Fallen (1998)

Fallen is the kind of movie that those who absolutely do not believe in the supernatural, think, “Well maybe.”

Homicide detectives John Hobbes (Denzel Washington) and his partner, whom everyone calls Jonesy (John Goodman), become involved in a case appearing to be a series of copycat murders, but the similarities are too close to be copycat. Some details were only known by the police and the killer, who has been executed. Fallen opens with a dark flashback and a voice stating “I want to tell you about the time I almost died.” It sets the tone of the noirish Fallen.

Killer Edgar Reese (Elias Koteas) while being prepped to die by gas pellet, summons Hobbes just before he is taken to the gas chamber. When Hobbes approaches the cell, Koteas shows no fear or remorse, instead he cajoles, he laughs, he asks to shake Hobbes hand, he speaks to Hobbes in another language and finally he gives him a riddle to solve.

As Reese is escorted to the gas chamber he skips, prances and sings; once locked in the chair he stares and grimaces at the witnesses, and at Hobbes who is among them. Then he loudly sings the old Mick Jagger tune “Time is on my Side” to and with his last breath. For me, it is this scene that sets the tone of evil in this movie. Reese’s execution puts Hobbes on a path that makes him suspicious of those he works with. Especially Lieutenant Stanton (Donald Sutherland) who seems to have knowledge that he is not willing to share.

John Hobbes is not a cop on a mission; he is a bachelor living with his brother and his brother’s young son in a cramped apartment. However, he is quickly drawn into the murkiness of the spirit world of demons and human hosts.

The detective is further drawn into the web when the latest body found is that of a man he had seen the night before. Each step he takes in the investigation draws him deeper into the unknown. He tries to find the link by reviewing the video of Reese’s execution, a linguist has determined that Reese was speaking an ancient language before he died. The links become threads that lead to the dead cops’ daughter Gretta (Embeth Davidtz). Is she the key? When Hobbes questions her, she advises him to walk away from the case. He does not and finds himself in the fight of his life against evil.

There is no trickery here, no monsters; just the remarkable use of the camera and the idea that has been put into the audience’s head that evil lives among us. It could be anyone, man woman or a child. The plot is effective because it is so simple--it’s not the bogeyman that will get you, evil lives closer to home.

Denzel Washington does not usually appear in supernatural police dramas such as Fallen but this mystery, thriller supernatural film is a good match because the characters he most often portrays are always so grounded. An unusual change for Washington, he makes the perfect non-believer.

Rated R

The Women (1939)

The Women is sharp, witty, fast paced and stylish.

Husbands cheat on their wives, friends are catty and divorce is just a misstep away in this classic movie. The Women is a sophisticated comedy that deals with issues that are never ending. Mary Haines (Norma Shearer), a society wife learns that her husband is cheating with another woman. She does her best to keep friends from guessing that she knows. But, in a world where all of your friends are wealthy, high maintenance, and so bored that all they do is lunch and go to fashion shows, a cheating husband is fodder for wagging tongues and sly winks.

Rosalind Russell as Mary’s sharp-tongued underhanded cousin, is the perfect foil for Shearer's sympathetic character. Joan Crawford has one of her best man-grabbing, husband stealing roles in this film. At one point when the husband tries to cancel their date. She becomes indignant because "he tried to stand her up for his wife". Another time in a confrontation with the man’s wife she says, "When Stephen doesn't like what I'm wearing, I take it off". Yes--this film really was made in 1939.

These women are such a tight knit clique that they even go to the same divorce dude ranch. Ranch owner Lucy (Margorie Main), is a no nonsense woman who claims that she has no sympathy for these rich, spoiled and pampered women, but some are so immature and naive, she can‘t resist their charm. The Countess DeLav (Mary Boland) continues to believe in the magic of first love, no matter how many times she gets married.

Some of the films dialogue still sounds fresh, when Mary tells her mother that her husband is cheating, her mother reply’s that Mary's father did the same thing and she kept quite. She advises Mary to do the same, Mary responds, "Mother, this is the 20th century.” Time has not tarnished this must-have classic movie’s wit and sophistication.

Also in the cast are Paulette Goddard and Joan Fontaine. Ruth Hussey and Virginia Grey appear in minor roles and, columnist Hedda Hopper brings her real-life persona to the screen as a society gossip snoop. There are no men in this sophisticated comedy. However, you do not miss them; they are the subject of the movie. Great fun.

The film The Women was adapted from a play written by Clare Boothe and directed by George Cukor. Although the film is black and white, the magnificent fashion show sequence is in color. It is pure glamour when the fashions are shown in glorious Technicolor. Classic movie.

The Women (Keepcase) is available from Amazon.com and other sites.

Miracle on 34th Street (1994)

Santa Claus Goes On Trial! We need a Miracle on 34th Street to save him.

It is a busy time for department store executive Dorey Walker (Elizabeth Perkins) as Christmas nears. She is responsible for the store’s annual parade and hiring a department store Santa Claus. However, there is no joy in these preparations; past events in Dorey’s life have made her cynical about Christmas spirit and the magic of believing in Santa Claus. She has passed this cynicism on to her daughter Susan by keeping her in the loop of what goes on at work, including information about the Santa’s she hires every year. Talented young actress Mara Wilson portrays Susan, an exceedingly honest and perceptive child.

By a quirk of fate, Dorey hires an old man (Richard Attenborough) without asking questions. He makes the perfect Santa; he has a full white beard and needs no padding. When Dorey checks the mans application, she sees that he has signed his name Kris Kringle, his next of kin are reindeer, and his address is the North Pole. She knows that she should report this, but Kris is the best department store Santa the Coles department store has ever had.

A contrived incident places Coles in an embarrassing situation and Kris in a fight to keep his freedom. Dorey asks her friend, Brian (Dylan McDermott), who is a lawyer, to help Kris. Brian makes an impassioned speech in court about Kris Kringle and the spirit of Christmas, then places his faith in the people of the City. There are some actions in the new version of Miracle on 34th Street that some may question, but remember this story is about proving whether Santa Claus exists and miracles. I suggest that you remember what a very young Natalie Wood says in the original Miracle on 34th Street, “I believe, I believe” and just enjoy this family-oriented film. Others in the cast are J. T. Walsh, Jane Leeves (Frazier), Robert Prosky, James Remar and William Windom as C.F. Cole.

This lighthearted holiday drama is a remake of the 1947 film of the same name. This remake is quite good; it stays very close to the original story. As remake films go, the 1994 version of Miracle on 34th Street is one of the best.

Rated PG

Available from Amazon Miracle on 34th Street and other sites.

Double Jeopardy (1999)


Will the 5th Amendment let her get away with murder?

Double Jeopardy, a mystery/crime thriller film shows Ashley Judd at her best. This under-used actress demonstrates what she can really do when given the right part. Tommy Lee Jones (The Fugitive and Men in Black) in the role of Judd’s parole officer is at his best as well. Those familiar with legal jargon know that the title Double Jeopardy gives a hint to the context of crime thriller.

Libby Parsons (Ashely Judd) lives a good life. She has a young son who is the light of her life and, a loving and wealthy husband (Bruce Greenwood). Her life changes over night when she and her husband go sailing and she awakens covered in blood and her husband is missing. Libby cannot remember anything and cannot explain how or why there is blood on her on her hands. Unable to produce her husband or a witness, Libby is convicted of murder and sent to prison. Soon after, she accidentally learns that her husband is not dead. Libby is determined to find her husband and regain custody of her son. While in prison, she is a model prisoner, she only thinks of one thing, to get out--to find her son. One of inmates, a former lawyer, gives Libby advice that makes Libby more determined than ever to come face-to-face with her husband one more time.

