Polly of the Circus (1932) Film Review - Marion Davies

Plot Summary - Pre-code melodrama starring Marion Davies as travelling circus girl Polly, "Queen of the Air", a flying trapeze artist who performs fifty feet up - with no net. POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD - - Polly is distressed when the "conservative town" they are currently performing in makes them pin bloomers over her circus posters to cover her tights. While performing she is distracted by an unruly patron who shouts something about the poster and she falls. Taken to the minister's house across the street, the doctor says she can't be moved because of her injuries, so she must stay on until recovered. Well, as it happens, John Hartley the minister (Clark Gable) is young, very handsome, and not opposed to marriage. Two months later, Polly is still there, barely in need of a wheelchair, now reading the bible and in pursuit of our young reverend - and a romance blossoms between the two. Troubles come when the local Bishop (C. Aubrey Smith), who also happens to be John's uncle, reveals he thinks Polly unsuitable to be a minister's wife and that she will ruin him - he proclaims his nephew will lose his church if they marry. They do get married, then have to struggle for money as our minister loses his church and can't find another one. He ends up taking a low-pay job selling bibles, and won't let Polly help by returning to her circus job. Polly thinks of desperate measures in order to get her man back into the church!

Review - This is an entertaining film, though I didn't see a lot of chemistry between Davies and Gable. There are interesting scenes of circus life in the earlier part of the film what with all the clowns, bearded lady, giant elephant in pants, and smart-talking circus dwarf as played by "Little Billy" - not to mention flying trapeze act, my favorite part of any circus. There is a quite funny side character in this in the form of the minister's really crotchety manservant, played by Raymond Hatton. I was thinking while watching this that it would have been good as a silent film (and it actually was done as a silent, starring Mae Marsh). Rating - 8/10 stars

Blondie of the Follies (1932) Film Review - Marion Davies

Plot Summary - Precode comedy/soap opera/love triangle starring Marion Davies as Blondie, NYC uptown tenement gal whose best gal pal Lottie (Billie Dove) gets a job in the Follies and has soon gone Park Avenue, wearing silver fox furs and very slinky robes (that seem just on the edge of popping open!) - apparently she's being kept by millionaire playboy Larry Belmont (Robert Montgomery). When Blondie goes to visit Lottie at her fancy Park Avenue digs, she meets handsome Larry and they hit it off, much to Lottie's distress. Soon Blondie is out on the town with Larry, getting drunk at a speakeasy, and worrying her family by staying out until dawn without phoning! Dad is mad. Larry thinks "she's cute", Blondie thinks the same about Larry (and me too!). But when Lottie declares her love for Larry, she also declares him hands off - Blondie, a good girl, backs off immediately. But that doesn't stop her from meeting her own older "sugar daddy", joining the Follies, and getting set up in her own Park Avenue apartment.

Review - This is a fun to watch, very entertaining film. The movie starts right off the bat with a rolling on the floor cat fight between Blondie and Lottie (they DO fight a lot, then make up throughout the film). Robert Montgomery is his usual charm boy self - I'm crazy for that handsome fellow!! Marion Davies is quite funny, her big blue eyes full of expression in this film. And - the two of them have loads of chemistry together, I must say. Fun party scene with Jimmy Durante as himself and Marion doing a spot-on imitation of Greta Garbo in "Grand Hotel (1932)". Zasu Pitts also appears in this film, as Blondie's sister (rather a small part, unfortunately). Nice looking print as screened on TCM. I liked this one a lot. Rating - 9 to 9.5/10 stars

