The King's Speech, 2010

THURSDAY MOVIE CONNECTION!!
Guy Pearce--Helena Bonham-Carter


Director: Tom Hooper

Stars: Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham-Carter, Guy Pearce





LOVE IT!

In the days before World War II, when radio broadcasts were carrying voices across nations and the world, a stammering prince (Firth) turns to a speech therapist (Rush) for help overcoming his speech problem.  And when his brother the king abdicates to marry a divorced woman, he is next in line for the  throne.

I don't want to say much because it's so wonderful you have to see it for yourself.  I will only say one thing: it is rated R for language, which is actually kind of funny, because throughout the course the speech therapy, they find that Bertie (Firth) doesn't stutter when he swears.  So at 2 or 3 points in the film, he is just swearing up a storm.  It's funny!

An Unfinished Life, 2005

Director: Lasse Hallstrom



Stars: Robert Redford, Jennifer Lopez, Morgan Freeman, Josh Lucas, Becca Gardner








When her current boyfriend beats her again, Jean (Lopez) takes her daughter Griff (Gardner) and heads for the only family she has left-- her late husband's father Einar (Redford).  Einar lives on a ranch and cares for his friend Mitch (Freeman), who was mauled by a bear and can't care for himself.  Einar never truly recovered from his son Griff's death, but as he gets to know his granddaughter, he finds the healing he needs.

This is one of those slow-moving movies.  And except for a tiny scene that could have just been left out and implied (yeah, it's about sex), I really liked this movie.

Forrest Gump, 1994

Thursday Movie Connection!!

Robin Wright--Tom Hanks

Director: Robert Zemeckis (Back to the Future, Romancing the Stone, Cast Away)

Stars: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise

SPOILERS!! This review is really just me writing my thoughts as I watch it......

Okay, so I remember this movie, or bits of it, anyway, from long ago. Wow, what a weird movie. First of all, what was my mom thinking to allow me to watch this? This has way too much sex and innuendo and nudity in it. I doubt I will ever be watching this again. Too much dirtiness. But it's also funny.

A very funny part is when he's talking about how easy the Army is: he narrates, "And you always end everything with 'Yes, Drill Sergeant!" and then he yells it with the rest of his unit. "YES, DRILL SERGEANT!!!" His face, and the way he moves his head, is priceless.

The way he looks at the world is simple and sweet. But it's so sad, too. When Jenny (Wright) tells him he doesn't know what love is, I wanted to cry. It's so messed up. SHE is the one who doesn't know. When his letters are returned to him unopened, I hated her. And almost cried. And then they were reunited in D.C. -- and I almost cried again!

When he asks Jenny if little Forrest is smart or if he's like him, and he can't even say it, he's so choked up. That's the most beautiful moment to me.

Lieutenant Dan's hair is nice. I couldn't figure out why I both loved and hated it. Until I realized that it's exactly like mine. Curly wavy hair. You love it and hate it.

Good soundtrack. I love oldies!

Jerry Maguire, 1996

THURSDAY MOVIE CONNECTION!!

Tom Cruise-- Cuba Gooding Jr

Director: Cameron Crowe

Stars: Tom Cruise, Cuba Gooding Jr, Renee Zellweger, Jonathan Lipnicki

Jerry Maquire (Cruise), a sports agent working for a large sports management company, has an epiphany about how the business should be (honest, for example), and writes a mission statement to share his thoughts with his co-workers. His co-workers are inspired by it, but when he gets fired the next day, and leaves to start his own company, only one person is willing to join him. Dorothy Boyd (Zellweger) is a single mom with a son named Ray (Lipnicki), who thinks she may have just a made the biggest mistake of her life, leaving her stable job and following Jerry into the unknown.

Overall, it's an all right movie. I really like the music!

The Last of the Mohicans, 1992

Director: Michael Mann

Stars: Daniel Day-Lewis, Madeleine Stowe, Russell Means

Nathaniel (Day-Lewis) is a white man who was raised by a Mohican family, of whom only his father and brother are left. They live and trap in the mountains, and happen upon an ambush one day. Two sisters and their military escort are being attacked by a group of Indians. The trappers save their lives, and escort them the rest of the way to the fort where their father, a colonel, is under attack, and the situation looks hopeless. The men continue to protect the women as the story goes on.

For a war-time story, I thought it was pretty good. And the music is lovely, of course. The story is very emotional and dramatic. And it's not a completely happy ending. It was hard to get past the fact that he had long hair. Sorry! I like short hair!