The story really begins to move forward when Libby gets out of prison and is turned over to her gruff Parole Officer Travis Lehman (Tommy Lee Jones). Lehman listens to Libby’s story and at some point, begins to believe that she is telling the truth. In prison Libby exercised, buffed up and added strength and resilience to her body and her mind. Both are now razor-sharp and nothing will stop her from her reaching goal.

However, finding her husband Nick is not so easy, he has money, rich friends and the means to keep himself hidden and secure within the confines of the elite. Libby’s husband is charming and affable, but there is something dislikable that comes through his polished veneer. He is very much like Ingrid Bergman’s husband in the 1944 film Gaslight.

Ashely Judd gives a tight and believable performance as a desperate woman on the edge, searching for her son and seeking revenge. The action heats up for Libby, when her husband’s lukewarm trail leads her to Louisiana.

This is a good crime film with a little humor tossed in. The Double Jeopardy angle always makes good drama when done well. Others in the cast are: Benjamin Weir, Jay Brazeau and Annabeth Gish.

Rated R

This film is available from Amazon Double Jeopardy

Christmas with the Kranks (2004)

The Kranks forfeit Kristmas!

Luther Krank (Tim Allen) convinces his wife Nora (Jamie Lee Curtis) that they should skip Christmas and go on a cruise instead. He reasons, it is cheaper and besides daughter Blair (Julie Gonzalo) has left for South America to work with the Peace Corp. When the Krank’s refuse to buy a tree for Christmas, disbelief and rumors spread through the neighborhood like wildfire. After the neighbors learn that the Krank’s will be away and there will be no Christmas party, it starts a frenzy. After all, they always spend Christmas with the Kranks.

To the dismay of neighbor Vic Frohmeyer (Dan Aykroyd), the Kranks house is the only one on the block left unlit. Frohmeyer, who has made himself spokesperson for the neighborhood, decides that strong measures are necessary to get the Kranks to put Frosty the Snowman on their roof. Meanwhile, life goes on. Luther tells everyone in his office of his plans to skip Christmas and Nora does her best to fend off questions and bad-will among neighbors and shop owners in their small town. The Kranks become the neighborhood pariahs as they count the days to cruise time. However, a telephone call from their daughter changes everything. She is returning home for Christmas. Luther and Nora have to do a quick turn-a-round and change their plans. They have less than a day to decorate the house, get a tree, plan a party and prepare Blair’s favorite foods. One somber note in this film is that the wife of Luther’s nemesis is terminally ill. On impulse, Luther performs an act of kindness that opens him to the idea of the coming holiday and what it really means. Think Ebenezer Scrooge, the miserly character in Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” It is a warm touch to Luther’s previous “Bah humbug” attitude toward Christmas.

Christmas with the Kranks is not laugh aloud funny; still, the movie does cause a chuckle now and again. Nora crouches on the floor and peeks out of the window as she makes a desperate telephone call to Luther because neighbors are on their lawn yelling for ’Frosty.’ Luther’s session at the tanning salon prove disastrous. There are other scenes to make you smile, scenes that make this a good holiday movie. Like Home Alone I am sure that it will join the long list of Christmas movies that are shown on television every year. Others in the cast are Cheech Marin, M. Emmet Walsh, Elizabeth Franz, Erik Per Sullivan, Jake Busey and Julie Gonzalo.

Chris Columbus wrote the screenplay for Christmas with the Kranks. It is based on the John Grisham novel “Skipping Christmas.”

Christmas with the Kranks and John Grisham's Skipping Christmas is available from Amazon.com and other sites.

In Her Shoes (2005)

Can feuding sisters become best friends again?

In Her Shoes is a revealing comedic look into the lives of the Feller sisters Rose (Toni Collette) and Maggie (Cameron Diaz) whose disconnect has gone past sibling rivalry.

At first glance, Rose and Maggie appear to have nothing in common except their parentage and their shoe size. Rose is a lawyer on the rise at a large firm in Philadelphia and Maggie is…well Maggie is pretty. When Rose takes Maggie home to their parents’ house, Maggie is still drunk after celebrating at her high school reunion, stepmother Sydelle (Candice Azzara) tosses Maggie out of the house. Rose begrudgingly allows her sister to stay with her. However, she has rules that she expects sister Maggie follow. Two of the rules are, do not touch anything and do not wear my shoes. Rose makes the mistake of not adding one more rule, “Do not go to bed with my boyfriend.” Maggie finds herself homeless once more when her sister demands that she leave.

As the film develops, it delves into the minds of the sisters and shows us what makes them tick. Rose is smart, articulate and vaguely unhappy and Maggie is a flake who steals money from her family, sleeps around and cannot hold a job. The girls’ dad Michael (Ken Howard) does what he can for his daughters but does not offer any real emotional support.

When Maggie unearths a box of old birthday cards from grandmother Ella, (Shirley MacLaine) it sets off a set of events that changes her life and the lives of those around her. In Her Shoes has been relegated to the “chick flick” genre, not that there is anything wrong with that label, there are some very fine chick flick type movies. In this case, that title does not quite fit. Pay particular attention to the Professor (Norman Lloyd) and Mrs. Lefkowitz (Francine Beers).The professor is a hospital patient and wise Mrs. Lefkowitz is Ella’s retirement community neighbor. These two help to further move this excellent comedy into the drama category.

In Her Shoes is a cleverly written screenplay by Susannah Grant. It is a funny and bittersweet movie about sibling rivalry, misunderstanding, family secrets and finally life’s journey. The movie is based on the Jennifer Weiner novel of the same name. Love interests in the cast are Mark Feuerstein and Jerry Adler.

Rated PG-13

In Her Shoes (Widescreen Edition) Available from Amazon and other sites. Visit the In Her Shoes official web site.

Lucky Number Slevin (2006)

A mistaken identity turns deadly in this crime drama.

In Lucky Number Slevin a young man, Slevin, portrayed by Josh Harnett (The Black Dahlia) comes to visit his friend Nick Fisher in New York. Slevin talks to Nick just minutes before he arrives to find an empty apartment. He simply makes himself at home while he waits his friend’s return. Nick’s affable and talkative neighbor, Lindsey (Lucy Lui) makes herself at home as well when she knocks on the door and Slevin answers. After Lindsey listens to Slevin’s story, she quickly deduces that Nick is missing. She has no proof. However, she is a fan of television detective shows. She decides that something sinister has happened and decides that they must investigate.

Later, when thugs come calling and mistake Slevin for missing his friend Nick, the visit turns deadly. Slevin is drawn into a dangerous mob-war between two crime bosses, The Boss, (Morgan Freeman) and The Rabbi (Ben Kingsley) and both are out for Nick’s blood. He owes them money and they are determined to get it. The crime bosses once friends are now archenemies who live penthouses that face each other. Neither comes out of his building fearing retaliation from the other, instead, they stand at their windows and glower menacingly at one another. This is one of those movies that you have to watch and listen to very carefully, because the flashbacks slip in and out so quickly, that the next sequence can become a loose thread. Bruce Willis (Hostage) as Mr. Goodkat, a hired gun, appears and disappears throughout the movie like a grim shadow.

Watch for Stanley Tucci's (The Devil Wears Prada) tough Detective Brikowski portrayal. Brikowski and his team have had the mobsters under surveillance for some time, they cannot figure out who Slevin is or how and why he is involved with the mob.

