley
Polly Maberly as Kitty Bennet
Lucy Briers as Mary Bennet
Anna Chancellor as Miss Bingley
Lucy Robinson as Mrs. Hurst
Adrian Lukis as Wickham
David Bamber as Mr. Collins
Lucy Scott as Charlotte Lucas
Lucy Davis as Maria Lucas

Baby Driver

"The moment you catch feelings is the moment you catch a bullet."

Baby (Elgort) is a getaway driver.  He works as a member of criminal mastermind Doc's (Spacey) crew and lives with his deaf foster father, Joseph (Jones).  Baby is always wearing earbuds and listening to music.  The other members of the crew, which changes with every heist, question his behavior, but can't fault his driving.

Baby meets waitress Debora (James) at his favorite diner and starts to fall for her.  But their relationship is interrupted when Doc calls for a new job.  He is the driver for a four person team, working alongside violent Bats (Foxx) and married couple Buddy (Hamm) and Darling (Gonzalez).  Can Baby survive the heist and get the girl?


This is director Edgar Wright's 6th film as a director (following A Fistful of Fingers in 1995, Shaun of the Dead in 2004, Hot Fuzz in 2007, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World in 2010, and The World's End in 2013).  I enjoy his directing style (in both film and TV) and was excited to dive into this film.

Wright had the idea for this film in the 1990s.  He used the idea in the music video for Mint Royale's "Blue Song" (video embedded below).

He loved the idea so much that he wrote a story around the concept (and included a clip of the video in the film).  The film, including the gun shots, is choreographed to the soundtrack.

The film opens with Baby dropping off the crew for a job, as they exit the car, he starts playing music.  The music plays while he waits for them to return and their escape from the police, all timed to the music.  That impressive scene is followed by a tracking shot of Baby getting coffee, as he dances to the music.

The cast is great and numerous musicians have minor cameos.  Ansel Elgort is great as Baby.  He doesn't say much, but you get to know him through his music selections and facial expressions.  Kevin Spacey is imposing and a clear authority figure throughout, while the rest of the gang is surrounded in an air of mystery.  You know they are criminals and you can't predict what they will do or say next.  I love CJ Jones as Joseph, it isn't a big role, but he is wonderful.

They used minimal green screen and CGI for the film.  They sent Elgort and Jon Hamm to driving school for a month, while also using a small army of stunt performers to achieve the action in the film.  It is an impressive film with a strong visual style and impressive stunts (whether completed by stunt performers or CGI).

This is the kind of film that takes multiple viewings to really appreciate all the intricacies of the scenes.  I enjoy Wright's style (and all of his previous works, including Spaced and Asylum) and from the opening moments I was hooked.  Reactions from critics and audiences is mixed... you either love or hate this film.  I loved it and look forward to watching it again to catch more nuances.

Baby Driver (2017) 113 minutes
Rating: R for violence and language throughout
Director: Edgar Wright
Starring: Ansel Elgort as Baby
Kevin Spacey as Doc
Jamie Foxx as Bats
Lily James as Debora
Jon Hamm as Buddy
Eliza Gonzalez as Darling
Jon Bernthal as Griff
Flea as Eddie "No-Nose"
Lanny Joon as JD
CJ Jones as Joseph

Disney's Newsies the Broadway Musical

In 1899, Jack Kelly (Jordan) makes a living as a newsboy, selling papers for Joseph Pullitzer (Blanchard).  Jack works along other newsboys, called newsies, including his best friend Crutchie (Keegan-Bolger).  Jack is well-known among the newsies and commands respect.  He befriends Davey (Fankhauser) and Les (Steiner) Jacobs and takes them under his wing.

Pullitzer decides to increase the newsies price for the papers to motivate them to sell more papers.  The newsies are outraged and form a union, led by Jack and Davey, and strike.  Jack is the face of the strike, while Davey lays out what they need to do.  Their strike catches the attention of new reporter Katherine (Lindsay), who asks for an exclusive story.  Can they take on Pullitzer and win?


This is a special filming of the Broadway production of Newsies.  The Broadway show ran on Broadway from 2012-2014, with a book by Harvey Fierstein.

The show is based on the 1992 movie Newsies, which was based on the 1899 Newsboys strike.  The movie featured songs by Alan Menken and incredible choreography.  The show took all the majority of the songs from the movie, while adding some new ones and reworking parts of the existing songs.  The show opened with Jeremy Jordan, Ben Fankhauser, and Kara Lindsay in the lead roles.  The show was nominated for 8 Tony Awards and won 2: Best Choreography for Christopher Gattelli and Best Original Score for Alan Menken and Jack Feldman.