Wuthering Heights (2009) Film Review

Plot Summary - UK TV adaptation of the classic novel by Emily Bronte. Gothic romance set on the Yorkshire moors of the early 19th century. POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD - - Master of the Gothic Yorkshire estate Wuthering Heights and kind father of young Cathy and Hindley Earnshaw, Mr. Earnshaw brings home a Liverpool street urchin who he dubs "Heathcliff". Heathcliff lives in the home as a brother to the kids - to Hindley's distress and to Cathy's happiness as a childhood romance quickly blossoms between Heathcliff and Cathy. The kids grow up, but when the dad dies, Hindley takes over as master of Wuthering Heights and banishes Heathcliff to work outdoors and live as a servant. Heathcliff won't leave and stays on to be treated like a dog by bad Hindley because now his romance with Cathy has become a great love between the two. Cathy is drawn to the wealth and lifestyle of nearby Thrushcross Grange, where she and Heathcliff are caught spying through the window at Edgar Linton and his sister Isabella. Injured by the dog while running away, Cathy is taken in to be treated and stays on at the Grange to recover. She likes this new lifestyle and decides to allow Edgar to pursue her, despite her love for Heathcliff. When she announces that Edgar has asked to marry her, Heathcliff runs away, returning three years later - the day after Cathy's wedding to Edgar Linton! Heartbroken, broody Heathcliff is now a rich gentleman who takes control of Wuthering Heights from Hindley, now a broken-down drunkard. Heathcliff brings a whirlwind of trouble to all around him, and Cathy, still in love with Heathcliff, is desperately miserable, especially when Heathcliff starts to go after sister Isabella.

Review - A sweeping, well done version with gorgeous photography done on-location in the Yorkshire moors. The house used for Wuthering Heights is suitably rambling and dark, the landscape around bringing life to the story. Tom Hardy portrays a very dark and brooding (but handsome, as he should be) Heathcliff indeed! Charlotte Riley is fine, and gives a well done, earthy portrayal of Cathy. I will always love the 1939 version of this story starring Merle Oberon and Laurence Olivier, but found this version very entertaining and well done. This film, being almost twice as long as the 1939 version, features more details of the story and includes the plotline that follows the three grown children of Hindley, Cathy, and Heathcliff and their respective spouses. I had a bit of trouble with the main character's Yorkshire accents, so missed part of the dialogue in places - but, of course, I know the story real well, so it was okay. Rating - 9 to 9.5/10 stars

Ballerina (2009) Film Review - Documentary

Plot Summary - Documentary showcasing five Russian ballerinas from the renowned Kirov Ballet Company in St. Petersburg, Russia. One is a new recruit - first seen dancing solo for her graduation recital from a prestigous ballet school - she's immediately given her dream as she is hired on to join the Kirov's Corp de Ballet. Another is in her second year with the Kirov company, and is just starting to be given solo parts. Two magnificent prima ballerinas are also featured, and the fifth dancer featured is a great Prima Ballerina just making a comeback after two years off with a foot injury. The film includes rehearsal footage, behind-the-scenes at the Mariinsky Theatre where they perform, on-stage performance footage, and interviews with the ballerinas, dance company directors and instructors.

Review - Okay, I have been in love with ballet since seeing "The Turning Point (1977)" (still one of my all-time fave films) when I was a teenager, so perhaps I am pretty biased, but I found this documentary extremely interesting. All five women are talented and beautiful ballerinas, wonderful to watch dance. By the way, I happen to love all things Russian - the streets of St. Petersburg, the ballet, the gorgeous Mariinsky Theatre, it's all good! The film features voice-over narration done by Diane Baker. Rating - 9/10 stars

The Edge of Love (2008) Film Review - Keira Knightley

Plot Summary - Romantic period piece set in London during the Blitz of WWII. Underground singer, the beautiful brunette Vera Phillips (Keira Knightley), is still loved by her childhood sweetheart, real life Welsh poet Dylan Thomas (Matthew Rhys). He's now married to blonde Catlain (Sienna Miller). The two women become best friends when Vera meets up with Dylan by chance in a London nightclub - and soon Vera, though stand-offish, is being pursued by a handsome soldier named William and the four become sort of an odd foursome. William is madly in love with Vera, especially after she sleeps with him after a terrifying bombing, and she agrees to marry him (though seemingly reluctant since he is going off to battle). With a baby on the way, Vera, Dylan, and Catlain return to Wales to live (with a bit of a love triangle to follow), while William is in Greece caught in the midst of horrendous battles.