Viewers may have questions, because the plot in this movie is confusing. They are often left wondering how they arrived at a certain point. Despite the confusion in this movie, the ending has a satisfying twist, one I had not anticipated. Upon watching Lucky Number Slevin a second time I did enjoy it, because I had a better understanding of the movie.

While the Lucky Number Slevin plot may be off, it does have a top-notch cast that includes Danny Aiello and Sam Jaeger who appears briefly as Nick Fisher.

Sadly, this is one more movie with gratuitous sex. The brief, explicit sex scenes and nudity serve no real purpose and are not necessary to the story.

The Solid Gold Cadillac (1956)


Judy Holliday Takes On Big Business

George Burns narrates this very funny movie classic about big business, crooked executives and politics. At the beginning of The Solid Gold Cadillac, the camera slowly pans a tall skyscraper in New York City, an unseen Burns states “In this country today, more people are investing in the stock market than every before.”

This is the audience’s introduction to Laura Partridge (Judy Holliday) who is attending her first stockholder’s meeting at International Projects where she owns 10 shares of the companies stock. Laura creates an uproar when she questions the salaries of the Chairman of Board of Directors, Jack Blessington (John Williams) and his cronies. This line of questioning is unexpected and unwelcome. The narrator has already warned the audience that these men are crooks; now that Edward McKeever former CEO (Paul Douglas) has resigned to go to Washington, the boys will have free rein of the company and its money. Unfortunately for them, Partridge turns up at subsequent meetings, generally making a nuisance of herself by putting their huge salaries and perks in jeopardy with her questions and probing.

Blessington devises a plan to keep Laura Partridge out of their hair by hiring her. The board members disagree; Blessington explains, “If you can’t crush them, join them. If you can’t kill them, acquire them.” This is met with cynicism, “How do we know [we can‘t kill her], until we’ve tried.” When Partridge asks "What sort of work would I do?" the response is vague, "It would be sort of general work—nothing specific, but you would be in charge of it." She is given an office, a secretary, but no responsibilities. However, they don’t know Laura Partridge.

The humor in The Solid Gold Cadillac is fun, light and intelligent. The board of directors, Clifford Snell (Fred Clark), John ‘Jack’ Blessington (John Williams), Alfred Metcalfe, (Ray Collins) and Warren Gillie (Ralph Dumke) are so wickedly bad, so corrupt, that it is a joy watching their antics. While they don’t exactly rub their hands together and say, “now then, what shall we do with you my pretty”, they do devise a second plan to get rid of Laura Partridge because the first one backfires and makes her exceedingly popular with the small stockholder’s.

The Solid Gold Cadillac is one of Judy Holliday’s best films. She won the 1956 Golden Globe for Best Actress in a musical or comedy for her portrayal of Laura Partridge. This stylish movie classic does not feel dated.

Shopgirl (2005)


Actor and comedian Steve Martin wrote a short novel of just 130 pages (a novella) titled Shopgirl, which was published in 2000. In 2005, he starred in the movie adaptation of his novel. Shopgirl is one of those movies that came and went very quickly. However, my guess is that this poignant movie about the intricacies of life and love will become somewhat of a 'cult' film.

This is not your typical love triangle. We have Mirabelle, who is an artist, but paying her rent by clerking at Saks Fifth Avenue. She works in the glove department, selling long elegant evening gloves. Consequently, she is bored out of her mind--the shopper’s walk past her counter without a glance. She spends most days, leaning on the counter watching the action taking place around her. Then she goes home alone to her cat that does not pay much attention to her. Mirabelle Buttersfield is portrayed by fragile looking Claire Danes.

Mirabelle meets quirky Jeremy Kraft (Jason Schwartzman) late one night while doing her laundry in a Laundromat. Jeremy appears to be unmotivated or under motivated, and is slightly goofy, but there is something appealing and likable about him. They exchange telephone numbers and Mirabelle calls him while battling a bout of loneliness. A relationship of sorts develops. She realizes there should be more, but she does not have more so she continues to see Jeremy. Enter wealthy and much older Ray Porter (Steve Martin). When Porter stops by her counter, she is delighted to have a customer. He asks her advice concerning what color gloves to buy, she tells him. One evening as she arrives home, she finds a gift-wrapped package at her doorstep; they are the gloves that Porter bought and a note asking for a date.

Where Mirabella once had no men in her life, she now finds herself with two. Mirabelle does care for gentle and free-spirited Jeremy who seemingly has no real ambition. However, it is when Ray comes into her life that she begins to enjoy the niceties that being a pretty young 20’s something can bring, when a wealthy older man decides to woo you. Things become complex when Mirabelle realizes that she and Porter have different ideas about romance and their relationship. At first glance, this movie may feel artificial, but it is not; there is definitely a solid and realistic love story here. The movie Shopgirl is Amazon’s 2006 "Best of DVD of the Year So Far" list. There are a few minor changes in the movies but not enough to take away the substance of Steve Martin’s novella.

Rated R

Tsotsi (2005)

Tsotsi was adapted from the novel of the same name by well-known South African playwright, Athol Fugard. This English subtitled movie won the 2006 Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film of the Year (South Africa).

Tsotsi is an excellent movie about sin and redemption.

Tsotsi wanders through the streets with his friends looking for trouble and finding it wherever they go. At the beginning of the movie, we see Tsotsi and his gang (the word Tsotsi means “thug” in the urban slang of Johannesburg, South Africa) shooting dice, one member, although a decent crapshooter, cannot count; therefore he seldom wins at the game. Maybe this is a subtle hint about the way the boys live, life is a crapshoot and you have to be smart enough to know how to make every minute count properly and effectively; or you lose at the biggest game of all. The boys go from shooting dice to murder when they rob and kill a man and after watching him make a purchase in the local marketplace. Later one of the boys, Boston, (Mothusi Mangano) challenges Tsotsi by telling him they went too far. He asks if he [Tsotsi] has every loved anyone or anything. Tsotsi retaliates by savagely beating his friend, and angrily walking out. As he walks, he seems to be looking for a reason to harm anyone who gets in his way, when that does not happen, he simply highjacks a woman’s car, then coldly shoots her, as she tries to stop him.

Tsotsi unknowingly drives away with an infant in the backseat of the car. When the baby starts to make noise, he stops the car and looks at the infant . Not quite sure what to do, he starts to walk away, leaving the car door open and the child crying. However, something will not let him do that, he returns to the car, puts the infant in a large shopping bag and returns to his shanty with the child. Tsotsi does not realize it, but he has made a life changing decision. He becomes the infant’s caretaker. This is a different side of Tsotsi. We are shown bits and pieces of his life as a child through short, quickly moving flashbacks. You find that his mother was dying when he ran away from his brutal father at an early age. You may later find yourself wondering if the father really was brutal and the reasons for his actions.

Young actor Presley Chweneyagae is new to film, Tostsi is his first big screen effort, and he rises to the challenge.

Viewers should be warned that this movie is violent and the dialogue is peppered heavily with profanity. The “F” word is used so many times it may beat the record of Al Pacino’s Scarface character.

Rated R

Paycheck (2003)




Paycheck stars Ben Affleck and Uma Thurman as the lead characters, Michael Jennings and Rachel Porter, who are coworkers and lovers as well in this action filled suspenseful movie. Affleck is a highly paid computer engineer hired by a high tech company to work on a project that is so top secret that he must have his short term memory erased to insure that he won't or can't reveal any company information to other clients he may work for in the future. You have to ask yourself two questions. What could be so top secret that your employer would have you sign a contract to have your short-term memory erased? The next question has to be why would someone agree to it? There are 4.4 billion reasons. That's how much money this particular job is paying.