Also, would the two leads really have slept together after 2 days of knowing each other, and in the 1700's, when this was really considered quite sinful? I doubt it. But at least they don't show much.

My favorite part is near the end, when Nathaniel's brother goes after the younger sister to save her, pretty much knowing he is facing his death. It's kind of beautiful.

Titanic, 1997

THURSDAY MOVIE CONNECTION!!!

Bill Paxton-- Kate Winslet

Director: James Cameron

Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane, Kathy Bates, Bill Paxton

Searching for a blue diamond they tracked to the wreck of the Titanic, a team of explorers finds only a drawing of the diamond. When she sees the drawing on the news 100-year-old Rose recognizes the diamond and the woman wearing it: it's her, at age 17.

In 1912 on the Titanic, Rose (Winslet) is moving to America with her fiance Cal (Zane) and her mother. But she feels trapped in her life, promised to a man she doesn't love, being forced to live a life she doesn't want because she and her mother need to survive somehow. When she decides to take her own life, a third class passenger- Jack Dawson (DiCaprio)- talks her out of it, and the two become friends. Over the next few days, they fall in love, and have to hide it from everybody, of course.

It really sucks when the ship hits the ice berg, and begins to sink. It's very emotional, dramatic, and quite sad, of course, as many people die. You seen Rose naked, and there's a sex scene too, but all in all, I like the movie. It's excitement and action, but in an old-world setting. It is quite cheesy, but you can't have everything.

The Best Years of Our Lives, 1946

Director: William Wyler (How To Steal A Million, Ben-Hur, Roman Holiday)

Stars: Myrna Loy, Dana Andrews, Teresa Wright, Fredric March

This one, about 3 soldiers and how they adjust to civilian life after World War II, is a little depressing, but still good! One soldier loses both his arms below the elbow and struggles with getting his life back to normal and dealing with his family and fiancee. Another soldier finds his kids much more grown up then he expected, and his job situation different. the third soldier discovers that his young wife lives more like she's single than married, and gets along without him just fine.

I didn't expect it to be happy- anything about war isn't going to be happy. But it's good.

La Belle et Le Bete, 1946

Director:

Stars: Jean Marais, Josette Day, Mila Parely

Very cool! I thought I would be bored because it was a French movie and I would have to read subtitles, but honestly, I thought it was neat! I'll always like Disney best, but this one is worth watching!

I especially liked how they made the castle appear enchanted. The chandeliers lit up by themselves and were held by human hands that came out of the walls. Hands and arms popped up from the table to serve Belle's father when he arrived at the castle. Very creative for the time period!

Walk the Line, 2005

THURSDAY MOVIE CONNECTION!

Reese Witherspoon--Robert Patrick

Director: James Mangold

Stars: Joaquin Pheonix, Reese Witherspoon, Robert Patrick, Ginnifer Goodwin

The story of the life of Johnny Cash (Pheonix). From childhood to marrying the love of his life June Carter (Witherspoon). It's mostly about the relationship between he and June. It's not the happiest of movies, but it has it's redeeming qualities. I nearly cried when June and her family chased a drug dealer off Johnny's property, trying to save Johnny when he was completely helpless on drugs. That was a beautiful intervention, in my opinion. But otherwise, I liked the music and didn't like the story. It was too sad. The music is excellent, however! I was already a Johnny Cash fan, but it definitely made me like him more. And Pheonix and Witherspoon do a great job singing! :)

Secondhand Lions, 2003

THURSDAY MOVIE CONNECTION

Robert Duvall- Josh Lucas



Director: Tim McCanlies

Stars: Michael Caine, Robert Duvall, Haley Joel Osment, Kyra Sedgwick, Josh Lucas

I love this film.

Walter (Osment) is sent by his selfish mother (Sedgwick) to live with her bachelor uncles Hub (Duvall) and Garth (Caine). Hub and Garth reluctantly take him in, and eventually grow to like him, since he seems to get on the nerves of other relatives who are just coming over to get into the men's wills. Rumor has it, Hub and Garth have millions stashed away somewhere.

A lot of the movie is Garth telling Walter the story of Hub and Garth's lives: how they traveled to Europe, fought in the French Foreign Legion, and lived in Africa. Tales of action, adventure, romance!

This movie is beautiful from start to finish. I can't do it justice at all. You'll love it.