Review - This is a stylish film, based around real incidents. Well done as a whole, with nice period costumes, art direction and location photography - though I must say that when I watched the trailer for this on the DVD (after the film) I thought "wow" - it looked like it would be such a great film in the trailer - and, well, just wasn't. I did enjoy this, but it did seem to be trying a wee bit too hard to be artsy (lots of camera shots into mirrors). How about those huge facial close-ups of Keira's gorgeous, perfect face - even on Blu-ray, she's flawless. Cillian Murphy, the actor who plays William, is a good-looker! (2009 release in USA) Review - 8/10 stars

Grey Gardens (1975) Review - Documentary

Plot Summary - Documentary about oddly unusual mother and daughter "Big Edie" and "Little Edie", aunt and cousin of Jackie O, who live almost isolated away in "Grey Gardens", their rundown mansion in East Hampton. The two women, both Edith Bouvier Beale, are both somewhat eccentric, especially the daughter. Older Edie is approaching eighty years old, is mainly seen from her bed - covered with cats and clutter - and talking about her years as a trained singer - sometimes she breaks out in song. Little Edie, mid-fifties, never married, and distinguished for her wide variety of extremely odd headdresses she wears throughout the entire film - assembled from scarves, and more often blouses and sweaters, hooked and decorated with pins, often speaks of her lost life stuck in East Hampton for over twenty years (pretty much blaming mama), she seems full of regrets, yet it appears that it was really her own choices that lead to this all along. She often dances, sings, and flirts into the camera (and yes, even flirts briefly with the men filming the documentary - barely seen, but you hear them speak sometimes to the women). The two women often talk over each other, argue a lot, yet seem to be totally bonded. The house they live in is huge, very rundown (apparently less than it was a few years back), and is just full of cats and some raccoons too.

Review - This film is bizarre and totally fascinating, I really enjoyed watching this! I feel like the mom is just getting old and perhaps a bit cranky and demanding of her daughter - the daughter is really the one with perhaps some mental problems, yet like her too - Little Edie has such a vulnerability about her, she is a very interesting character. The film is entirely filmed in the great old house, the camera constantly focusing on the women - often in facial close-ups so you really see the emotions coming through on their faces. One part I enjoyed was seeing the women show the filmmakers old photographs of themselves, both of them were once beautiful young women living the society lifestyle - young Edie described in an old newspaper clipping as a beautiful deb that writes poetry. The women, yes, are rather strange, but you just have to love them - I enjoyed spending time with these two. Rating - 10/10 stars

Grey Gardens (2009) Film Review - Drew Barrymore, Jessica Lange

Plot Summary - Based on a true story. In 1973, two filmmakers are busy making a documentary about two eccentric women, a mother and a daughter both named Edith, who live in a rundown, decaying mansion in East Hampton, New York called "Grey Gardens". We see the filming of their current day lives - mother Edith Bouvier Beale (Jessica Lange), an old bedridden woman obsessed with cats, younger "Edie" (Drew Barrymore), the middle-aged daughter who goes about with her head covered in a variety of oddball scarfs, headdresses made from blouses and pins, to hide her lost head of hair, and the mansion itself - cluttered, messy, dirty, with tons of cats (and a few raccoons) about, and a completely dead and wild, run-back garden. Interestingly, this is the cleaned-up version, as these two are seen at one point actually living in complete squalor until the Board of Health - and a famous relative step in: now here's the interesting fact - the two are aunt and cousin to Jacqueline Bouvier, who is to become first lady Jackie Kennedy Onassis. The film includes flashbacks to the 1930s/40s and into the 50s when young Edie, dominated by her flamboyant wannabee singer mother, tries to pull away from their society life (with mama at her heals pushing her to have her "debut" into society and find a wealthy man) and moves to NYC to become an actress/dancer, has an affair with a married political figure, and still ends up back at Grey Gardens, caring for her mother and basically hiding away from the world, in isolation, as the years go by.