However, when Jennings (Affleck) gets his pay envelope he finds that he did not read the fine print--he has agreed to forfeit his paycheck. Of course he doesn't remember doing so because he has no short-term memory. Also enclosed in the envelope are numerous items and objects, which seem to serve no purpose. Soon after, he discovers that Federal agents are looking for him and that his former employer wants him dead. He has no clue why.

The objects in the envelope turn out to be keys to regaining his erased memory. Therefore, may also help to keep him alive. All he has to do is to remember what it is he knows that is so important to his former employer and the Feds. Actor Aaron Eckhart is billionaire Jimmy Rethrick who hires Jennings then does everything in his power to keep Jennings from receiving his hard earned paycheck. With the help of Rachel (Thurman), Michael Jennings starts to piece together their relationship and his past. Uma Thurman appeared in “The Avengers”, “Batman & Robin”, “Pulp Fiction” and “Henry & June”.

Paycheck was directed by John Woo who also directed Mission: Impossible II . Paycheck is not Woo’s best film, but certainly not his worst. Some moviegoers may think it is a little over the top. However, no more so than other movies of this ilk. This movie did not get high marks at the box office, but it has mystery, high tech sci-fi gadgets and great chases. One scene is straight out of North by Northwest, movie buffs will spot it immediately.

Rated PG-13

The Kennel Murder Case (1933) Movie Classic

Philo Vance is a debonair amateur detective (William Powell) who runs with the rich and elite. His love of dogs and his own dog has brought him to a dog show at a prestigious kennel club on Long Island. This leads him to investigate the deaths of two brothers Archer (Robert Barrat) and Brisbane Coe (Frank Conroy) who were members of the exclusive club.

Archer is found dead in a bedroom that is locked from the inside. What appears to be a definite suicide to the police appears suspicious to Philo Vance. The Coroner proves Vance is correct. All evidence leads straight to brother Brisbane, but the brother is soon found stabbed to death. Now, it's up to Vance to find out who killed the brothers Coe. Powell’s Philo Vance persona is definitely a precursor of his dapper “Thin Man” style.

Vance’s efforts to investigate the murders are hindered by an inept Sergeant played wonderfully well by Eugene Pallet. Actor James Lee is the 1930's typical Asian houseboy, Liang, who bows constantly and fractures the English language when he speaks. However, Liang’s disguise does not fool Vance; he realizes immediately that Liang is not what and who he appears to be. When Vance confronts the Coe’s houseboy, he discovers that Liang is a well educated scholar and has a specific reason for working in the Coe household. Mary Astor is also in this movie, Astor fans will recall that she was later cast as the beautiful and conniving Brigid O'Shaughnessy in 1941 movie The Maltese Falcon.

The Kennel Murder Case is the type of light mystery that was very popular in the 1930’s. Now these movies are candy for the eyes and ears. The sophisticated fashions, magnificent apartments and clever ‘come-back’ lines are a thing of the past. A great movie classic.

The Bishop's Wife (1948) Movie Classic

This beautifully directed 1940's black and white Christmas movie is charming and heartwarming. Church Bishop Henry Brougham (David Niven) wants to build a new and bigger church in the worst way. He is even willing to kowtow to rich demanding congregation members to get funding. Loretta Young as his lovely and somewhat neglected wife Julia, understands how badly her husband wants his new church but she doesn't want him to forget why he became a Bishop and to remember where his real duties lie. In desperation Henry prays for help and guidance.

Help comes to the Bishop in form of a handsome, debonair and somewhat irreverent angel named Dudley, played superbly by Cary Grant. Grant arrives and immediately steals the heart of Henry's young daughter as well as the hearts of his secretary, maid and wife. When Henry cancels an appointment to hear young members in his congregation sing, Dudley goes instead. Dudley also encourages Julia to buy a rakish hat she admires, he takes her dining and dancing and wins over the disapproving church members who see them together. It seems that angel Dudley can do no wrong, everyone loves him, except Henry who starts to wonder if Dudley really is an angel and what is his real purpose here. David Niven as the somewhat uptight Bishop was the right choice for this role.

There are so many wonderful scenes in this movie. Dudley magically types letters and stuffs envelopes so Henry's secretary can leave the office early to do Christmas shopping; he decorates the tree that the fluttering maid (a very young Elsa Lanchester) has just started to trim; and he has taxi driver, James Gleason, ice skating like an Olympic champion. When the boys won't let Julia's daughter play catch because she throws like a girl, Dudley steps in to give her a good pitching arm. Monty Woolley as the Professor who suspects that Dudley is a VERY special person is simply wonderful.

Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)

Family Thanksgiving Woody Allen style.

No one can bring dysfunctional families and ill-fated relationships to the screen like Woody Allen. Hannah and Her Sisters bring to life, Allen’s cynical view of love and happiness. Each sister has her own angst and unique issues. Hannah (Mia Farrow) is married to Elliot (Michael Caine) who unbeknownst to Hannah has fallen in love with her sister Lee (Barbara Hershey). Lee is living with Frederick (Max von Sydow), an aging and dogmatic artist who refuses to associate with her family because they are not clever enough for him. Holly (Diane Wiest) can’t seem to find herself or a vocation, but she has managed to snort cocaine and borrow money from Hannah on a regular basis. The parents of the trio are Evan (Lloyd Nolan) and Norma (Maureen O’Sullivan, Farrow’s real mom). Dad is quiet and loves to play the piano while reminiscing about old show biz days. Mom has a drinking problem. Then there is Hannah’s neurotic and hypochondriac ex-husband (Woody Allen) who quits his job because he thinks he is dying. The film is funny, ironic and complex.

The scenes have titles like chapters of a book or a series of vignettes and give a hint to what you can next expect. This film is pure Woody. When we first see Hannah’s husband at the family Thanksgiving dinner, he is looking longingly at his sister-in-law. Later in the film, we see him waiting for Lee to leave her building, then running for blocks so he can casually ‘bump into her”.

Other’s in the cast are Carrie Fisher, Julie Kavner (the voice of Marge Simpson in The Simpson’s), Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Bobby Short as himself. Several of Mia Farrow’s children can be seen at dinner, Moses Farrow; and Daisy and Soon-Yi-Previn. Bobby Short is in this movie because Woody Allen loves Short and Cole Porter and his ilk. The movie soundtrack is amazing. The audience is treated to old standard tunes, “Isn’t It Romantic”, “You Made Me Love You”, “Bewitched”, “Where or When” and more. The music threads through the film and gives warmth to Woody Allen’s troubled characters.

Hannah and Her Sisters is a slow-paced, low-key film that begins and ends with the family coming together for Thanksgiving dinner. The film garnered three Oscars; they went to Woody Allen for Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen, Dianne Wiest, Best Actress in a Supporting Role and Michael Caine, Best Actor in a Supporting Role.

Home Alone (1990)


When Kevin shouts “I wish my family would disappear”, he never expects it to happen.

Home Alone has become a movie classic. Although the action takes place at Christmas, it is not all that significant to this movie, the season (winter) is more important. However, this is fun viewing anytime. The plot is simple; a little boy’s family while rushing to get to the airport leaves him behind. A head count was taken but a kid from the neighborhood was counted instead of Kevin (Macaulay Culkin). This could happen in any family. Well, not really, but the movie is so funny that you overlook that and other improbables in Home Alone. Culkin is excellent as the precocious child who continues to get into trouble the night before the family heads off to spend Christmas in Paris. When Kevin’s mom sends him upstairs, he angrily responds saying he wishes that he had no family and that they would disappear. He never expected it to happen. However, the next morning Kevin comes downstairs and realizes that he is home alone.