In addition to the song changes, the show also made some changes to the characters.  Apart from Davey and Les, the Jacobs family does not appear.  The character of Sarah Jacobs and the reporter, Bryan Denton, are combined into a new character: Katharine.  They also cut down on the number of newsies, including Kid Blink (the name of the actual leader of the 1899 Newsboys Strike).

I love the movie and I also love the show.  I fell in love with the soundtrack and YouTube clips of the show, but didn't have the opportunity to see the show.  This taping reunites the original leads, including Andrew Keegan-Bolger as Crutchie, and other talented performers (many of whom appeared in the show on Broadway or when the National Tours).  The dancing is phenomenal and the whole cast grabs your attention from the beginning.  Like the film, one of the best characters is Race (Racetrack in the film), portrayed here by Ben Cook.  He gets to shine in the "King of New York" song.  I fell in love with the cast and the performances, and ended the show with a smile and a desire to watch it again.

If you love the film, check out this performance... and if you love the show, give the movie a chance.

Disney's Newsies the Broadway Musical (2017) 149 minutes
Director: Brett Sullivan
Starring: Jeremy Jordan as Jack Kelly
Ben Fankhauser as Davey Jacobs
Kara Lindsay as Katherine
Steve Blanchard as Joseph Pulitzer
Aisha de Haas as Medda Larkin
Andrew Keegan-Bolger as Crutchie
Ethan Steiner as Les Jacobs
Tommy Bracco as Spot Conlon
Ben Cook as Race
Jordan Samuels as Specs

TV: Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries

Miss Phryne Fisher (Davis) is a wealthy and unconventional woman in the 1920s.  She is bored with life in England and moves to Australia for an adventure.  She loves a mystery and after aiding Detective Inspector Jack Robinson (Page) with a case, she decides to become a lady detective.

She purchases a home in Melbourne and hires Mr. Butler (Blight) to keep her life in order, and Dorothy Williams (Cummings) to be her companion.  They also strike up a friendship with taxi drivers Bert Johnson (McMahon) and Cec Yates (Sharpe) to help with investigations.

With encouragement from her friend Dr. Elizabeth "Mac" Macmillan (MacIntosh) and her aunt Prudence Stanley (Margolyes), along with help from Constable Hugh Collins (Johnstone-Burt), Phryne dives into the detective world.


A friend recommended this show and I was hooked after the first episode.

The show is based on Kerry Greenwood's Phryne Fisher Mysteries.  The show's pilot is based on the first book in the series, "Cocaine Blues," which was published in 1989.  Deb Cox and Fiona Eagger came across the series and wanted to adapt for TV.  They served as the shows creators and producers, and consulted with Greenwood on the first series.

While the show, especially the first series, is based on the books, they made numerous changes to the characters and the plot.  I discovered the show before I knew about the books, so I didn't know about the changes.  I am just about finished with "Cocaine Blues" now, and it is different from the show, but I enjoy both versions.

The show is fun.  It has incredible, and award-winning, costumes, by Marion Boyce.  The costumes are gorgeous and clearly set the stage for the time period of the series.  The cast is great, especially Essie Davis in the lead.  She is dynamic and you can't wait to see what she will do next.  And she has sizzling chemistry with Nathan Page as Detective Inspector Jack Robinson.  While the show focuses on Davis' Phryne, the side characters are also entertaining.

It is a fun and jazzy murder mystery, with a great lead.  It is a fun and suspenseful show.

Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries (2012-2015)
Creator: Deb Cox & Fiona Eagger
Starring: Essie Davis as Phryne Fisher
Nathan Page as Detective Inspector Jack Robinson
Ashleigh Cummings as Dorothy Williams
Hugo Johnstone-Burt as Constable Hugh Collins
Richard Blight as Mr. Butler
Travis McMahon as Bert Johnson
Anthony Sharpe as Cec Yates
Tammy MacIntosh as Dr. Elizabeth "Mac" Macmillan
Miriam Margolyes as Prudence Stanley
Ruby Rees-Wemyss as Jane Ross

Annie Oakley (1935)

Everyone in town knows Annie Oakley (Stanwyck) is an expert shot.  Her shooting provides for her family and provides the meet for all the local stores.  She is invited to shoot against "the greatest shot in the world," Toby Walker (Foster).  She matches Toby shot for shot but allows him to win.