Review - Absolutely fascinating dramatization of the lives of the two women who are featured in the classic documentary from the 1970s, "Grey Gardens (1975)". Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange are really fantastic and believable in this film - the makeup job to make them both age from the 1930s into the 1970s is expertly done. I enjoyed every minute of this, and - though I have been meaning to for a few years now (the DVD has been sitting in my Netflix queue for quite awhile now) - I still haven't seen the original documentary of this story, now I'm going to as soon as possible. Such an interesting story. This was a made-for HBO TV film, extremely well done. Rating - 9.5/10 stars

Tess (1979) Film Review - Roman Polanski directed

Plot Summary - Directed by Roman Polanski - a sweeping, dark epic set in the English countryside of the 1880's, telling the tale of the downfall of a beautiful young woman named Tess (Nastassia Kinski). POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD - - The village parson informs Tess's father that their family, though downtrodden and poor peasants, are actually of knightly ancestry - descendants of a titled family, the d'Urbervilles. Tess's parents decide to send daughter Tess to make favor with a local, wealthy woman by the name d'Urberville. Tess arrives and meets the handsome, roguish son Alec who is immediately drawn to her beauty - soon Tess is hired on to work at their estate's poultry farm. Turns out this rich family are not actually related, as their title was purchased. Son Alec carries Tess off into the woods one day, seduces, and pretty much rapes her - Tess leaves and returns to her family, a baby follows who shortly dies. Tess sets out on her own to work on a dairy farm where she meets the good-looking (loved by every lady who works at the dairy) Angel (Peter Firth), noble son of a preacher. Angel and Tess fall in love, but after marriage he finds out her true "background" (obviously the fact she had a baby so was not "pure" is what really bugs this guy) and runs away to Brazil, leaving her without contact despite her efforts to write to him. Tess sets out, on her own again, working various horrible, dirty jobs. What will happen between her, her husband, and the man from her past?!

Review - A compelling watch, gorgeously photographed - every scene, filmed on-location in France to duplicate the English countryside and villages, looking like a picture postcard. Nastassja Kinski is at the height of her beauty - an absolutely gorgeous young woman. Something about her reminds me of a very young Ingrid Bergman (partly the similar accents). Okay - she's meant to be an English girl and has a subtle German accent - just ignore that. I loved the costumes in this, I must say. This film won several Oscars, including costume design, cinematography, and art/set direction - no surprise there. A lovely, inspired orchestral score by Phillipe Sarde accompanies the film, a good match to the story. The story, based on the classic novel, Tess of the d'Urbervilles, by Thomas Hardy, is pretty dark (the poor girl!) but an entertaining watch. I haven't seen this film since the early 80s, so it was almost like seeing it for the first time. A beautifully done film - loved! (USA release 1980 for this) Rating - 10/10 stars

Sherlock Holmes (1922) Film Review - Barrymore

Plot Summary - Silent drama starring John Barrymore (print from the collection of the George Eastman House). In England, on a country lane, we meet the future detective Sherlock Holmes (Barrymore) who is writing his observations in a little book (which includes his list called "my limitations": chemistry - profound; politics - rotten; boxing - splendid, etc. - hehe). Holmes encounters an attractive young lady, Alice (Carol Dempster), and becomes lovestruck - she is to figure into his story years later. As for now, Holmes is brought in by his pal Dr. Watson (who says Holmes is "a marvel at digging out things") to help at Cambridge, where young Prince Alexis has been accused by Scotland Yard of stealing "the Athletic Funds" - though the Prince proclaims his innocence. Holmes arrives and easily finds the real criminal, who ends up being a pawn of one powerful-minded, but evil and cold-blooded old cretin named Moriarty who lurks in the mysterious London quarter of Limehouse. Tragedy suddenly forces the Prince to return to his country as Crown Prince and give up his fiance, who, by an odd coincidence, is the sister of Holmes' memorable "Alice". Well - after meeting up with Moriarty, Holmes decides to make it his life's work to rid the world of that menace. Years pass and Holmes now resides at 221 Baker Street where he helps solve mysteries. His newest case involves his nemesis Moriarty, who is after some letters he wants to use to blackmail Prince Alexis. And who should have the letters but one Alice (Holmes still can't forget her) - he's on the case and still smitten!!

