I would avoid this dreary batch of Sosos

Deeply

Kirsten Dunst stars as a troubled girl brought to a small island off Nova Scotia. She befriends an older grouch of a lady and finds out about a lingering village curse. I found it dreary and pointless and too hopeless for my taste. Good acting saved it from the dog pile.

Library: Bandon

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0218141/

Amazon: Deeply

Desperado

Though he wants to get out of the game, contract killer Antonio Banderas comes into a small town for one last deal before he retires. He's out to kill the local badass, but first he hooks up with Salma Hayek. Turns out the guy he's after is his long estranged brother.

I suppose if you like shootemups without much of a plot, you'll love this. Not my cup. Robert Rodriguez wrote and directed this, if you like him, you'll like this.

Library: DVD; Bandon & Myrtle Point. VHS; North Bend & Dora.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112851/

Amazon: Desperado (Special Edition)

Different Loyalty

A British man sells secrets to the Soviet Union back in the cold war days. We didn't really ever get an idea of what this guy was up to. He was just a traitor for no apparent reason. He tried to get his wife to move to Russia with him, but she didn't appreciate the depressing lifestyle.

Library: Bandon

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0326828/

Amazon: A Different Loyalty

Dillinger

The true story of John Dillinger reminds me of any other criminal mob tale. People will use you until they don't need you then they'll turn you in or kill you. No honor among thieves. I can't believe how stupid these people are. Ah well. If you're interested in his story, check out this 1945 black and white film.

Library: Bandon

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037644/

Amazon: Dillinger

Movie Review: Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead

Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead

Made back when Christina Applegate was still working on "Married with Children" she plays a teen who tries to handle things when her mom leaves her and her siblings for the summer. Mom hired a babysitter who dies at the start of the film and the kids decide they don't need a sitter.

They quickly run through the money and so Applegate's character goes out and gets a job. The first one doesn't quite work out so she finds an office job by copying a resume out of a book. The desperate employer hires her without checking on any of her experience and the 17-year-old pretends she's older, divorced with kids.

Not long after, the uniform manufacturer falls on hard times and the girl figures out a way to have a fashion show to try and save the company. Look for a young David Duchovny.

I like how her brothers and sisters at first degenerate but then pull together and straighten it all out. She's just a kid and it falls apart in the end, but I still found it pretty entertaining.

I'm not one for lies to get ahead, but I like the idea that creative people can save things that are important to them. The kids find out some things about themselves that they didn't know. I liked seeing them changed into responsible people.

It's kind of a teen flick but I imagine some adults would like it too. Look for the DVD in Coos Bay and the VHS in Myrtle Point.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101757/

Buy this DVD from Amazon: Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead

Privacy Policy

I'm not sure what it all means but the Adsense program sent me an email mentioning they're adding some new methods for tracking a viewers interests. They said I needed to change my privacy policy. Since I had none stated, I'm writing this post.

The Internet is watching you, but I am not. I hope you read the posts on this blog and leave a comment regarding films you enjoy. If you post a URL in your comment, I save the email in order to check out your site on occasion.

It's possible by clicking on a Google Ad you'll get a cookie. If you don't want one, turn cookies off on your browser.

I hope this holds enough information to make you feel safe clicking any advertisement that catches your interest.

Feel free to comment on this or any other post.

Movie Review: Dumbo!

Dumbo!

Love who you are! And you'll love this story of a baby elephant learning to be himself. His mouse friend helps him realize his greatest potential as a flying act in the circus. Use what you have to the fullest. His enormous ears at first are considered a drawback but turn out to be his greatest asset.

At first the mouse convinces Dumbo that he holds a magic feather that allows him to fly. When the feather is lost, he has to realize his true abilities.

With some typical Disney sadness at the start, some little kiddies might be frightened at first. Great for the whole family. Though some teens might roll their eyes.

Lots of copies of this film all over the library system. Lets start with DVDs in Bandon and Coos Bay. Bandon, Coquille, Coos Bay, and North Bend have VHS copies.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033563/

Buy this fine family DVD from Amazon: Dumbo (Big Top Edition)

The Powerpuff Girls
Down 'n' Dirty

Some years ago this strange little cartoon appeared on the scene, it features three kindergarten girls with special powers. I never much cared for it, but I saw the film on the list so I thought I'd see if I'd changed my mind. Nope.

I think it's probably bad for kids as well as annoying. In one episode the girls beg the teacher to beat up the bad guys. Sends a bad message to little kids and wouldn't entertain mom and dad. Avoid.

I put the IMDB for the whole series, but found the DVD on Amazon.

Library: Coquille

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0175058/

Amazon: The Powerpuff Girls - Down 'N' Dirty

Dr. Seuss'
The Cat in the Hat

Mike Myers just missed the boat on this one. He turned a beloved story into a creepy unfunny scare fest. I think he just forced the whole film. Avoid

Library: DVD; Coquille. VHS; Dora & Coquille

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0312528/

Amazon: Dr. Seuss' The Cat In The Hat (Widescreen Edition)

Dragonworld: The Legend Continues

A kid being raised by his granddad has a dragon for a pet. The rubber suited beastie and stupid mythology just didn't hold together enough to entertain. Avoid.