Jeff Hogarth (Douglas) is impressed with Annie and hires her to be the second sharpshooter on the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show, alongside Toby.  Annie is infatuated with Toby and agrees.  Colonel William "Buffalo Bill" Cody (Olsen) doesn't like the idea of adding a woman to the show, but is agrees to give her a chance.  Toby offers Annie showmanship tricks to add to her act and her first show is a success.  Sitting Bull (Thunderbird) sees her act and agrees to join the show.  Can Annie find love with her success?


Annie Oakley was a sharpshooter and exhibition shooter.  At the age of 15 she won a shooting competition against marksman Frank Butler (who she later married), and few years they joined Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show.  She become a renowned marksman across the world.

This film was released less than 10 years after the real Annie Oakley's death (in 1926).  This was the first film about Oakley.  In 1946 Irving Berlin turned Oakley's life into a Broadway musical "Annie Get Your Gun."  The show was adapted to a film musical, Annie Get Your Gun, in 1950 with Betty Hutton as the lead.  I love Annie Get Your Gun (both the original show that starred Ethel Merman and Jerry Orbach, and this film that also stars Howard Keel).  From 1954 to 1956, Gail Davis played Oakley in the Annie Oakley TV show.  She also appeared as a character in other movies / TV shows.

For this film, they named her suitor Toby Walker (instead of her actual partner Butler).  Butler died a few days after Oakley, and the filmmakers feared a lawsuit from his estate and created a new love interest for this film.  They also decided to focus on the relationship between these two, with her rise to fame in the background.

Barbara Stanwyck is a phenomenal actress, and she is excellent here.  She makes Oakley a powerful force, but still accessible.  Her male co-stars are good, but this is Stanwyck's show.  Preston Foster's Toby is cocky, but still endearing.  Melvyn Douglas' Jeff and Moroni Olsen's Buffalo Bill are good, a nice combination of funny and serious.  And Chief Thunderbird is great as Sitting Bull, funny without becoming a caricature.  The film is a nice mix of drama, romance and comedy and clearly reveres it's subject.  An enjoyable film with another wonderful performance by Stanwyck!

Annie Oakley (1935) 90 minutes
Director: George Stevens
Starring: Barbara Stanwyck as Annie Oakley
Preston Foster as Toby Walker
Melvyn Douglas as Jeff Hogarth
Moroni Olsen as Colonel William "Buffalo Bill" Cody
Pert Kelton as Vera Delmar
Andy Clyde as James MacIvor
Chief Thunderbird as Sitting Bull

Love Laughs at Andy Hardy

"It's eighty-five dollars. Why you're a millionaire!"

Judge (Stone) and Emily (Holden) Hardy are overjoyed to learn that their son Andy (Rooney) is coming home after 2 years in the Army.  Andy is happy to be a civilian again, but is eager to return to college.  He wants to propose to Kay Wilson (Granville), his college sweetheart, but his parents do not agree with the plan.

Shortly after arriving at school he runs into Kay and asks her to the freshman dance.  He also runs into his old friend, Duke Johnson (Hackett), who talks him into being the chair of the freshman dance.  Kay has to go home for a family emergency and continually avoids conversations with Andy.  Andy needs needs a date for the dance and asks freshman Coffy Smith (Ford).


Mickey Rooney made 16 Andy Hardy films.  The series began in 1937 with A Family Affair.  The series was produced by MGM and they used it as a platform to introduce new stars.  This was the penultimate film in the series (the final film in the series, Andy Hardy Comes Home, debuted 12 years later).  The series revolved around the Hardy family, specifically the relationship between the Judge and Andy.  This is the only film I've seen in this series, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and want to watch more.

My favorite part of the film is Rooney dancing with Dorothy Ford (picture above).  Rooney was 5'2" and Ford was 6'2", and they have to get creative to dance together... but it works and you can't help but smile during the song.

The characters are endearing and heart-felt.  It is a funny, family comedy and definitely worth checking into.

Love Laughs at Andy Hardy (1946) 95 minutes
Director: Willis Goldbeck
Starring: Mickey Rooney as Andy Hardy
Lewis Stone as Judge Hardy
Sara Haden as Aunt Milly
Bonita Granville as Kay Wilson
Lina Romay as Isobel Gonzales
Fay Holden as Mrs. Hardy
Dorothy Ford as Coffy Smith
Hal Hackett as Duke Johnson

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

"Can we put the bickering on hold till AFTER we survive the massive space battle?"