Two not-so-clever burglars, Harry (Joe Pesci) and Marv (Daniel Stern), have been casing the neighborhood, when they fully understand that Kevin is in the house by himself, they think they have hit pay dirt. Instead of an easy heist, what they have on their hands is a miniature “MacGyver”. You remember the 1985 television show MacGyver. Secret agent Angus MacGyver did not carry a gun; in its place, he used ordinary items to get out of tight and life-threatening situations.

Little Kevin manages to outwit the bungling burglars at every turn. However, before that happens, he takes advantage of being in the house without parental supervision; he eats when and what he wants, watches late-night television and for some reason, he shaves.

After the family is settled on the plane, Kevin’s mom thinks that she has forgotten something. When she realizes that it is Kevin, she immediately begins to arrange to return home. She and the family run through the airport trying desperately to get a plane ticket for mom. To no avail, the family calls their neighbor’s homes and the police department, in hopes of getting someone to check on Kevin. But Kevin manages being home alone just fine, he shops, he does laundry and he keeps the burglars at bay.

When you see Macaulay Culkin in close-ups, you look at his face and know that he is more than a cute kid, he is an accomplished actor and that Home Alone was casting magic. Culkin appeared in the movie Uncle Buck (1989) with John Candy who is also in Home Alone

While not logical at all times, this movie is laugh-out-loud funny.

Rated PG.

Open Season (2006)


Open Season is animated good fun for children.

After a serious misdeed, a city-raised grizzly bear named Boog (Martin Lawrence) is sent to live in the forest just a few days before hunting season begins. His human mom, Beth (Debra Messing) worries that he will not be able to take care of himself because Boog knows nothing about the forest, or how to fend for himself. Fortunately (or unfortunately), Boog meets Elliot (Ashton Kutcher) a one horned deer with a hustle for everything and everyone. After Elliot talks Boog into helping him escape from the clutches of a brutal hunter called Shaw, much to the chagrin of Boog, the two become inseparable. Thanks to Elliot’s antics, he and Boog get into all kinds of trouble as they roam the forest and annoy the inhabitants along the way.

Boog is quickly learning that not all humans are as kind as Beth and not all are his friend. The man who captured Elliot is not kind, nor is he a friend. He is mean, snarly and a bully. Shaw lives in a cabin filled with the heads of forest creatures on his wall. He is angry that Elliot has escaped and sets out to recapture him. He is also searching for the bear that set Elliot free. While fleeing Shaw, the boys also have to prepare for the arrival of the hunters who will soon arrive with guns and bad attitudes.

City bear Boog is astounded to see that the forest is filled with beauty and wondrous critters; including Elliot’s rival, a muscular deer named Ian (Patrick Warburton), and a girl deer named Giselle (Jane Krakowski) whom Elliot loves. All of the creatures are fearful of the hunters who will soon make their yearly raid. Boog begins to understand that, although the forest is beautiful it can also be very dangerous. After talking to Boog and Elliot, the animals make a decision that they will not run and hide from the hunters’ this time; instead, they plan a counter-attack.

The colony of animals, including a squadron squirrels, headed up by General McSquizzy (Billy Connolly), a bevy bunnies, an insecure skunk, the hard-working beavers and their ‘working-man boss’ beaver Reilly (Jon Favreau) band together to meet the hunter’s head-on and fight back. When the hunter’s arrive, all heck breaks loose. Kids seem to love this movie.

Martin Lawrence and Ashton Kutcher were excellence choices for the voices of Boog and Elliot. Ashton Kutcher may be most familiar as Kelso on That 70’s Show.

Rated PG. There is some slightly crude humor that will probably go over a child’s head

The Black Dahlia (2006)

Aspiring actress Elizabeth Short came to Hollywood in the 1940’s to make a splash and see her name in lights. Instead, she ended up dead. Director Brian De Palma (Scarface 1983) and Josh Friedman who wrote the screenplay have brought James Ellroy’s novel The Black Dahlia to the big screen. This crime film has most of the qualifications to be categorized as noir, the amazing blues music score, the style, the snappy talk, and a look into life’s unsavory side. Unfortunately, the line the story gets muddled. Actress Mia Kirshner portrays Elizabeth ‘Betty’ Short, who became better known in death as The Black Dahlia, dead starlet, than she ever did in life as Elizabeth Short, actress.

The film focuses on Bucky Bleichert (Josh Hartnett) and Lee Blanchard (Aaron Eckhart) who are good friends, ex-boxers and the police officers assigned to the Betty Short case. The two detective’s interaction changes with one another and Kay Lake (Scarlett Johansson), Lee’s girlfriend, after they start looking for answers to Short’s grisly murder. The case becomes an all-consuming obsession with Lee and Bucky falls for socialite Madeleine Linscott (Hilary Swank) who looks like the dead woman. Short never seems to be the center of the story before or after her death. However, her essence is always hovering. Some of the black and white Short interview footage that Bucky watches is disturbing and off-putting, especially, a film showing her in what is described as a “nudie” movie.

While this film does not rank with some of De Palma’s other films, it should get a mention for Mark Isham’s music score. Isham is also responsible for the music from the Academy Award winning film Crash (2004). Others in the cast are Mike Starr, Rachel Miner and Victor McGuire.

Rated R

Stealth (2005)


Stealth is an extremely fast-paced action, adventure movie. However, something is missing, the story does not quite connect all of the dots. On the plus side, the jets were sleek, beautiful and powerful. "Stealth" stars Josh Lucas, Jessica Biel and Jamie Foxx and Sam Shepard. When you see Lucas, Biel and Foxx, looking gorgeous in their Navy whites you may be reminded of the movie "The Right Stuff" but that is where the resemblance ends, this movie does not have the same storyline continuity. It doesn't flow as smoothly as it should to make this movie click.

Lieutenants' Ben Gannon (Lucas), Kara Wade (Biel) and Henry Purcell (Foxx) are all pilots and a comfortable team. They have just been told that one more wingman will join their them as they head out on an emergency mission in Rangoon, Burma. The new addition to the team is not a person but a computer-controlled fighter plane. It is called an Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle, or UCAV. The trio plus UCAV have numerous back-to-back emergencies, then lightening strikes UCAV, which causes it to download and play music from the Internet, it also begins to ignore orders and appears to be able to think on its own. When Gannon gives an order to withdraw, it does not. Thus, a skyscraper is downed in Burma, killing thousands of innocent people. The falling skyscraper brings to mind the September, 2001 tragedy and is disturbing to watch.

The team returns home and Gannon tells his captain about UCAV's rogue actions and requests that it be removed from duty because it is dangerous. The Captain (Sam Shepard) ignores Gannon's request and his warning without giving a reason. Instead the three man team is rushed out on an unrequested and unexplained vacation in Thailand, where romance blooms between Lts. Gannon and Wade. Lieutenant Purcell manages to pick up a beautiful Thai woman who does not speak English, but does have lunch with the team, goes walking with Purcell and allows him to kiss her. We know that she is not deaf because she smiles and says no when Purcell says "You don't understand a word I am saying, do you?", but that does not prevent the team from talking about their mission as they all share a meal with this woman.

There are so many inconsistencies in Stealth and it moves so quickly, that it is very hard to get into it. However, the Captain Cummings (Shepard) character is interesting, he has a hidden and dangerous agenda. Joe Morton is impressive in the role of Captain Marshfield and Richard Roxburgh who has a minor role as Keith Orbit, the man who build UCAV is also quite good.

If you enjoy watching men and women on a mission The Right Stuff with Sam Shepard is an excellent movie with a history backing it up.


