Julie and Julia, 2009

THURSDAY MOVIE CONNECTION!!!!
Stanley Tucci-- Amy Adams




Director: Nora Ephron

Stars: Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, Stanley Tucci









Julie (Adams) decides to start a blog going through Julia Child's (Streep) book "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" in one year.  To her surprise, her blog takes off and becomes very popular, soon taking over her life, in a way, and she neglects her husband, among other things.

This movie takes on Julie's story, while going back in time and going through Julia's story as she was writing the cookbook.  It's a very sweet movie, touching at times, and you should definitely have soem good food ready to eat!  You will be hungry.

The Bodyguard, 1992

THURSDAY MOVIE CONNECTION!!!
Debbie Reynolds-- Kevin Costner



Director: Mick jackson

Stars: Kevin Costner, Whitney Houston, Gary Kemp, Ralph Waite, Debbie Reynolds










This is one of those movies (like The Fugitive and Independence Day) that I can't stop watching whenever it's on tv and I am bored and channel-surfing.  This almost never happens, but still!

Former secret service agent Frank Farmer (Costner) gets a new job: he becomes a diva's bodyguard.  Rachel (Houston) has been receiving death threats and crazy letters, and although she knows she needs a bodyguard, she and frank clash instantly.  Rachel is used to having things her way, but Frank insists on certain precautions being taken.  After more attempts are made on her life, she begins to trust Frank, and do what he says.

I really enjoy watching this one.  But I can't say I like the end.  SPOILER!  Why couldn't they just end up together?  Not entirely happy....

Gidget, 1959

Director: Paul Wendkos


Stars: Sandra Dee, James Darren, Cliff Robertson






Francie (Dee) heads to the beach for the summer and convinces Moondoggie (Darren) to teach her how to surf.

It's a bit silly, and definitely a summer movie, and the way they make it look like they're actually surfing is, of course, old school, and therefore, hilarious!  WOrth watching if you're in "summer movie" mood.

The Wedding Planner, 2001

Director: Adam Shankman


Stars: Jennifer Lopez, Matthew McConaughey, Bridgette Wilson-Sampras, Justin Chambers, Judy Greer





Mary (Lopez) is a wedding planner who is about to become a partner in the company- all she has to do is successfully plan the Donolly wedding.  This becomes tricky when the man she recently met and has fallen for actually ends up being the groom of the wedding she is supposed to plan!

Very cute and sweet!  I have always liked this movie, as cheesy as it might be.  Romantic comedies too often go the dirty route, and I'm glad this one didn't.

Torn Curtain, 1966

Director: ALFRED HITCHCOCK

Stars: Paul Newman, Julie Andrews,









And now, the last review of April!

American physicist Michael Armstrong (Newman) is on his way to Europe with his secretary/fiancee Sarah (Andrews) for a big mathematics conference or something.  (Is it ridiculous that I don't completely understand what is going on?)  Anyway, the whole point is that everyone thinks Armstrong is defecting to Germany, and he can't tell them that really he is working for the US government as a sort of spy, trying to get a formula for something!  

Okay, I don't know why I don't know the details because this truly IS one of my favorites.   It has PAUL NEWMAN!  Enough said.

Torn Curtain is not at all scary, just suspenseful, and of course, romantic.  And, no, Julie Andrews does NOT sing.

CAMEO:  In the hotel in the beginning, Hitch is seated, holding a baby.

French Kiss, 1995

THURSDAY MOVIE CONNECTION!!!!

Meg Ryan-- Kevin Kline

Director: Lawrence Kasden

Stars: Meg Ryan, Kevin Kline, Timothy Hutton

Kate (Ryan) heads to France to surprise her fiance Charlie (Hutton). The trip is a disaster from the start, as she is terrified of flying, and the man seated next to her, Luc (Kline), tries his best to irritate her, and it doesn't stop when she gets off the plane. Having used her to smuggle something, Luc must now follow Kate. So he is there when she arrives at Charlie's hotel and finds him kissing another woman.

Kate goes off the deep end, and Luc helps her plan her revenge on Charlie.

Very sweet, funny, and romantic! I can't do it justice and of course I don't want to give anything away!