After saving the galaxy, the Guardians of the Galaxy are hired for legitimate jobs.  They are hired by the Sovereigns to protect some powerful batteries.  They are successful, but Rocket (Cooper) steals some of the batteries and the Sovereigns, led by Ayesha (Debicki), attack their ship.

Their ship sustains heavy damage, but they manage to crash on a plant, while another ship destroys the Soverigns' drones.  The other ship is piloted by Ego (Russell), who reveals he is Peter Quill's (Pratt) father.  Ego invites Quill, Gamora (Saldana), and Drax the Destroyer (Bautista) to go to his home planet and get some answers.  Rocket and Baby Groot (Diesel) stay behind to fix the ship and guard Nebula (Gillan), who their prisoner.

Ayesha is livid that the Guardians escaped.  She turns to Yondu (Rooker) and the Ravagers to find and capture the Guardians.  The Ravagers are questioning Yondu's leadership, especially when it comes to Quill.  With the Ravagers and Sovereigns chasing them, can Quill learn about his past and keep his friends safe?


This is the sequel to 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy.  This is the 15th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the third film in Phase 3 (following Captain America: Civil War and Doctor Strange).

James Gunn returned to write and direct this film, and brought back the main cast from the first film.  They keep the same feel and coloring as the first film.  It is a fun, space film with bright colors and lots of action.  They also delve more into the characters and fleshing them out a little more.  They give Quill closure about his family and added more emotion to Gamora and Rocket.  Drax is funnier and Baby Groot is adorable.

Chris Pratt is again great as Peter Quill / Star-Lord.  He is funny, but also gets some serious moments.  Zoe Saldana adds more layers to Gamora, while still kicking butt.  Dave Bautista is funny and gets some good moments with Pom Klementieff's Mantis.  Klementieff was a welcome addition to the cast and I look forward to seeing more of her character in the future.  Bradley Cooper continues the sarcasm as Rocket, while also growing as a character.  Baby Groot is adorable and totally steals the show, from the opening scene to the end of film.  You don't expect to see Karen Gillan return as Nebula, but she gets more development (and a solid fight with Gamora).  Michael Rooker is great as Yondu and has excellent chemistry with Rocket.  The new characters are decent and set up the problems.

Like the first film, it has a great soundtrack... and they know how to use the songs to the films advantage.  The opening scene is set to "Mr. Blue Sky" by Electric Light Orchestra and sets the tone for the rest of the film.

It is another fun, action flick.  You expect mindless action with some humor, but also get some heart and impressive visuals.

The characters are set to appear in the next Avengers film, which will be their first interaction with the other Marvel characters.  They also plan to make a third Guardians film: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) 136 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi action and violence, language, and brief suggestive content
Director: James Gunn
Starring: Chris Pratt as Peter Quill / Star-Lord
Zoe Saldana as Gamora
Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer
Vin Diesel as Baby Groot
Bradley Cooper as Rocket
Michael Rooker as Yondu Udonta
Karen Gillan as Nebula
Pom Klementieff as Mantis
Kurt Russell as Ego
Sylvester Stallone as Stakar Ogord
Elizabeth Debicki as Ayesha
Chris Sullivan as Taserface
Sean Gunn as Kraglin

Kong: Skull Island

"I thought you were crazy."

"I wish I was."

In 1973, Bill Randa (Goodman), the head of government organization Monarch, wants to lead an expedition to a newly discovered island, called Skull Island.  He and geologist Houston Brooks (Hawkins) convince a senator to fund the expedition with a military escort.  Randa leads the expedition, and brings Brooks and biologist San Lin (Tian).  They are joined by a team of scientists from Landstat, led by Victor Nieves (Ortiz).  Randa hires British Special Air Service Captain James Conrad (Hiddleston) as a tracker for the expedition and photographer Mason Weaver (Larson).  Their military escort is U.S. Army helicopter squadron the Sky Devils, led by Lieutenant Colonel Preston Packard (Jackson).

When they arrive on the island, the scientists setup on the ground while the Sky Devils drop special seismic charges for Brooks to map out the island.  They are interrupted by a giant ape who attacks the helicopters.  They fight back, but all of the helicopters are destroyed.  Many of the soldiers and scientists are killed and the survivors are divided.  Packard is devastated by the loss of his men and vows revenge.  He leads a team to find Jack Chapman (Kebbel), who is injured and alone.  The other group, led by Conrad, is trying to get to the extraction point in time.  Will anyone survive the island?