Rated (PG-13)

The Constant Gardener (2005)


British official Justin Quayle (Ralph Fiennes) and Tessa (Rachel Weisz), a political activist and crusader fall in love and quickly marry. She is killed before they get a chance to really know each other. Devastated by his loss, Justin tries to put the pieces together by finding out the "how" and "why" of Tessa's murder. He putters in his garden while thinking. The "how" and "why" is told in vivid flashback sequences in this fast-paced movie. The Constant Gardener is a love story, a mystery movie and an academy award worthy film. Author John Le Carre wrote the novel and it has been brought to the screen splendidly by director Fernando Meirelles.

When Justin has to go to Kenya, Tessa goes as well. Later, while visiting a hospital she believes that she has watched as a woman was being murdered. She asks questions, but the answers do not satisfy her. Soon after, Justin receives word that Tessa and her driver have been ambushed and are dead. As Justin delves further into his wife's life, through her e-mails and by talking to those who knew her, he finds a complicated woman who was fiercely dedicated to social cause and justice. In this case her cause was drug testing on human subjects and AIDS. With all that Justin has read in Tessa's personal papers, he realizes that she was willing to do whatever it took to get the answers she needed. Early on he discovers that the driver with Tessa was actually a physician and a long time close friend. Justin also, discovers that there are some who welcomed Tessa's demise. She was an embarrassment to the diplomatic community, too close to her good looking African friend and colleague, Dr. Arnold Bluhm (Hubert Kounde), she asked far too many questions and she knew too much. While going over the information he has gathered, Justin starts to believe that Tessa was on the right track to getting the answers she was so desperate to find; and all roads lead to something bigger and far more dangerous than Justin would have guessed. By the end of the movie, Justin has come to respect Tessa highly and to believe in what she believed in and fought for. And like Tessa, he too is willing to do whatever it takes to get answers to her questions.

The Constant Gardener will give you something new to think about. With today's headlines about drug companies, you begin to wonder if truth is really stranger than fiction or if truth and fiction are sometimes soul mates.

An excellent movie.

Rated R

Must Love Dogs (2005)


Newly divorced school teacher Sarah Nolan (Diane Lane) has a family who loves her so much, they set out to find a boyfriend who is husband material. Sarah is already involved with the dad of one of the preschoolers. Bill (Dermot Mulroney) is separated and adores Sarah, as does his son, but the relationship is not going anywhere. So, unbeknownst to Sarah, her sister Carol (Elizabeth Perkins) places an ad on the Internet in PerfectMatch.com and sets her up a series of disastrous dates. In one funny scene, Sarah shows up for a blind date and discovers that her own father had answered the ad. He handles it well--she does not.

However, Sarah does meet one man who may be 'the one'. But first she has to borrow her brother's dog since the ad said "must love dogs", she assumes that she should have one to show when she meets her date, newly divorced Jake Anderson (John Cusack). Jake is a charming man who builds wood boats by hand. When he smiles he explains why his love of these sleek boats, "They may not win, but they lose beautifully." you have to admire his sweetness and style.

You will love Sarah's handsome widowed father, Bill (Christopher Plummer) who is no stranger to the Internet dating scene. He has more than his share of women and quite happy with the situation, thank you very much. He invites all of them to dinner at the same time. Stockard Channing as one of dad's women is just wonderful.

Rated PG-13

Just Like Heaven (2005)


Mark Ruffalo and Reese Witherspoon are delightful as David Abbot and Elizabeth Masterson in Just Like Heaven. He is a landscape gardener whose wife has died, he is having a hard time moving on. Elizabeth is a 20-something overworked physician, who after putting in countless hours in ER, is involved in car accident that leaves her in a coma. Unbeknownst to David, he sublets Elizabeth's apartment and this is where the fun starts.

Elizabeth's feisty spirit walks out of the hospital and goes home. She is outraged to find messy David living in her lovely apartment, drinking beer and leaving rings from the can on her tables. They both want to know "Who are you? What are you doing here? She wants him to leave, he wants her to leave. To make matters worse, David soon realizes that he is the only one who can see Elizabeth, and, to her chagrin he has the gall to call her Lizzy.

She appears everywhere, in his bathroom, even in his refrigerator. David has to tell someone so he tells his good friend Jack (Donal Logue) that he is seeing someone. Jack says "Finally!" David explains that he is the only one who can see her--Jack is a psychiatrist so he starts to write the information down, of course David objects. Friend Jack doesn't really understand, but a quirky bookstore employee named Darryl (Jon Heder) does, he finds a book for David and advises him to use it to get rid of Elizabeth's spirit by exorcism. (As always Jon Heder is delightful and realistic. You get the impression that his "Darryl" character is not to far removed from the actor's true self). David tries the exorcism, among other things. It does not work, nothing does.

Elizabeth follows David around nagging and chastising him because he is messy, he doesn't work, doesn't eat the right foods and drinks too much. They fall in love but can't do anything about it because her body is lying comatose in the hospital. When David tries to get some information that may help Elizabeth become her whole self, she listens as neighbors and her hospital colleagues describe her dull, work-alcoholic, non-dating life. They go to Elizabeth's hospital room and are happy to see her nieces and her sister visiting. But David has heard some disturbing news while in the hospital and passes it on to Elizabeth. They visit the sisters home, and David tries to convince the sister that she (Elizabeth) is standing with him at that moment. The funny thing is, one of her nieces who has many imaginary friends does see her aunt, but the child does not say anything, she simply goes off to play, but not before placing an extra cookie on a plate. Elizabeth has one last drastic plan, and she needs David to pull it off. In desperation he agrees that, with the help of his friend Jack, they will steal her body. Will his friend help them? It turns out that Jack is the key to reuniting Elizabeth's spirit into her body. Hopefully, we will see Reese Witherspoon and Mark Ruffalo in more movies, they work well together and have the comedic timing that Carole Lombard and Robert Montgomery show in Alfred Hitchcock's 1941 comedy "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" .

While all of this may sound somewhat morbid, Just Like Heaven is a fun, light movie. There have been many comedy's about ghosts and spirits. "Blithe Spirit" the wonderful Noel Coward play was brought to the screen in 1945 by director David Lean and a delightful cast. The movie stars Rex Harrison, Kay Hammond, Constance Cummings and Margaret Rutherford as the spiritualist Madam Arcati. Arcati has been invited to conduct a seance for entertainment at the home of Rex Harrison and his second wife Constance Cummings. By mistake she contacts the ghost of Harrison's first wife. Now that ghostly and sexy first wife Elvira (Kay Hammond) is back, she refuses to leave.

Just Like Heaven is rated (PG-13)

Eve's Bayou (1997)

Family, love and relationships, Louisiana style circa 1962.

The color and scenery in Eve's Bayou is wonderful. The people are elegant and troubled. Even the character's names stir up visions of dark swamp water and sultry heat. How does a young child of 10 kill her father? Was it murder or something else? The how and why is revealed at the end of the child's disturbing tale.

The story is told and seen through the eyes of little Eve Batiste played by a wonderful young actress named Jurnee Smollett. The story starts in 1962 deep in the Louisiana Bayou area. Little Eve takes us deep into her world which is filled with colorful characters and complex personalities. Diahann Carroll is fabulous as the old fortune teller Elzora with her insane laughter. Debbi Morgan as Aunt Mozelle Batiste Delacroix is something to behold. Aunt Mozelle has promised her family that she will not use her "second sight" to tell fortunes, but neighbors won't let her keep her promise. They seek her out to find missing husbands anyway. Lynn Whitfied as the manor born wife is beautiful and poised as she tries to keep her family together in spite of her wandering husband (Samuel L. Jackson). Jackson is very sexy in this movie and his character has roving eyes as well as roving hands that don't stop even when he is caught in a compromising position by his youngest daughter, Eve. This single action starts a set of events that lead to the total destruction of an already deeply troubled family.