Young and Innocent, 1937

Director: ALFRED HITCHCOCK

Stars: Nova Pilbeam, Derrick De Marney, Percy Marmont

Robert (De Marney) is accused of murdering a famous movie star, and when there's a commotion at the court house during his hearing, he escapes in the back of a car, which happens to belong to Erica (Pilbeam), the daughter of the chief magistrate. She is shocked to find him in her car, but she's out of gas and he helps her push it to a station. Soon, Erica is convinced that Robert is innocent, and together they are on the run from the police, searching for proof of Robert's innocence.

It's good! Not at all scary- not even a bit.

CAMEO: Near the beginning of the movie, outside the courthouse, Hitch is trying to take a picture during all the commotion.

Hello, Dolly! 1969

Director: Gene Kelly

Choreographer: Michael Kidd

Stars: Barbra Streisand, Walter Matthau, Michael Crawford

With a director like Gene Kelly and a choreographer like (my favorite) Michael Kidd, how can you go wrong?)

I'm ending my month of musicals with one of the very, very best.

Matchmaker and widow Dolly Levi (Streisand) has set her sights on Horace Vandergelder (Matthau), and it's quite an adventure, how she wins his heart. And while Vandergelder's gone to New York to woo a different woman, his employees Cornelius (Crawford) and Barnaby ditch their store duties and escape to New York for some adventure, and they won't come home until they've each kissed a girl. Well, when you make that vow, something great is bound to happen, right?

My favorite part is the dancing waiters in the Harmonia Gardens restaurant, and when they dance with Dolly and sing "Hello, Dolly". And "Sunday Clothes" runs a close second. Wonderful movie!

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, 1967

repost (original post: May 17, 2011)

Director: David Swift

Choreographer: Bob Fosse

Stars: Robert Morse, Michele Lee, Rudy Vallee

James Pierpont Finch (Robert Morse), a window washer, begins reading a book that will forever change his life- How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Soon he is lying and deceiving his way to the top of the World Wide Wickets Corporation, in his own wonderfully entertaining style. (Don't ask what a "wicket" is- nobody knows!)

It's BRILLIANT!

A few things I love: 1. Robert Morse's goofiness. His physical comedy is just astounding- I laugh at practically everything he does. "Groundhog!" "Finch, F-I-N-C-H" (You'll see what I mean.) 2. Finch's girl's name is Rosemary (played by Michele Lee), and he even sings a song about her entitled "Rosemary", which is just SO cool! 3. There's a song entitled "A Secretary is Not a Toy". Enough said. 4. The dancing. Wow, the choreography in the "Brotherhood of Man" number at the end literally makes me laugh OUT LOUD! I've probably said "hilarious" several times already, but it's just so true! (Okay, so maybe I didn't say "hilarious" several times. It deserves it, though.)

The list doesn't end there, but I'll stop. There's too much to love in this "feel-good" musical comedy!

The Princess Bride, 1987

THURSDAY MOVIE CONNECTION!!!!

Christopher Guest-- Robin Wright

Director: Rob Reiner

Stars: Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Mandy Patinkin, Chris Sarandon, Christopher Guest, Wallace Shawn, Andre the Giant, Billy Crystal, Peter Cook, Fred Savage, Carol Kane, Peter Falk

Now that's an all-star cast!

When Buttercup (Wright) learns that her love Westley (Elwes) has been murdered by the dread Pirate Roberts, she vows never to love again; not even 5 years later when Prince Humperdinck (Sarandon) chooses her as his bride. Before the wedding, she is kidnapped by 3 men, who've been hired to help Humperdick start a war with their sworn enemy across the sea. But following these three is a man wearing black (even a mask), whose goal is to take Buttercup from them.

But when he kidnaps her, and they're running from the Prince, she finds out his true identity: the man in black is her true love, Westley!

Okay, so there's much more to it. It's very funny- so many memorable lines! This one is an absolute MUST SEE, ESSENTIAL, whatever you want to call it, for EVERYONE! Watch it!

One of the best movies ever, and today is my birthday, so happy birthday to me!

The Sound of Music, 1965

Director: Robert Wise

Choreographer: Marc Breaux

Stars: Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Charmian

Novice nun Maria (Andrews) is sent to the home of retired Navy Captain Von Trapp (Plummer) to be the governess of his seven children. When his wife died many years ago, the Captain stopped singing and didn't let his children sing either, because it only reminded him of her. But Maria can't help but sing, and she soon brings healing to this family with "the sound of music".