Library: Bandon

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0183010/

Amazon: Dragon World: The Legend Continues

The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle

So BAD! Nothing worked in this film. Not the acting, not the animation, not the plot and definitely not the casting. What a waste of talent. I can't believe Robert De Niro, Jason Alexander, Rene Russo and finally Piper Perabo agreed to do this STINKER.

Library: DVD; Bandon & Myrtle Point. VHS; Coquille.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0131704/

Amazon: The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle

Dudley Do Right

Yet another attempt at a live action from a cartoon. Brendan Fraser was well cast honestly, but the story just didn't make any sense. They also failed to amuse me and left out the part about Nell being in love with Dudley's horse. I didn't think much of Sarah Jessica Parker or Alfred Molina's performances. I wouldn't waste time with any of these films.

Library: Myrtle Point & North Bend

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0160236/

Amazon: Dudley Do-Right

Watchable list

Desk Set

Spencer Tracy wanders into Katharine Hepburn's office measuring for a new computer. The girls in the information office expect they'll all get fired and do their best to deny the computer install.

Tracy and Hepburn flirt and charm each other throughout. While it's not like a super wower film, it's sweet in it's quirky old fashioned way. Made in the late 50's it's nice to see how Hollywood perceived engineering types and installing computers.

Library: DVD; North Bend & Bandon. VHS; Coos Bay.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050307/

Amazon: Desk Set

Down With Love

This RomCom reminded me of a Rock Hudson/Doris Day flick. Only they had way better chemistry and charm. Set in the swinging late 60's, Renée Zellweger stars as eager young writer girl who writes the best selling book advising women to act like men. Go forth, have sex, no strings, no love, no problems.

She manipulates columnist Catcher Block (Ewan McGregor) into falling in love with her. Of course there's the best friend's complicating the whole thing. David Hyde Pierce and Sarah Paulson kind of stumble through the roles, but they do well enough.

I kind of like how they make fun of the fabulous apartments. Catcher's bachelor pad is right out of James Bond with all kinds of girl snaring gadgets. Even so, I'd call it on the low end of watchable.

Library: Lakeside & North Bend has it on order.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0309530/

Amazon: Down with Love (Widescreen Edition)

Doc Hollywood

Michael J. Fox plays a big city doctor stuck in a small town while he waits for a part for his car to arrive. He gets roped into taking care of the community and falls for his ambulance driver. Desperate for medical help, the mayor tries to rope him into staying.

The nurse doesn't like him, the doctor he's replacing doesn't like him and he does NOT want to stay. Though he begins to see charm in the place, he goes on to his big city interview.

Library: DVD; Coquille & Bandon. VHS; North Bend & Lakeside.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101745/

Amazon: Doc Hollywood

I'm back.

Writing a post requires me to have some mental energy to organize it. I will have to do a whole bunch to make up for my distracted couple of weeks. It's alright. I have a huge list and as of right now, two gem films.

Thank you for your patience.

Taking a little rest Back Soon

I'm taking a little rest from blogging this week. I may be back later in the week, but I'm not posting beyond this post on Monday or Tuesday for sure.I'm just getting a head start on spring cleaning and that includes the computers.

Movie Review: Donnie Darko

Donnie Darko

This has a similar theme to The Butterfly Effect I reviewed a couple weeks ago. We're told a strange story of events that our lead tries to control, but I guess the universe just doesn't want to be controlled. It's an unreal world where Donnie finds himself manipulated by a character dressed in a rabbit costume.

The haunting melody of Mad World as sung by Michael Andrews runs throughout the film. I'm sure the song pushed up my enjoyment by quite a bit. The lyric " I find it kinda funny, I find it kinda sad, that the dreams in which I'm dying, are the best I've ever had," evokes the darkness within the plot.

Can one do right by doing wrong? Quite a question to ask on film.

Library: North Bend.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0246578/

Amazon: Donnie Darko - The Director's Cut (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Dog Day

Devil in the Flesh

A disturbed school girl becomes fixated on her teacher and goes after him. She kills off her grandmother and anyone who gets in her way. Rose McGowan leads. A whole lot like The Crush with Alicia Silverstone only more lame.

Library: Bandon & Coos Bay.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0143213/

Amazon: Devil in the Flesh

Diamondbacks

Hhaha I look at the IMDB rating as I'm posting and this is the first time I'm matched virtually exactly with them. A tattooed militia group gets it in their head a NASA satellite system is intended to track them so they take it over and try and blow it up. I wish it were more complicated but there it is. This film does everything badly, The plot doesn't make sense, they coulda used chimps for actors (and woulda worked better), and the car chases are stupid.

Library: Bandon & Coos Bay.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0218155/

Amazon: Diamondbacks

District B13

This violent futuristic ghetto war flick comes off like Escape from New York only no Snake Plissken to charm his way around. Maybe these guys are supposed to be sexy, but they're not my type.

There's a bomb plot to rid the whole district of the bad guys imprisoned there. A military commando gets sent in to find out about the bomb and helps rescue a guy and his sister. Too much going on without much explanation. The dubbing leaves a lot to be desired too.