We all know the story of King Kong.  It is the story of a gigantic ape who is captivated by a beautiful actress, which ultimately brings his downfall.  The iconic moment is Kong at the top of the Empire State Building swatting at planes, while holding a screaming blonde.  The character debuted in 1933 and has been a part of popular culture since then.

The original story was written Edgar Wallace and Merian C. Cooper.  Cooper co-produced and co-directed the 1933 King Kong film.  This Kong is stop-motion, and the blonde is Fay Wray... Wray was an iconic scream queen and is best known for this film.  The film was remade in 1976, again titled King Kong.  This film is different from the original, with new character names and sends Kong up the World Trade Center.  This was Jessica Lange's film debute, as the screaming blonde.  The film was remade again (and much longer) in 2005.  This King Kong casts Naomi Watts as the screaming blonde (but does much less screaming than her predecessors).

In 2014, Legendary Studios announced plans to create a MonsterVerse, featuring Godzilla, King Kong, Mothra, and other huge monsters (Rodan, King Ghidorah).  They started building a franchise around the group Monarch, as a way to introduce each monster and then bring them together for battle.  The franchise began with 2014's Godzilla, and this film is the second entry.  They next film in the series will return to Godzilla with Godzilla: King of the Monsters in 2019 and then pit Godzilla and Kong against each other in Godzilla vs. Kong in 2020.

This film is essentially a reboot of the Kong films.  The characters and story are original, and does not involve the iconic Empire State Building scene.  But it does feature homages to the previous Kong films (including the non-origin story films).

The cast is filled with well-known and talented actors... but the acting here is ok.  John C. Reilly is entertaining... and I don't have a problem with Tom Hiddleston, but both have given better performances in other films.  The story is non-existent, just an excuse to destroy stuff and play with CGI effects.  Kong looks good, but there isn't much to this film.  It is a mindless summer flick, and I don't really care about the MonsterVerse or have a desire to see any of the other films (not that I've seen any Godzilla film, or any of the other monsters listed).

Kong: Skull Island (2017) 118 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and for brief strong language
Director: Jordan Vogt-Roberts
Starring: Tom Hiddleston as James Conrad
Samuel L. Jackson as Preston Packard
Brie Larson as Mason Weaver
John C. Reilly as Hank Marlow
John Goodman as Bill Randa
Corey Hawkins as Houston Brooks
John Ortiz as Victor Nieves
Jing Tian as San Lin
Toby Kebbel as Jack Chapman
Jason Mitchell as Glenn Mills
Shea Whigham as Earl Cole
Thomas Mann as Reg Slivko

Royal Wedding (1951) (1000th post)

Just shy of 11 years I get to celebrate reaching 1000 posts!!

Check out the previous milestones: 100 ... 200 ... 300 ... 400 ... 500 ... 600 ... 700 ... 800 ... 900

"Do I look like a gentleman?"

"You look like a banker."

"But do I look like a gentleman?"

Tom (Astaire) and Ellen (Powell) Bowen are a sibling song-and-dance team.  Tom is a confirmed bachelor, while Ellen has a new boyfriend every few days.  After their latest show closes, their agent Irving Klinger (Wynn) tells them about a show in England.

England is preparing for the royal wedding, and Irving's brother, Edgar Klinger (also Wynn), wants them to do their show during all of the excitement.  They take the offer and set sail for England.  On the boat, Ellen meets Lord John Brindale (Lawford) and they are instantly smitten.  After they arrive in England, Tom begins casting for their show.  He meets dancer Anne Ashmond (Churchill), casts her in the show, and immediately asks her out.  She is engaged, but they decide to continue seeing each other.  Can Tom and Ellen find real love and success in England?


Director Stanley Donen started as a choreographer.  In 1949 he made his directorial debut with On the Town, starring his friend (and co-director) Gene Kelly.  Like that film, many of his subsequent films were musicals with strong dance numbers.  This is Donen's second film as the director, leaving the choreography duties to Nick Castle.  The film was an original story, written by Alan Jay Lerner and featured new songs by Burton Lane (music) and Lerner (lyrics).