Review - Well, this is an okay film - I found John Barrymore to do a decent job as Sherlock Holmes, and liked the London setting which included snippets of real city footage from the era. I did find the film a bit too "talkie" and kind of muddled at times (particularly the end part), perhaps too many characters, too many inter-titles? The film features a lot of familiar faces from the silent/pre-code film era including Roland Young as Watson, Hedda Hopper, Louis Wolheim, and William Powell. The DVD I saw was from Kino and features a reasonable looking black and white print - pretty good contrast, some washing out in places (barely), a little bit of speckling in places. The score is nicely done organ music by composer Ben Model. Okay - the poor description of this film, totally inaccurate, on the Netflix envelope just makes me laugh - ridiculous! Where do they get these - inaccurate SO often. Rating - 6.5 to 7/10 stars

Push (2009) Film Review - Dakota Fanning

Plot Summary - Action Sci-fi Thriller about a group of psychics in Hong Kong, all in pursuit of a woman, a briefcase, and the drug inside the briefcase. Dakota Fanning plays a thirteen-year old "watcher" (sees the future) who joins up with a twenty-something "mover" (moves objects with his mind, usually seen attempting to turn over dice to his advantage - played by Chris Evans) who is being chased by the "Division", some rather shady U.S. government organization that wants to create super-power psychics via a powerful drug that, when injected, usually kills the psychic. There's one psychic that the drug didn't kill - attractive woman (Camilla Belle) who is a "pusher", that is a pusher in the world of psychic powers - one who pushes fake memories into people's brains making them believe the memory is a real one. The majority of the film is a cat and mouse chase, often rather violent, between the Division, our psychics who want to stop the Division, and a group of evil Chinese psychics also after the case and drug for their own purposes.

Review - This film was okay, but pretty forgettable once over. It's sort of like the superhero world has crossed with the paranormal into a mess of people with a wide variety of psychic abilities divided into these groups: movers, pushers, watchers, sniffers, wipers, healers, bleeders, shadows - interestingly, there doesn't seem to be any overlap, each person seems to have only one superpower ability rather than a mix. I enjoyed the on-location shoot for this, entirely filmed in the very interesting looking streets of Hong Kong. Rating - 7/10 stars

The Black Cyclone (1925) Film Review - Rex the Wonder Horse

Plot Summary - Another silent adventure-western/animal movie starring the beautiful black stallion, Rex the Wonder Horse. POSSIBLE SPOILERS HERE AND THERE - - In the wild lands where wild horses run lives a frisky little colt named Rex. Poor young Rex loses his mother early on, and must learn to grow up on his own, alone and lonely. Rex is soon grown and so begins a love story for him when he meets the white horse "Lady". Inseparable, the two of them, until trouble comes in the form of horse hunters looking to capture the best of the wild horses - and kill the worst (what jerks!). The two horses get caught in a stampede of wild horses trying to escape these men, and manage to make their own escape via a narrow ledge and into the hills, but they end up right in the secret retreat of an infamous crazy-eyed stallion known as "The Killer"! The Killer fights Rex and captures Lady for himself - - and meanwhile, in a nearby town called Pangle, cowboy Big Jim Lawson (Guinn "Big Boy" Williams) is busy sparking with Jane Logan, a woman who has rejected the evil Joe Pangle: cattle thief, bully, and killer who now wants to get even with her: by killing Big Jim! A gunfight between the two men outside her ranch leaves Big Jim to run into hiding in the hills or face the wrath of Pangle's gang. Around this same time, our poor Rex has become trapped in quicksand - but luckily Jim is soon nearby to save his life. Now Rex attempts to seek Jim's help in rescuing Lady, but Jim seems to be kind of empty headed as to what this horse is after. Soon Rex helps out both Lady and Jim when wild animals lurk to kill (dangerous area that!).