Wow, could I have possibly been cheesier? But anyway, there's more to the story: the Captain has to deal with growing feelings for Maria, as his fiance comes to visit; as well as being forced to join the navy again in the coming war. As a kid I didn't get what was going on, and why the story ends with the family crossing the mountains. But of course now I get it- he was escaping from the Germans/crazy Austrians. It's not exactly as happy as you think it is when you're a kid. But at least they all lived.

My favorite musical. Ever. I think. I know, I say that about every single one of them, pretty much. But this is it!

Bye Bye Birdie, 1963

1. Director: George Sydney

Choreography: Onna White

Stars: Ann-Margaret, Dick Van Dyke, Janet Leigh, Paul Lynde

Songwriter Albert Peterson (Van Dyke) and his fiancee Rosie (Leigh) must figure out a way to get famous teen sensation singer Conrad Birdie to sing a song written by Albert before he leaves for the Army. This will finally make Albert a success when his song becomes famous as the last song Conrad Birdie sang before he go drafted.

Rosie decides to choose a member of the Conrad Birdie fan club and give her the opportunity to kiss Conrad Birdie goodbye after his last performance. Kim McAfee (Ann-Margaret) is the lucky fan chosen, and everybody travels to her hometown for the big performance.

I can't believe it took me until this year to finally see this musical. I LOVE IT! For one thing, there's a "Rosie" in it, which is awesome! And also, everything else about it is just delightful. Ridiculous- yes. But very enjoyable.

And the outfits! I love the clothes, especially Janet Leigh's! I was inspired. I wish those dresses could come back in style.

Oklahoma! 1955

Director: Fred Zinneman

Choreography: Agnes de Mille

Stars: Gordon MacRae, Shirley Jones, Gloria Grahame, Gene Nelson

Laurey (Jones) prepares for the evening's dance, hoping that Curly (MacRae) will ask her. Though they're crazy about each other, Curly doesn't ask, which results in Laurey saying yes to their hired hand, Jud. But Jud's a bit of a creep who's always had a thing for Laurey, so this whole thing isn't a great situation.

Meanwhile, Laurey's friend Annie (Grahame) gets all set to marry the peddler, when her old beau Will Parker (Nelson) suddenly comes home from Kansas City, all set to marry her. This makes for lots of comedy, since Annie is a bit unattractive (to everyone except Will, of course), and her father wants to get rid of her.

My favorite number: "People Will Say We're In Love", sung by Curly and Laurey. Gordon MacRae's voice and smile make me weak in the knees!

The ballet gets boring, and I fast forward, to be honest. But otherwise, I love this movie!

Guys and Dolls, 1955

Director: Joseph L. Mankiewics

Choreographer: Michael Kidd

Stars: Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra, Jean Simmons, Vivian Blaine

Nathan Detroit (Sinatra) cannot find a place to hold his illegal floating crap game, until this hopeless gambler comes across Skye Masterson (Brando), another inveterate gambler, and in order to pay for the place to have the crap game, Nathan bets Skye that he cannot take a certain doll to Havana, Cuba, for dinner. Skye is confident he can convince any doll to go with him anywhere, and he is dismayed to find that Nathan has chosen Sergeant Sarah Brown (Simmons), of the Salvation Army. In order to win, Skye must convince this "mission" doll to go to Cuba with him for dinner. (Yes, Skye is just that wealthy; he can go to another country for dinner.)

Well, if that isn't plot enough (oh, it is!), Nathan also has a doll, his finacee Adelaide (Blaine), who has put up with him for 14 years, waiting for him to finally set a date and tie the knot.

Bottom line- completely fantastic! If you love musicals, and haven't yet discovered this gem, do watch it! My high school put this on, and I was in the orchestra pit, so this one is very special to me.

White Christmas, 1954

(Re-post, Original posting: December 25, 2011)


Director: Michael Curtiz (We're No Angels, Casablanca)

Stars: Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, Vera-Ellen






Bob (Crosby) and Phil (Kaye), a duo of famous entertainers who met and started their act during the war, follow their new friends Betty (Clooney) and Judy (Vera-Ellen) to Vermont for the holidays. "Vermont must be beautiful this time of year, all that snow..."

Except there's no snow, and no guests at the lovely Inn where the girls are booked to sing. Business is bad for the owner, whom the guys discover is their company's former general, General Waverly. To help out the General, Bob and Phil decide to bring their whole show up to Vermont and rehearse everything up there.