The story is ok... but the real reason to watch this film is the dances.  Fred Astaire has 2 iconic dances in the film, but every dance is phenomenal.  The first iconic dance is to "Sunday Jumps" which features Astaire dancing alone in a gym and interacting with the equipment.  The second iconic dance (pictured above) is to "You're All the World to Me" which features Astaire dancing on the walls and ceiling of his room.  This is one of my favorite Astaire routines.

Jane Powell dances alongside Astaire in a few numbers, and takes on most of the singing.  She is good here... I don't love any of the songs, but I don't fault her for that.  Peter Lawford is charming and has good chemistry with Powell.  Sarah Churchill doesn't dance much, despite her character being a dancer... she is ok.  Donen directed Astaire again in Funny Face and Powell again in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (my favorite musical).

This film showcases Astaire's incredible talents and is worth watching for that reason.  But this is far from Donen's best.

Royal Wedding (1951) 93 minutes
Director: Stanley Donen
Starring: Fred Astaire as Tom Bowen
Jane Powell as Ellen Bowen
Peter Lawford as Lord John Brindale
Sarah Churchill as Anne Ashmond
Keenan Wynn as Irving Klinger / Edgar Klinger
Albert Sharpe as James Ashmond

Penny Serenade

Julie Gardner Adams (Dunne) is heartbroken.  As she prepares to start over, she begins to reminisce.  Years before, she was working in a music store and meets newspaper report Roger Adams (Grant).  She longs to to be a mother, but Roger is a confirmed bachelor with no interest in children.

The newspaper is sending Roger to Japan, and he proposes to Julie.  They marry quickly and move to Japan.  Julie is overjoyed to learn that she is pregnant, but that joy is overshadowed by money worries.  Then she loses the baby during an earthquake.

They return to America where Roger buys a newspaper.  He hires his closest friend Applejack Carney (Buchanan) to manage the paper.  They move into the apartment above the paper and try to move on with their lives.  Applejack suggests adoption and they begin working with Miss Oliver (Bondi) to make their dream a reality.  Can they find a way to have it all: great marriage, successful business, and a child?


The film is an emotional tear-jerker.  The emotion is present from the beginning and is amplified by the music choices.  The performances keep the film grounded, even as it threatens to veer into sappy territory.

Irene Dunne is great here.  She has phenomenal chemistry with Cary Grant, who is also great here.  This is the third and final film collaboration between Grant and Dunne, following The Awful Truth (1937) and My Favorite Wife (1940).  Edgar Buchanan is also good as Applejack, and I love his interaction with Jane Biffle and Eva Lee Kuney.  Jane Biffle, credited as Baby Biffle, is an infant... and adorable.  Eva Lee Kuney is precious and you will fall in love with her immediately.  And Beulah Bondi is wonderful as Miss Oliver.

The film was adapted to a radio play in 1941, 1942, 1944, and 1953.  Dunne reprised her role in several of the adaptations.

Watch this movie if you like the cast and a good cry.

Penny Serenade (1941) 119 minutes
Director: George Stevens
Starring: Irene Dunne as Julie Gardner Adams
Cary Grant as Roger Adams
Beulah Bondi as Miss Oliver
Edgar Buchanan as Applejack Carney
Ann Doran as Dotty

The Glass Bottom Boat

"I wasn't exactly fishing."

"Then what were you doing?"

"Maybe I was hunting for mermaids."

Jennifer Nelson (Day) is a widow who occasionally dons a mermaid tail to entertain the customer's on her father, Axel Nordstrom's (Godfrey) glass bottom boat.  One day the tail is hooked by a fisherman, who she yells at then swims away.  The following day she learns that the fisherman is Bruce Templeton (Taylor), a high ranking executive at NASA, where she works.  Templeton and his partner Zack Molloy (Martin) are working on a secret project called GISMO.  It is top security and leaves little time for romance.

Templeton gets Jennifer assigned to be his biographer.  She accompanies him everywhere on the job and the two begin to fall in love.  But security guard Homer Cripps (Lynde) is suspicious of Jennifer.  He has a detailed dossier of her life and notices that she makes the same mysterious call every day.  At the same time, someone is sending coded transmissions to the Soviet Union.  Cripps believes Jennifer is a Soviet spy, sent to steal the plans for GISMO and monitors her actions.  His fears are shared by CIA agent Edgar Hill (Fleming) and their boss General Wallace Bleecker (Andrews).  Can they find the real spy before GISMO is completed?