The Cutting Edge, 1992

Director: Paul Michael Glaser

Stars: D.B Sweeney, Moira Kelly, Terry O'Quinn

When hockey player Doug Dorsey (Sweeney), gets hit in the head one too many times, his hopes of going pro are over. Meanwhile, figure skater Kate Moseley (Kelly) falls while skating at the Olympics and is now looking for a new partner for the next winter Olympics. Her coach finds Dorsey, a wonderful skater, and brings him in to audition for the part.

Doug and Kate clash instantly, but he's her last hope for a partner. She's run out of time. They begin to skate together, and Doug struggles through the transition from hockey skating to figure skating. And Kate doesn't make it easier for him. They make through Nationals and then onto France for the winter Olympics. And somewhere along the way, they fall in love.

I LOVE this one. Here's a crazy thing about it: whenever I watch it, I never think of Sweeney and Kelly having stunt doubles. I don't think you can tell, they made it so well!

It's not the cleanest movie, but not dirty. There's no sex, just implied sex. It's not exactly a Christmas movie, but most of it takes place in winter, and there's ice, of course.

The World's Fastest Indian, 2005

Director: Roger Donaldson

Stars: Anthony Hopkins, Aaron Murphey

Burt Munro (Hopkins) has been restoring his 1920's Indian motorcycle, in order to race it during Speed Week in 1967 at the salt flats in Utah. It's the story of his journey from Inver Cargill, New Zealand, to the salt flats.

It's an absolutely wonderful film, and I don't want to give anything away! Watch it! I actually cheered when he passed though motorcyclists in the first race in the beginning. It had only been 20 minutes, but his character is so lovable, I couldn't help it.

Her Alibi, 1989

Director: Bruce Beresford (Driving Miss Daisy, Double Jeopardy)

Stars: Tom Selleck, Paulina Porizkova, William Daniels,

I adore Tom Selleck because of Three Men and a Little Lady, so when I found this movie for $3 on Black Friday, I thought I would take a chance. And it's all right. Definitely cute enough for me to recommend to watch at least once, for Tom Selleck fans.

Phil (Selleck) is a mystery writer with writer's block, whose agent (Daniels-- probably best-known as Mr. Feeny from Boy Meets World, or to an earlier generation as the voice of K.I.T.T., the talking 1982 Pontiac Trans Am in Knight Rider) tries to get him to start writing again.

Phil goes to court, where he apparently sits in on cases to get ideas for writing (which is a great idea!), and that's where he see Nina (Poriskova), a Romanian beauty accused of murder. On a whim, he decides to be her alibi.

In this little constructed alibi, they are having an affair, so she must come to live with him for a while, which she does, though only because there are people trying to kill her. Phil, sort of a wimpy writer who lives vicariously through his recurring character Peter Swift, now writes about his experiences with Nina, adjusting things to make them more exciting for the book, which is a very cute touch- and all the while he wonders if she is really a killer.

It's definitely cute enough to watch at least once. I liked how Tom Selleck didn't play Magnum. He played a wimp, so afraid of the woman he was providing with an alibi that he had to move a dresser in front of his door at night so she wouldn't come in to kill him.

Gaslight, 1944

Director: George Cukor (My Fair Lady, The Philadelphia Story, Adam's Rib)

Stars: Charles Boyer, Ingrid Bergman, Joseph Cotten, Angela Lansbury

When her aunt is murdered in London in the apartment they share, young Paula (Bergman) moves to Italy, and lives there for many years before she meets Gregory (Boyer) who sweeps her off her feet. After the wedding, he wants to move to London, and she finally feels ready after all these years to face the apartment, which was left to her, and all the feelings that go with the unsolved murder that happened there. As long as her husband is with her, how can she not be safe?

But in that house, she starts to hear things when her husband is gone for the night at work. And the gaslight in her room always goes down a little as if someone has turned on the gas in another part of the house, but no one has. She finds a letter addressed to her aunt, but later her husband tells her she had only imagined finding it. Is she losing her mind?

I thought it was excellent! I didn't know beforehand that Joseph Cotten was in it, and I am a fan, so that was a nice surprise. And then the rude chambermaid also surprised me: unmistakably Angela Lansbury! She's great!

The scene at the end that Paula shares with her husband is probably my favorite. Chilling!

