Movie Review: Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life

Frank Capra's,
It's a Wonderful Life

Yes, the data didn't get filled in before Christmas, deal with it!

OK, I love old James Stewart films. He just makes so many things better. I'm calling this one a gem for it's quaint story and sweet story. I loved the characters throughout. Bert and Ernie gave their names to Sesame Streets famous roommates.

Lets get one little flaw out of the way first though. I thought it was a big long and maybe had too many characters to keep track of. I'm thinking they could have fixed that, but we're all so used to what the film is now, we'd miss something. And it does bum me just a little that George Bailey never gets to go explore the world.

Even so. It's great to see a guy learn how much he does for those around him. Love of your fellow man counts for a lot. It turns out that people who give to others really get a lot in their life.

We could take some lessons from this film with regard to today's economic woes. If we work together to help each other, we can all make it. Riches come in many forms, not just money. Donna Reed just shines in black and white and George's wife.

Nobody ever made a meaner bad guy as Lionel Barrymore's Mr. Potter. Even though this is a holiday classic, have a watch even when there's no holiday in sight. It'll lift you spirits.

All libraries have a VHS copy of this film, but only Bandon and Dora have the DVD

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038650/

Please buy this DVD from Amazon:
It's a Wonderful Life (60th Anniversary Edition)

Super Lazy Blogger

These are the dogs I had planned but am too lazy to write TODAY. I'll get to them soon.

A Christmas Story - cult classic I hated and found stupid

Deck the halls - Two neighbors in a small New
England town go to war when one of them decides
to decorate his house with a so many Christmas
lights that they are visible from space.
Danny DeVito, Matthew Broderick, Kristin Davis,
Kristin Chenoweth, ANNNOYYYYINGGG!

Made for TV Movie: Christmas Comes to Willow Creek

Christmas Comes to Willow Creek

Feuding brothers John Schneider and Tom Wopat take a trip to Willow Creek, Alaska to deliver Christmas presents. They try and patch things up on the road but grouse and fight the whole way.

They end up stuck in a blizzard, but eventually make it to the sturggling town where recently a cannery closed down putting many people out of work. Though this is a made for TV movie, I found it charming and worth a watch. It shows the calming effect the holidays can have on some people.

Look for a nice twist at the end. Have a look in Coquille for the DVD.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092756/

Buy the DVD from Amazon:
Christmas Comes to Willow Creek

Blog blog what is BLOG

My writing projects are giving me grief at the moment. My laptop went in to have a cooling fan repaired. I'm using one of the Murry's computers and it bugs me. Oh well. I'll sort it out. I am gonna be inconsistent for posting til I sort out life. With over 400 reviews thus far, I'm sure you can find something to tickle your fancy.

I'll post when I can.

Best Holiday Wishes!

Movie Review: Dirty Dancing

Dirty Dancing

Smooth Patrick Swayze teaches demure naive Jennifer Grey how to move her body to the rhythm of the music. As a dance teacher at the Catskills summer camp like resort, he's forbidden from fraternizing with guests. But "Baby" as Grey's character is so aptly named, falls hard for the suave muscular Johnny.

Times they are a changing throughout this set in the 60's romantic drama. Women are just starting to find their place in society, and class lines begin to break down. It tackles some heady subjects even by today's standards. Johnny's pregnant by someone else dance partner has a botched abortion and Baby asks her doctor father to help the girl.

Though it might not seem so from that plot point, the film has a decidedly upbeat flair. The lead couple finds confidence in each other and they thrill on the dance floor. The film explores snobbery and assumptions between parents and their children and many levels of social strata.

I think it works as pure entertainment or social commentary.. You pick what you want to take from it. Coos Bay, Coquille, Bandon, Lakeside and Dora have the VHS tape and look in North Bend for the DVD.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092890/

Buy the DVD from Amazon:
Dirty Dancing (Ultimate Edition)

Movie Review: South Park, Bigger, Longer & Uncut

South Park
Bigger, Longer & Uncut

Demented Trey Parker and insane Matt Stone created this funky little town for Comedy Central cable network some years ago. It became so doggone popular they got the chance to do a movie.

Though this content is done in crude animation, the plots have a much deserved R rating. Keep this away from your younger children. The teens have likely already seen it at their friend's house. They still make the show and it has a huge cult following.

Should you be offended by humor that pokes fun at EVERYTHING, it's best to stay away. I laughed so much. The plot doesn't really matter and you will figure it out if you've never seen an episode of the cable show. Tasteless would be an understatement.

I like the songs and the weird directions these guys like to go. Satan makes an appearance in a manner that treats him like a mild mannered doormat. Just imagine the context on THAT!