Library: Bandon

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0414852/

Amazon: District B13

Dirty

Cuba Gooding Jr. stars as a corrupt bought and paid for cop who along with his partner ends up in trouble. The flashing around doesn't work for me in this. I'd like a story to coordinate and work showing me events. This plays all kinds of tricks that are revealed at the end.

I'm cool with surprises, I just want them to reveal something interesting of the character. Some inner working I didn't see. Being a bad cop and part of a mafia just doesn't seem rational to me. You always lose.

Library: Bandon.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0439544/

Amazon: Dirty (2005)

Domino

Though I might like a kick ass chick bounty hunter in theory, the execution came off very poor. So poor in fact I just turned it off rather than watch. I didn't even fast forward so I have no idea of what really happened. What I did see was told in flash back. Lotta that going around it seems.

It has Keira Knightley and Mickey Rourke. According to IMDB it's a true story. OK, so.. it's a badly done true story. Avoid.

Library: Baondon.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0421054/

Amazon: Domino (Widescreen New Line Platinum Series)

Watch List

Dances with Wolves

Oscar night made this a dream come true for Kevin Costner. It's a good story and well done, I just think it ran a bit long.

A soldier befriends a tribe of Native Americans close to his lonesome "fort." Things go terribly wrong when more white folks show up to man the fort. Yes, that's quite an oversimplification, but these reviews aren't intended to explore the whole nuanced universe. It won seven Oscars, including best picture.

Library: DVD; Bandon, Coos Bay & Coquille. VHS; Bandon, Coos Bay, Coquille, Dora, North Bend & Powers.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099348/

Amazon: Dances with Wolves (Widescreen Edition)

Dangerous Liaisons

Yet another Oscar winner, this one garnered a mere three. Most notably for art direction and costume design. Indeed, this period piece looked great.

Glenn Close, John Malkovich and Michelle Pfeiffer romp around in powdered wigs and fancy dress having affairs and sleeping their way around for sport. As with any tryst games things get messed up and people get hurt.

Some of the film comes off dreary and gross. Careful what games you choose to play, in the end they can come back to really mess up your life.

Library: DVD; Bandon & Coos Bay. VHS; Lakeside.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094947/

Amazon: Dangerous Liaisons

Daredevil

Ben Affleck plays a guy blinded by toxic waste that enhanced his other senses turning him into a superhero. He hooks up with his now wife Jennifer Garner to figure out who's trying to kill them.

It's all typical comic book plot, but I enjoyed it. I love Garner as a kick ass chick and the character Elektra Natchios, has super powers herself. She gets her own movie, but it's not at the library. Too bad.

Library: DVD; Bandon. VHS; Dora, Lakeside & Myrtle Point.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0287978/

Amazon: Daredevil (Two-Disc Widescreen Edition)

A Number of Dogs

1941

I can't believe I actually saw this in a theater way back when. They try and make light of the serious topic of the possible Japanese attack brought to the mainland after Pearl Harbor.

I'm not really much of a fan of John Belushi and frankly I think Dan Aykroyd became much better after the two of them parted. Director Steven Spielberg lost a bit of respect for this one. Thankfully he gained it back with others.

Library: Bandon, Coos Bay, Myrtle Point & North Bend.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078723/

Amazon: 1941 (Collector's Edition)

11:14

This convoluted story of murder and mayhem in the course of an evening left me cold. It tells a series of events around the time of night. For the most part it's just flat out stupid, involving blackmail, bodies dumped on unsuspecting drivers and all manner of what the heck is going on events. They do tie it up but by that time I've lost interest. Avoid.

Library: Bandon

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0331811/

Amazon: 11:14

21 Grams

Sean Penn takes a lot of risks as an actor. I admire him for that, but I think this one failed to pan out. I don't think the plot device of out of order scenes and flashing forward and back worked for this film.

Characters come together in strange and odd ways. There's a lot of cheating the system and violence from people you may not expect to be violent. I just think it's trying to be spiritual. I believe in people and if they try and change sincerely, I want to see them make it. I don't want so much gritty reality in my movie going experience.

Library: Bandon, Coos Bay, Coquille & North Bend.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0315733/

Amazon: 21 Grams

Movie Review: Definitely, Maybe

Definitely, Maybe

Ryan Reynolds plays a sweet guy dad telling his daughter about meeting her mother and we learn a lot about his love life. It's told in flash back and he decided to change names to throw his daughter off. We're somewhat lead astray by one of the characters, April played by Isla Fisher, using the movie's title early in the film.

I like seeing people fall in love and have a nice romance. It's a little disconcerting and distracting some of the things the film implies he's telling his little girl. Like one of his girlfriends was dating an older man and stuff like that. But to be fair, I didn't think about that until later. It fit right in the story line.

I guess it's a chick flick and so some men might squirm. I say gather your sensitive mate or a bunch of gal pals and make some popcorn and have tissues handy.

Library: Coos Bay, Dora & Powers

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0832266/

Buy this DVD from Amazon:Definitely, Maybe (Widescreen)

P.S. I decided to switch up Gem and Good for this week. Hopefully, I'll find some new films for my gems soon.