Twelve Angry Men, 1957

Director: Sidney Lumet

Stars" Henry Fonda, Lee J. Cobb, Jack Klugman

The story is simple. It starts in a courtroom, where the trial has just ended, and the judge tells the jury to carefully consider the case, and that whatever they decide, it must be unanimous.

So the twelve jurors adjourn to a room where the rest of the movie takes place. The entire movie is just the 12 men discussing the case and arguing. In the beginning on Juror #8 (Fonda) believes that the young boy on trial could be innocent of his father's murder. He proceeds to convince the rest of the guys.

I really liked it! You would think it might be boring because of how little action there is, but I thought it was fantastic!

Picnic, 1955

Director: Joshua Logan

Stars: William Holden, Kim Novak

I felt like this was a little like "The Long Hot Summer", except not as good. Holden is a drifter who comes into town, and everyone is smitten with him. And then they all go on a picnic.

And it's pretty dramatic for looking like a happy-ish movie in the beginning. My advice is to watch "The Long Hot Summer instead! It had Paul Newman! Although, I admit, William Holden did look great with his shirt off.

Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing and Charm School, 2005

Director: Randall Miller

Stars: Robert Carlyle, Marisa Tomei, John Goodman, Mary Steenburgen, Sean Astin

This is one of those slow-moving stories; the kind that makes you feel like you are with them.

Frank (Carlyle) is driving home when he comes across a car accident. He calls the police and stays with the driver (Goodman) who begins to talk about where he was headed- to Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing and Charm School to meet Lisa, his childhood sweetheart. They had agreed to meet there 40 years ago. Now, as he's bleeding and dying, he urges Frank to go in his place.

Frank, still suffering from his wife's suicide, goes to the school, and doesn't find Lisa, but ends up finding his own life again.

The story bounces around from Frank's time at the school, and back to the accident, then to the 60's as the dying man tells Frank about the Charm school and Lisa.

I liked it!

Rich and Strange, 1932

Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Stars: Joan Barry, Henry Kendall

Fred (Kendall) is living a regular life in London with his wife Emily (Barry), but longs for something more, some kind of adventure. But he doesn't have any money to take any vacations. Suddenly, a telegram comes from a rich uncle who thinks they should be able to enjoy the money he was going to leave them when he died.

They hop a ship to Paris, and the Mediterranean, and the Far East, and all those fun stops. Fred and Emily each meet someone new. Emily meets a normal, kind guy who makes her feel like she matters again; Fred meets a "Princess". Both plan to run away with their lovers, but Emily backs out, and goes back to Fred, after finding out that he is being deceived by his "Princess", who is just after him for his money. After Fred realizes Emily is right about his lover, they leave on a ship, which gets ship-wrecked, drawing them closer together, of course.

I had absolutely no idea what to expect when getting into this movie! I expected suspense, naturally, but I was pleasantly surprised to find it to be a romantic comedy. But also a drama, since Fred really is a jerk til the very end. But you still applaud Emily for sticking with him. And they do end happily.

Oops, sorry- spoiler!

Jane Eyre, 2011

Director: Cary Fukunaga

Stars: Mia Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender

We all know the story. (And if you don't, here's the story:) SPOILER: Jane Eyre was seriously mistreated as a young girl by family as well as school teachers (it's very much like Dickens), but overcame it enough to become a teacher. Finally, a chance comes to escape as a governess for a rich family. She begins working for Mr Rochester, as a governess for his ward Adele. She falls for Mr. Rochester, and he falls for her, and on their wedding day, she finds out he actually has a wife already! She's mentally ill and lives in the attic of the house she has been living in for months. So that sucks. She leaves, heartbroken, and finds anew teaching job under another name. Only when a friend tells her someone has been looking for her does she return to Mr. Rochester, who isn't in the best situation. His house has burned down, his crazy wife is dead, and his sight is gone. But at least they live happily ever after.

I thought it probably should have been scarier, since his wife is sort of trying to kill her, after all. But this one was definitely the best Jane Eyre I've ever seen.

Life As We Know It, 2010

Director: Greg Berlanti

Stars: Katherine Heigl, Josh Duhamel, Josh Lucas

Holly (Heigl) and Messer (Duhamel) hate each other but love their best friends, a married couple with a beautiful daughter named Sophie. When Sophie's parents die in a car accident, Holly and Messer are further horrified to find that they have both been named as legal guardians for Sophie. So they move into their friends' home and start to raise Sophie together.

Not the best, but not the worst. A little too trashy for my taste. But it wasn't crazy-trashy. I would watch it again.