Although this movie did not make history at the box office, my guess is that it will become a cult classic. If you are a collector of all film genres, this is the one to see and collect. Years from now, it will be viewed for what it is, a brilliantly produced gem. You can literally feel the Louisiana heat from Eve's Bayou. If the character 'Harry' looks familiar to you, he is none other than saxophonist, Branford Marsalis.

Rated R

Four Brothers (2005)


Four brothers Jeremiah (Andre Benjamin), Jack (Garret Hedlund), Angel (Tyrese Gibson) and Bobby (Mark Wahlberg) are reunited in Detroit at their mother's funeral. As one cop explains it, Evelyn Mercer (Fionnula Flanagan) was a longtime foster mother, the four boys she adopted were the only children she was not able to find homes for because they were all incorrigible.

Now the Mercer boys are back to bury their mother who was killed during a candy store robbery. Until this time the Mercer brothers have lived separately and without contact, only Jeremiah stayed in Detroit and lived near his mother. Jeremiah, a successful real estate businessman is married, he and his wife Camille (Taraji Henson) have several children. The remaining brothers, once scattered, are now staying at their mother's house and we watch as each handles his own separate grief. There is a touching scene at the Thanksgiving dinner table where the four men hold hands in prayer (as they were taught by mom) and give thanks. They try to talk about other things but thoughts of their mother and her death lay heavy in the room. When they find out that the word on the street is their mother's death was not a random killing they try to find out the truth. The store owner allows them to watch the security tape and they see that their mother's death did not come from a random shooting, but was a cold execution. Who and why would someone kill an old harmless woman who seemingly had no enemies? While searching for truth and their own justice, the brothers have to deal with Angel's jealous girlfriend Sofi (Sofia Vergara) who at one point, unintentionally puts them in harm's way.

Lieutenant Green (Terrence Howard) and his partner, Detective Fowler (Josh Charles) are good cops but their hands appear to be tied by crime bosses and other forces in the city. You won't forget Chiwetel Ejiofor as Victor Sweet, a major Detroit crime boss. He bullies and humiliates his own people to the point where you want to look away from the screen. Although this movie is dark and gritty in mood and color, it is really entertaining and has a good, tight cast. However, there is so much bloodshed that it takes on a mesmerizing, gruesome and twisted, fairytale quality. Rapid-fire bullets, countless bodies, death everywhere.

The real surprise is that the movie and the casting works. Four brothers--two white, two black, bonded only by mean streets and one woman's unconditional love. You do get the feeling that they are a real family. Those who come to this movie expecting to see stud-boy Marky Mark in low-slung jeans will be surprised to find in Marky's place, a fine actor. The role of the tough hair-trigger temper brother, suits Mark Wahlberg to a "T". Singer/actor Tyrese Gibson is better known simply as Tyrese.

"Four Brothers" was directed by John Singleton who writes of inner-city life with ease. "Four Brothers" has been compared to "The Sons of Katie Elder", the 1965 western about four trouble-making brothers who avenge their mother's death after attending her funeral. It stars John Wayne, Earl Holliman, Dean Martin, and Michael Anderson Jr. as the Elder brothers. Singleton is also producer of "Hustle & Flow" which stars Terrence Howard and Taraji Henson.

Gaslight (1944 b/w)

On the surface this classic movie does not appear to have a complicated premise. Young Paula Alquist, played by beautiful Ingrid Bergman is sent away to Italy to finish her schooling after her famous aunt is found murdered in her home. The murderer was never found. Nor were the jewels she was rumored to have.

Fast forward years later. Paula has fallen in love with charming and dashing Gregory Anton (Charles Boyer). She marries Anton and they return to her aunt's house which is now Paula's by inheritance. Paula cannot see it, but the audience sees that her husband's charm is quickly fading as he isolates her from their social circle under the guise that she is ill and cannot see anyone. He manipulates her to the point that she fears that she is losing her mind. The viewer watches Ingrid Bergman's character change from an intelligent, secure young woman to a paranoid recluse slowly being driven mad by her husband who skillfully controls her mind. By now we have learned that it is no coincidence that Gregory Anton met, married and convinced Paula to return to London to live in her former home. He is determined to continue his search for the jewels which was interrupted by Alice Alquist years ago.

As Paula struggles with her sanity, she has no one to turn to for help until an inquisitive neighbor, Miss Thwaites (Dame May Witty) elicits help from Brian Cameron (Joseph Cotton) who happens to be a Scotland Yard detective. Cameron has his own reasons for being curious about the never seen Paula Alquist. Be sure to watch for a very young Angela Lansbury (Murder She Wrote) as the cute tartish young maid who has eyes for Boyer. Gaslight is a movie that you watch again and again and still have it give you shivers as you watch Boyer skillfully and cunningly drive his wife to the brink of insanity. However, Bergman's revenge is sweet. A brilliant psychological study.

A great movie to rent from the video store for a weekend or to buy for your movie library. A terrifice movie classic to own.

Gaslight is available from Amazon.com

The Parent Trap (1961) Classic Film
The Parent Trap with Haley Mills is a Classic "Baby Boomer" family movie. I do a love bit of Disney fluff.

The Parent Trap stars beautiful Maureen O'Hara and handsome Brian Keith; and gives us a double helping of a very young Hayley Mills, who plays twin sisters. The movie may be sugary sweet, but it is a real tribute to children, parenthood and love.

Brian Keith (Mitch Evers) and Maureen O'Hara (Maggie McKendrick) divorced when their twin daughters were very young. Each took a child--one parent lives free and open California style (he), the other lives in stiff old upper Bostonian style (she). The children reflect their respective parent’s lifestyle. By a fluke the girls end up in the same summer camp, of course they (Sharon and Susan) meet; and that's when the fun begins. Nancy Kulp of the 1962 television hit The Beverly Hillbillies is one of the camp counselors.

After initially disliking each other, they find they have more in common than their disturbing identical looks. Once connected, they decide that their parents must be reunited. However, neither is counting on papa Brian Keith having a gold-digging sweetheart (Joanna Barnes) and her greedy mother lurking about. Never mind, the girls soon take care of that.

The Parent Trap has some hilarious moments. Some are laugh out loud funny; just watch Leo G. Carroll who portrays Reverend Dr. Mosey, as he listens (and watches) the interaction between Mitch and Maggie after she arrives unexpectedly at her ex-husband’s home, the same day he and his fiancée (Barnes); and her mother, are finalizing wedding plans.

The movie has a superb cast, Una Merkel is Verbena, Mitch's very wise and knowing housekeeper, Cathleen Nesbitt and Charles Ruggles are the wonderful and doting grandparents. John Mills (Hayley's father) appears briefly as Mitch's golf caddy. The Parent Trap pioneered the processed split-screen technique, which allowed Hayley Mills to appear as twins. If you look very carefully you can spot a few tell-tale glitches. But why look for minor technical problems, just enjoy and introduce your children to this wonderful Walt Disney classic.