Review - A cute, entertaining horse film. Rex the Wonder Horse is quite the horse!! The outdoor locations and scenery are nicely photographed and used to best show off the horses and the action - looks like they sort of cut in some of the same filmed scenes of the horses (and other stuff) several times (I kept thinking - that looks like the same shot they showed before!). The DVD of this film, from Televista, I will describe as pretty much like the other Rex movie I reviewed last week (decent enough looking print - I've seen far worse! - with some deterioration here and there; old-fashioned, sometimes catchy music score) - - (as to the name of this film - in a couple of scenes a man calls our black horse "black cyclone"). Rating - 7/10 stars

Two Lovers (2008) Film Review - Joaquin Phoenix

Plot Summary - Love quadrangle. Strange, sometimes suicidal Leonard (Joaquin Phoenix) lives at home with his parents and works at the family dry cleaning business. Leonard is soon matched up with stable and sane Sandra (Vinessa Shaw), daughter of family friends who are planning to merge businesses with the family. Sandra's crazy about Leonard - him, not so much so - especially after he meets his new neighbor, pretty, pill-popping, and extremely unstable Michelle (Gwyneth Paltrow). Sandra is in love with Leonard, Leonard is in love with Michelle - but unfortunately for Leonard, Michelle is currently having an affair with her boss, a married lawyer, who she believes will leave his family for her (silly woman). Michelle obviously thinks of Leonard as just a "pal" as she is constantly calling and asking him for help with her "relationship", even going so far as to get Leonard to come along as the third wheel on a date with the lawyer she loves, so he can better help give her advice.

Review - This film was sort of entertaining - though nothing great. I didn't really care for the character of Leonard, or either of the women for that matter - so it was just sort of "who cares" as to what I thought about what happens to this bunch. I did like the New York City (Brighton Beach) on-location setting and enjoyed seeing Isabella Rossellini, who plays Leonard's mother, in this - so much like her mom, Ingrid Bergman! Rating - 7/10 stars

The King of the Wild Horses (1924) Silent Film Review

Plot Summary - Hal Roach Presents - - Silent action western starring Rex the Wonder Horse as "The Black", king of the wild horses - he must fight to stay leader, and must also contend with that dreadful menace: man - his constant pursuer. In the far west, just north of the Mexican border, there's a Rancho where lives an older ill man and his two grown kids, Boyd (Charley Chase, billed as Charles Parrott) and Mary (Edna Murphy). Mary is being pursued by one Billy Blair (Leon Bary), cowboy, who seems to have something else he likes to pursue way more than Mary - he's determined to capture "The Black". Chase between man and horse, as Billy goes in relentless pursuit - trusty rope in hand - after the Black, through high-up rocky crevices and rugged crags - but our wild horse is just too smart (and nimble!). But then - a wild fire has horsie surrounded and Billy Blair helps save him - pals!! Meanwhile, back at the Rancho, the ranch foreman is a bad man who has been forcing son Boyd, who has become heavily in his debt, to steal from his own father to pay him back. Fast "Black" and Billy help save the day when bad man and Boyd head out one evening for one last "job".

Review - A pleasant little horse opera, titles by Roach Studios H.M. "Beanie" Walker. Rocky western landscape and pretty wild horses, beauties one and all, are nicely photographed - our Rex the Wonder Horse is a superstar! Some night scenes oddly look like bright daylight (!) - - a river rescue finale is well done. The DVD from Televista features a decent enough looking print (I've seen far worse!) with some deterioration here and there (and rolling in a few spots), but for the most part looked fairly good - - the music score is sort of sweet and old-fashioned, even catchy in places. Cute little silent, perhaps best if you like animal films. Rex the Wonder Horse was a 16 hands Morgan Stallion, according to the Wikipedia article on him - he's a beautiful animal. Rating - 7.5/10 stars