This is a wonderful movie! It's brilliant and heart-warming! I always cry at the end. Anything referring to war always makes me cry- especially World War 2.

You'll love it.

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, 1954

Director: Stanley Donan

Choreographer: Michael Kidd

Stars: Jane Powell, Howard Keel, Jeff Richards

Adam Pontipee (Keel), the eldest of seven brothers, goes to town one morning and shocks his brothers by bringing home a wife, Milly (Powell). Milly didn't know there would actually be seven men to care for, but she adjusts to her new life and teaches her 6 brothers-in-law manners, how to treat women, and -most importantly-dancing! These skills they will need if they are going to impress the lovely ladies they meet at the barn-raising.

But the 6 girls the brothers have fallen for each have a "feller" courting them. So the boys take matters into their own hands, and Adam helps them kidnap their women from town. On the way back, they cause the pass to close over with an avalanche, and there will be no going back and forth until spring. If only they'd remembered to kidnap the parson, as well!

Well, that's pretty much the whole story. This is my favorite musical of all time! These songs are the best- and 7 handsome backwoodsmen- what more could you want?

:)

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!

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, 1953

(Original post: July 20,2011)

Director: Howard Hawks

Stars: Jane Russell, Marilyn Monroe, Charles Coburn, Elliot Reid

"I can be smart when it's important. But most men don't like it."

Best friends Lorelai (Monroe) and Dorothy (Russell) set sail for Europe, which was supposed to be a wedding trip for Lorelai and her rich fiance, who was forced to stay in New York by his meddling rich father. Unbeknownst to Lorelai, her fiance's father has hired an investigator to follow her and make sure she stays away from the men on the ship. But Lorelai is a faithful, though a man-magnet (did I mention she's played by Marilyn Monroe?). One of the detectives, Malone (Reid), begins to romance Dorothy, but when the girls discover who he really is, he will have a tough time convincing Dorothy it wasn't all an act.

Featuring the song "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend", guaranteed to get stuck in your head. Actually, the the other one they sing about being girls from Little Rock is the one that gets stuck in my head whenever I watch it. I LOVE this musical. Marilyn is SO funny!!!! Such a cute comedy, and there is a musical sequence with the men's Olympic team doing all kinds of gymnastic stuff. Yeah!

That was sort of a joke.

Singin' in the Rain, 1952

Director: Stanley Donan, Gene Kelly

Choreographer:

Stars: Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, Debbie Reynolds, Jean Hagen, Cyd Charisse

Silent film star Don Lockwood (Kelly) and his on-screen partner Lina Lamont (Hagen) need to start making the transition to "talking pictures" like all the other Hollywood studios are doing. The problem is: Lina has the most awful voice! She works as a silent film star, but in public, the studio keeps her from talking at all costs!

On the way to one of his studio parties, Don meets Kathy (Reynolds), who doesn't fall for his tricks, and promptly puts the great star in his place. Then, unfortunately for her, their paths cross again at the party, where she is one of the hired dancers for entertainment.

Don can't stop thinking about Kathy, which is probably because she was the first girl not to fall for any of his lines, as his friend Cosmo (O'Connor) told him. When they accidentally meet again, he doesn't waste any time letting her know how he feels, and their romance begins. But Lina is still a problem. Not only is her voice horrendous, but she also seems to think that she and Don should be together.

This is the greatest American musical ever made! I think this one and The Sound of Music are definitely tied for my favorite musical of all time.

An American in Paris, 1951

Director: Vincente Minelli

Choreographer: Gene Kelly

Stars: Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron, Oscar Levant

Good stuff. This is one of those musicals that I put in and half-watch. I know my favorite parts and musical sequences and for the rest of it, I kinda--well, write movie reviews and think of other things. I love Gene, but this one does get boring, and I admit it. Especially during the 20 minute ballet at the end. I'm not kidding.

Still--Oh, to have danced with Gene!!

Jerry Mulligan (Kelly) is an ex-GI living in Paris, enjoying the beautiful city and painting it all in his own way. When a wealthy woman buys one of his paintings, he attends a party with her, where he catches sight of Lise (Caron), and falls for her. But wooing her isn't as easy as he had hoped, especially after he finds out she is engaged.

FACT: Leslie Caron was actually discovered by Gene Kelly, and it was for this role.