Myrtle Point and Bandon have copies of this EXTREMELY adult DVD.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0158983/

Buy the DVD from Amazon:
South Park - Bigger, Longer & Uncut

So Many Dogs, So Little Time

OK, my cooling problem is NOT solved. Here's what I was gonna review but started getting errors. I'll finish these when I can. Thanks for your patience. FINISHED NOW!

Defenders of Space

This Korean made animation left a ton to be desired. I skipped through it but there's just nothing of any interest there. Much like Protectors of the Universe, little data was available online. The library didn't have much and I couldn't figure out an alternative title.

They have two copies of the DVD on the library system, one in Bandon another in Dora. Avoid them both.

I can't find an IMDB listing but I did find the link below from Amazon. It might not be the correct film, but it has an interesting review that if you like this sort of thing is worth a read: Defenders of Space - Animated DVD

Dinotopia, the Series

This was SO BAD I didn't even watch more than a few minutes. The acting and images bored me silly. Maybe very little kids might like it. It's way not my cup.

A father and his two sons find themselves trapped on a mysterious island where humans and dinosaurs live. Everyone speaks English. Ok, this is for kids, I can forgive them for giant leaps of HUH?? but it has to have some kind of, I dunno, flow and focus.

Of the three films with Dinotopia in the title the one called "the Series" is the one I saw. Check North Bend and Myrtle Point for the DVD. The two others one from Coos Bay and one from Bandon seem to be something different, but since I haven't actually checked them out, I'm not sure of that.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0310443/

Check out this Amazon link to the DVD:
Dinotopia - The Series

Dazed and Confused

Coming of age spanking high school freshman rituals bug me huge. Also, fraternity hazing would too, but this is about younger brats. Abuse rituals just egg on bully behavior. BAH, ok off my soap box.

If you want to check out some really young stars of today, check out this film. Look for Matthew McConaughey, Milla Jovovich, Ben Affleck, Parker Posey, Jason London and Joey Lauren Adams. McConaughey debuts his famous stoner line of "alright alright alright" and Affleck looks scary buff. Fans of the others will have to look for them as I am not as familiar with what they look like.

Bandon has the DVD and look in Coos Bay for the VHS tape.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000725/

Buy the DVD from Amazon:
Dazed & Confused (Widescreen Flashback Edition)

Movie Review: 88 minutes

88 Minutes

I went back through the list to pick up straggling films that came after I passed that number or letter of the alphabet. Al Pacino stars as a forensic psychiatrist who put away a serial killer who finds a way to get back at him.

Groan! I swear we wouldn't need birth control if all the serial killers from film and TV lived out here in the real world. Plot upon subplot and gruesome deaths. Still I did watch it all the way through. Some of that had more to do with a remote not working so great.

Lots of interesting female interaction with the lead. Amy Brenneman plays his intrepid secretary and Alicia Witt shines as his teachers assistant. These ladies hold their own agains the veteran Pacino. Though the script has them as plyable props, they did their jobs.

Grab a copy of the DVD from Dora, Bandon or Powers.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0411061/

Buy this DVD from Amazon:
88 Minutes

When it rains....

OK, so I get back to posting and I have to take my husband to the ER.. NOT fun. It's all good, he's gotta take some blood pressure meds but he's home and resting. I'm a bad internet blogger for which you'll have to find a way to forgive me. I do have a ton of Soso and dogs to post about. It just ain't gonna be today. ;)

Movie Review: 16 Blocks

16 Blocks

I am ashamed to admit I ignored this film a few times when going over the list at the library. I read the synopsis and it looked dumb. Then I thought, hey, this is my job, watch most of the library films and review them.

Wow, I should go against my own instincts cuz I really liked this one. Bruce Willis plays a burned out cop asked to transport a guy to a courthouse to testify in some proceeding. Mos Def plays the witness prisoner who turns out to be quite a character. On the way, burn out cop stops at a bar to get himself a drink. A bunch of his cop buddies show up and try and kill the prisoner.

Murry tells me this is a remake of a Clint Eastwood film called the Gauntlet, but I've never seen it. Though the theme reads similar, this movie takes a slightly different turn. It could come off like Die Hard, but doesn't. The kind of cop Willis is has more to do with being a lazy bad man, but somehow he turns that around over the course of the hours he tries to deliver the prisoner to the courthouse.

Maybe if they'd showed the reasons for this transformation, it woulda rose to a Gem. I think it just showed his innate stubbornness. He was told to do a job, he was gonna do THAT job. I believed the acting and that made it fun to watch.

Dora and Myrtle Point have this good DVD. There's also a copy at ESO for home library patrons.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0450232/

Buy this good film from Amazon:
16 Blocks (Widescreen Edition)

computer problems

My laptop is acting up so I can't post for a few days so I'll get back to it as soon as I can.

I will post new material Monday, Dec. 8. Thanks for your patience.