Confessions of a Shopaholic (2009) Film Review

Plot Summary - Shopaholic Rebecca (Isla Fisher) lives in New York City where she has an interview to work as a journalist at her dream fashion magazine, "Alette". The interview doesn't pan out, but she tries for another magazine at the same company and gets the job - at a financial journal called "Successful Saving", of all things! Even though she has maxed out most of her credit cards and is being chased by a gung-ho debt collector, she manages to write an article for the magazine that gets her fame under the moniker "the girl in the green scarf". Rebecca tries to control her out-of-control spending, but just can't seem to stop, even after being pressed into attending meetings of Shopaholics Anonymous by her best gal pal. She also begins a romance with her handsome boss (Hugh Dancy) with the cute Brit accent! Will her romance work out, will she get her dream job at Alette, and most importantly - will she ever be able to stop shopping?!

Review - Cute film - lots of cute, colorful outfits to look at, reasonably entertaining story filmed on-location in NYC. I enjoy these stories about fashion magazines (like "The Devil Wears Prada", "Ugly Betty") - this sort of plotline seems pretty popular these days. The actress Isla Fisher is an absolute ringer for actress Amy Adams both physically as well as her speaking voice. Joan Cusack and John Goodman are entertaining as Rebecca's thrifty parents. Rating - 8/10 stars

Phoebe in Wonderland (2008) Film Review

Plot Summary - Drama about troubled nine-year old misfit, Phoebe (Elle Fanning), who becomes obsessed with "Alice in Wonderland", a story her mother (Felicity Huffman) is busy working on for her dissertation. Phoebe is picked on in school, and seems to have a growing problem with obsessive/compulsive behavior - she washes her hands compulsively, she spits at bullying children, and she can't seem to control her mouth as she parrots things people say to her and blurts out inappropriate words. Phoebe gets the part of Alice in a new production of "Alice in Wonderland", being put on at school by an eccentric drama teacher named Miss Dodger (Patricia Clarkson). Phoebe's odd behavior patterns seem only to be in control while she is practicing in the play - - in the real world, she sometimes imagines conversations with characters from Alice. She also befriends a young boy who has dolls and a baking set, and has tried out and gotten a part in the play as the "Red Queen"!

Review - The film is colorful and compelling, with a nice message about accepting those of us who are different. I enjoyed this a lot and thought Elle Fanning did a great acting job - very believable. Nicely done - looked real good on Blu-Ray! (I am SO loving my Blu-ray player!!) Rating - 9/10 stars

Saturday Notes

Well, it's Saturday, it's oh so hot and humid outside (when is this heat wave going to end?!). I have become rather behind in posting my movie reviews here - about a month behind, actually. Written up already, but not posted (including several silent films). I'll try and post these reviews over the weekend so that I'm all caught up.

What Goes Up (2009) Film Review - Hilary Duff

Plot Summary - Weirdish indie drama set in 1986 in New Hampshire, about a forty-ish reporter (Steve Coogan) who is sent to town to do a report on the Challenger Space Shuttle launch, his story to focus on the teacher who was going aboard. But our man quickly finds a story of a different high school teacher while there - one who had taught a group of outcast students who seemed to worship him and has just committed suicide. The reporter gets involved with the students as he begins to be sort of their new hero - especially a couple of the young girls, blonde and beautiful Lucy (Hilary Duff) and goth-ish Tess. But he better watch out - these chicks are underage!

Review - Well, this film is sort of dark and strange, and it wouldn't be bad - except the story is somewhat boring. And there's weird stuff like the kids stealing the teacher's coffin (with him in it) and turning it into a shrine on the ice and snow, and one of the young guy's, um, masturbating while watching a woman across the way breast feed her baby - sheesh. I don't know about this one - it had elements that were good, but as a whole - not all that good. By the way, the filmmakers didn't put much of an effort into this to make these characters look like their livin' in the 80s! Rating - 5.5 to 6/10 stars