This was the second (of 2) film collaboration between Rod Taylor and Doris Day.  The previous year they starred in Do Not Disturb as a married couple.  They have good chemistry and you want them to end up together (like you know they will).

This romantic comedy embraces the absurd.  Day gets to wear crazy costumes and embrace some over-the-top accents (as a Russian spy and Mata Hari).  She even gets to do some physical comedy with Dom Deluise (pictured above).  Deluise is always funny and he and Day are surprisingly funny together.  Parts of the plot are ridiculous, but it is a fun ride.

Day performed the title song, "The Glass Bottom Boat," over the opening credits and during the film alongside Axel Nordstrom.  She also performs "Soft as Starlight" and "Que Sera, Sera" in the film.

This was Day's first collaboration with director Frank Tashlin.  She appeared in his next film Caprice in 1967.

The Glass Bottom Boat (1966) 110 minutes
Director: Frank Tashlin
Starring: Doris Day as Jennifer Nelson
Rod Taylor as Bruce Templeton
Arthur Godfrey as Axel Nordstrom
John McGiver as Ralph Goodwin
Paul Lynde as Homer Cripps
Edward Andrews as General Wallace Bleecker
Eric Fleming as Edgar Hill
Dom DeLuise as Julius Pritter
Elisabeth Fraser as Nina Bailey
Dick Martin as Zack Molloy

Meet John Doe

"Why can't that spirit, that warm Christmas spirit, last all year long?"

Ann Mitchell (Stanwyck) writes for "The Bulletin" newspaper.  When the paper is purchased by businessman D.B. Norton (Arnold), Ann and many others are fired.  For her final column, Ann writes a fictitious letter from a man named John Doe.

The letter causes a stir in the town, with everyone asking who is John Doe?  The editor of "The New Bulletin," Henry Connell (Gleason), calls Ann to get the official letter so they can learn his identity.  When Ann admits she wrote the letter, they decide to capitalize on the hype and hire someone to portray Doe until his suicide at Christmas.  Thankfully, the offices of "The New Bulletin" are filled with desperate men who claim they wrote the letter.  They ultimately hire Long John Willoughby (Cooper).  Doe and his friend the Colonel (Brennan) are housed in a hotel with babysitters from the paper.  Can Doe maintain the facade as the pressure and scrutiny mount?


Director Frank Capra was best-known for making patriotic films (Mr. Smith Goes to Washington) and films that tug at your heart strings (It's a Wonderful Life).  My favorite of his films is a screwball comedy (Arsenic and Old Lace, which is based on a popular play).  This film, considered Capra's most controversial film, was released as the U.S. was on the cusp of WWII and the country was filled with uncertainty.  It is patriotic and pulls at your heart strings.

In 1941, Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck starred in 2 films.  This film was followed by screwball comedy Ball of Fire.  Cooper was the first choice for the role, and he signed on without reading the script.  He previously worked with Capra on 1936's Mr. Deeds Goes to Town and enjoyed the experience; he also wanted to work with Stanwyck.  This was Stanwyck's 5th film with Capra, and the most successful (following Ladies of Leisure in 1924, The Miracle Woman in 1931, Forbidden in 1932, and The Bitter Tea of General Yen in 1933).  Cooper and Stanwyck work well together and have a great chemistry.  I also enjoyed Cooper's chemistry and friendship with Walter Brennan's Colonel.

Cooper, Stanwyck and Edward Arnold reprised their roles for the 1941 radio production of the film.  The film was adapted as a stage musical in 2007 and again in 2011.  And in 1989, it was remade into a Bollywood film Main Azaad Hoon.  The film appeared in the American Film Institute's (AFI's) 100 Years...100 Cheers.

I enjoyed the film... but the ending was a disappointment.  Apparently Capra filmed 5 different endings for the film, he ultimately chose the 5th one.  He didn't have the ending planned when they started film, and even though he committed to an ending, he still didn't think it was quite right.  As a whole, it is fine... but it isn't my favorite from anyone involved.

Meet John Doe (1941) 122 minutes
Director: Frank Capra
Starring: Gary Cooper as John Doe / Long John Willoughby
Barbara Stanwyck as Ann Mitchell
Edward Arnold as D.B. Norton
Walter Brennan as The Colonel
Spring Byington as Mrs. Mitchell
James Gleason as Henry Connell
Gene Lockhart as Mayor Lovett
Rod La Rocque as Ted Sheldon
Irving Bacon as Beany