See the original 1961 film and The Parent Trap II made 25 years later. The twins, Sharon and Susan (Hayley Mills) are all grown up. Single mom Sharon is finding out how her parents must have felt when she and her sister were playing matchmaker. Daughter Nikki and her best gal pal have decided that her mom and Mary's widowed dad are just perfect together. When things stall, the girls get help from Aunt Susan. Available from Amazon.com. The Parent Trap (1961) and The Parent Trap II (1986): 2-Movie Collection (2-Disc Set)

Mission: Impossible III (2006)


Ethan Hunt is back in this action packed film, Mission Impossible III. In this latest offering of IM movies. Tom Cruise reprises his role as the IMF super-spy. He has retired and is now living a quiet life with his girlfriend Julia (Michelle Monaghan).

Julia knows nothing of Ethan's past, she believes that he works in transportation; in fact, he is now a trainer for the Impossible Mission Force. When Ethan learns that one of the agents he trained (Keri Russell) was been captured while on a surveillance mission, his old friend Musgrave (Billy Crudup) persuades him to accept one more assignment. Hunt and his team Luther Stickel (Ving Rhames), Declan (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) and Zhen (Maggie Q) set out to save the young agent, Lindsey, from torture and sure death. The team comes up against Owen Davian (Philip Seymour Hoffman), a cold and deadly man who provides information and weapons to anyone and any country who can meet his price. Actor Philip Seymour Hoffman won an Oscar in 2006 for his brilliant and realistic portrayal of author Truman Capote in the movie"Capote."

"IMF director Brassel (Laurence Fishbourne) has given another mission to Ethan; he must locate a weapon called "Rabbit Foot". His team remains with him and together they seek out the deadly weapon, look for the mole with in the IMF organization and rescue Julia who has been kidnapped to weight the odds against Hunts success in finding "Rabbit Foot." We follow Ethan as he goes on high-speed chases, has outrageous shoot-outs, and leaps from very tall buildings. You have not seen anything until you see Ethan running at the speed of a locomotive.

Rated PG-13
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Will there be a MI-IV? Could be. Here is the dialogue at the end of the Mission Impossible III. Ethan thinks it is time to tell Julia who he is and what he really does. Ethan: "I'm part of an agency... called the IMF." Julia: "What's that stand for?" Ethan: "Impossible Mission Force." Julia laughing "Yeh, right!"

Mr. and Mrs. Smith (2006) Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie
Meet the Smith's, in therapy because their floundering marriage has lost its joie de vivre.

Meet John and Jane Smith better known as Mr. & Mrs. Smith.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are among other things, a dysfunctional married couple in this action/thriller spoof of assassin movies.

Pitt and Jolie are equally matched here, in beauty as well as talent, as a bored married couple. On the surface their separate lives are as sedate and boring as their married life, she works on Wall Street, he owns a large construction company. They are in therapy to save their six year marriage because, although they are still in love, their marriage has lost its snap. However, both have a secret; each is a paid assassin. They keep money and weapons in their secret hidey holes around the house and go about their assignments as you would go to your 9 to 5 office job.

In another movie, the killings may be too grim to watch, here they are just tongue-in-cheek silly. Mr. Smith walks into the back room of a bar, says a few words, kills his target who goes by (went by?) the name of "Lucky" and walks out. With this, his work day is over and he heads home for dinner. His wife asks where he has been. He says that he has been to a sports bar; she asks how he made out and he says "I got Lucky". Silly? Definitely, but that's what makes this movie so much fun.

All goes well for the Smith's until they are given the same target to wipe out. They bungle the job because each one gets in the others' way. After they botch their jobs, Jane and John are given special assignments in a remote dessert location. It is here that they find out the truth about each other. They now realize that they are assassins for separate agencies and have been assigned to kill each other. When the couple becomes aware of what the other one does, the dynamics change and the real action begins. Look for Vince Vaughn as Eddie, a master assassin who still lives at home with his mother because she is a good cook. Eddie tries to give some advice to the Smith's, he states, "If you two stay together, you're dead".

Do they stay together? Do they separate? Or do they complete their assignments and kill each other? Go to this movies and find out. There is not much substance to this movie, but it is such fun that you will have a good time anyway. Vince Vaughn is wonderful, it is too bad he had so few lines. Not to worry. You can catch him starring in another summer movie The Wedding Crashers (2005) where he really shines. Although you don't see the person giving John Smith his assignment, you do hear her clearly. That is the voice of actress Angela Basset. Angela Basset is probably most remembered as Tina Turner in What's Love Got to Do With It (1993). She was also Stella in How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998). Basset was also in Waiting to Exhale (1995).

Rated PG 13
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• Jolie was awesome in the 1998 movie Gia. Although this movie has no rating, it does deal with heavy drug use.
• For those who do not know, Angelina Jolie is the daughter of Actor John Voight.
• For more Jolie information go to http://www.wutheringjolie.com/nuke/ much fun.
  
  

Crash (2005)

It was a surprise to everyone in the Acadamy Awards audience and the home audiences as well, when Crash won the 2005 for Oscar for Best Motion Picture of the Year. The audience went wild when this film was announced as the 2005 winner.

I am usually not at a loss for words, but this movie has so much going on I just could not get a handle on it. It was definitely not what I expected. The basic premise is that we often make decisions based on ethnicity or skin color before looking beyond that, and when we do look past the obvious, we still have problems with our perceptions. The race relations (or non-relations) you see here are raw and ugly. Bigotry, intolerance, anger, distrust, fear, nationalism at its worse, you name it, it's shown in Crash. I think that some of the characters were over-the-top stereotypical, but that seems to be the point of this movie.

This is not a feel-good movie. However, there is something about it that won't let you walk away--there is the scene where LAPD police officer (Matt Dillon) who had earlier searched a woman (Thandie Newton) in an inappropriate manner, comes to her rescue when she is in an auto accident. The interaction between the two during this second encounter is very moving.

The movie is excellent, but it is also disturbing and unsettling. I came away feeling quite uneasy. Still, this is one of those movies that I will definitely buy for my collection when it becomes available on DVD. It is a "must see" movie that you and your friends will be discussing for days.

The large cast includes: Don Cheadle, Sandra Bullock, Jennifer Esposito, Larenz Tate, Loretta Devine, William Fichtner, Ludacris, Michael Pena and others. Tony Danza appears briefly. I would not be surprised if director Paul Haggis, who is responsible for the story and the screenplay, receives an Academy Award nomination later. Don Cheadle does a grand job as actor and co-producer of this fine movie. CRASH is rated 'R' in the U.S

Add Crash to your movie collection, but be sure to get it in the widescreen version because you don't want to miss one second of any of the action in this film.

The Devil Wears Prada (2006)



The Devil Wears Prada was first a novel written by Lauren Weisberger whose profile very much resembles that of ficticious Miranda Priestly's assistant. Ms. Weisberger worked for Vogue magazine for a short while, where she was assistant to editor, Anna Wintour.

There has been so much talk about Meryl Streep in this movie, that it has turned out to be the chick flick of the summer. And yes, I do believe that it is a chick flick even if you can get 'him' to go to the movie theater with you. This is not a knock, the movie is great fun. It is just perfect for a day out with the girls. See the movie, then head off for a knosh, some laughs and girl talk.

The movie stars Meryl Streep, Anna Hathaway and marvelous Stanley Tucci as Miranda's right hand guy. In The Devil Wears Prada, Streep captures “the devil, Miranda Priestly”. Priestly is ill-tempered, ill-mannered, self-absorbed and rude. She has no redeeming qualities, except one; she is brilliant at what she does. Priestly, the editor-in-chief of “Runway”, a slick Vogue-like, magazine cannot keep an assistant because she runs them ragged and saps every ounce of their dignity.

I loved this movie. Great for girls night out-eat, drink and trash the powers-that-be.