The Ramen Girl (2008) Film Review

Plot Summary - Indie film, set in Tokyo. Young, blonde, eager and American Abby (Brittany Murphy) arrives in Tokyo to be with her "boyfriend" who is now living there. But the boyfriend is just not that into her, leaves town and Abby high and dry in a strange city full of strange customs and ways. Not to mention, our Abby doesn't seem to speak a word of Japanese. But - she stays on as she suddenly finds herself drawn to the bustling ramen shop (noodle restaurant) across the street. Well - Abby decides she wants to become a Ramen Chef and asks the chef/owner of the shop to become her teacher. The chef is a grouchy, disagreeable Japanese older man who doesn't speak a word of English, likes to spout insults at her in Japanese, and doesn't even agree to teach her. But Abby is a real aggressive one and just keeps showing up, doing what he asks - which is mainly cleaning the toilet and floors. The two spend pretty much the entire film talking to each other without seemingly understanding each other - but a bond seems to grow somehow, anyway, as he finally begins to teach her to grow up as she learns the ways of making broth and assembling her bowls of ramen - with spirit!

Review - A sort of coming-of-age tale (except that this chick is already into her twenties) that is pretty interesting to watch, for the most part (though I found her aggressiveness kind of annoying sometimes - not to mention the chef, whose personality in sort of grating too). There is an obligatory love story between Abby and a handsome, young Japanese man she meets, but that part of the plot seems sort of thrown-in and doesn't give much to the story as a whole. I enjoyed the scenes in Tokyo (which I always think looks like such an interesting place) and the scenes inside the atmospheric, almost quaint little ramen shop which looked like a place I would like to eat! Rating - 7.5 - 8/10 stars

Crossing Over (2009) Film Review - Harrison Ford

Plot Summary - Tales of immigration, set in L.A. and down to the Mexican border. The film interweaves several different stories including an immigration officer (Harrison Ford) who helps round up illegal immigrants out of a clothing sweat shop and ship them back to Mexico, but he seems sometimes to have too much heart for the job as he tries to help a young Mexican woman who is forced to leave behind her little boy. Other stories include a young Australian woman who wants to be an actress but finds herself forced to sleep with an immigration officer who is willing to "help" her get approved, a handsome young Jewish man (Jim Sturgess) from Britain who tries to pretend he's more religious than he is in his attempt for his green card, an Asian teen on the brink of becoming a citizen who gets mixed up with a bad gang about to commit a crime, and a fifteen-year old Arab girl who makes a speech in school that gets herself reported and rounded up for being a potential suicide bomber!

Review - I thought this film was quite good - all the stories were interesting to watch, as the film flips back and forth between the different characters and plotlines. Some of the characters from different stories end up in the same story, as the plot cleverly weaves together the various tales. Nicely done film. Rating - 8.5/10 stars

Gran Torino (2008) Film Review - Clint Eastwood

Plot Summary - Gruff and tough old Korean War veteran Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood) has just lost his wife and is living alone (just him and his dog Daisy) in his old house in a rundown Michigan neighborhood that has been taken over by mainly Hmong immigrant families. Walt uses a lot of ethnic slurs in his way of talking, and doesn't care for the changes that have taken place in the old neighborhood. He also doesn't really get along with his grown sons and grandchildren (jerks the lot of them, if you ask me) - but he finds himself getting involved with and soon befriending his next-door neighbor's teen son and daughter, Sue and Thao. Thao is having plenty of trouble with his cousin's Hmong street gang who are after him 'cause he won't join them (Thao even botched a feeble initiation attempt to steal neighbor Walt's prize 1972 Gran Torino, mainly kept shiny and slick in Walt's garage). Sue is sassy and smart-mouthed. Walt confronts the street toughs with his huge Korean War gun he keeps handy, joins the family for barbecue dinners, helps Sue and Thao out of scrapes with the various local hoods and toughs, and finds himself liking this family better than his own, all while overcoming his own built-in prejudices.

Review - A well done film, quiet and interesting - Clint Eastwood is great and pretty amusing with his no-holds barred language and gruff manner, he comes across as a likable fellow despite outward appearances and manner. I found the story involving, the on-location neighborhood scenes nicely done, and the relationships between the characters realistic. Rating - 9/10 stars