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I'm having some computer issues at the moment and I'll not post for a couple days. Please feel free to look back through my gems and other reviews and comment on whatever you like. I'll be back to posting soon. Thanks

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Gem Review: Erin Brockovich

Erin Brockovich

Julia Roberts transformed herself into the main character who figures out the local power company knowingly poisoned the water supply for a small California desert town. Roberts so cleverly portrayed the brash Brockovich that the role garnered her an Oscar.

Based on a true story, it's clear Brockovich didn't start out to help people, but once she stumbled into the lawsuit, she never let go. She had to convince her boss, a personal injury attorney, to broaden the case and include hundreds of families. Then get 90 percent of them to agree to an all or nothing deal.

My favorite scene and what pushed me to call this film a gem, came when she met a whistle blower who worked for the power company. She tried to go to her car to call her boss and gets no signal. Swearing at the phone and tossing it aside she looks up and sees a phone booth. I just loved how matter of fact she plays it. Kind of like a cat that falls out of a tree and walks off like, "I meant to do that."

I hope you will enjoy this film as much as I did. Kids would be bored and this isn't for them anyway. North Bend has the DVD and look in Bandon, Coos Bay, Coquille, Dora, Lakeside and Myrtle Point for the VHS.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0195685/

Buy this DVD from Amazon: Erin Brockovich

Watchable Documentaries

Edward Burtynsky:
Manufactured Landscapes

For sheer wow factor you can count on Edward Burtynsky. These stunning photographs and scenery expose the vivid beauty in sludge, pollution and modern production.

I've often noticed the rainbow shine in oil on the road, this guy takes us into the world where whole ecosystems have been compromised. In the pursuit of mining coal, manufacturing products or recycling electronics in China, companies create inriguing vistas of sight and sound. Smell too I'm sure.

This stunning film could have earned a much higher rating if they'd given me a heads up of what I was going to see. I understand that the point of it going on a long time was to show the vast factories, but I got bored and hit fast forward. I suppose that lessens the impact, but I am mad with the power! ;)

I think it might be really neat to see his photographs in a book, but alas there are none at the library. Look in Bandon for the DVD.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0832903/

Amazon: Manufactured Landscapes (US Edition)

Encounters at the End of the World

Meet the quirky types who end up traveling to Antarctica to do research or help those that do. Werner Herzog introduces us to these strange people with one on one interviews and clips of their daily frigid lifestyles.

We see some truly amazing photography of underwater exploration and discussions of how dangerous exploring can be. I like sciency stuff anyway, but this could have been on a special features DVD rather than it's own documentary. I'm not sure it stands on it's own that well.

Look in Bandon and Coquille and explore the lives and backgrounds of one of the rarer species in the coldest part of the world: humans.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1093824/

Amazon: Encounters at the End of the World

Enron:
the Smartest Guys in the Room

I am no conspiracy theory nut, honest. That would be my husband. But when Ken Lay of Enron passed away while in jail, I thought, wow he was so rich, someone helped him fake his death. This film ENHANCED my crazy suspicions.

These guys did what the banks did. They bundled energy into instruments and sold their investors a lie. They asked for and received the right to call profit estimates real profits. That's like telling your credit card company that you make a million dollars a year because you had a really good day on January first.

THEN they took down power generation stations for no reason. This forced a shortage and they raised rates. Madness, cruelty and murderous. Ken Lay and his crowd buddied up to the Bush family and got them to pass sweeping deregulation.

I know this isn't a political blog, but OMG this just has to be said. DO NOT invest ALL of your 401k in the stock of the company you work for. PLEASE. Get sound INDEPENDENT advice.

Wanna be scared and enlightened? Pick up this DVD from Bandon or Coos Bay.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1016268/

Amazon: Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room
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The End of Suburbia:
Oil Depletion and the
Collapse of the American Dream

I didn't rate this fascinating DVD higher because it's such a mega downer. They just told us what the world was going to be like, but didn't give any suggestions for what we might do as citizens of the planet to change. Without hope, sometimes people just throw up their hands and eat another bag of chips.

The title refers to how the suburbs will disappear after we run out of oil. They claim that the world hit it's peak a few years ago and now we'll go into a steep decline as a result of that. They say everything is dependent on oil and that no process can replace it.

They said that it's now harder and more expensive to get oil out of the ground. This will drive up costs to consumers and people simply wont be able to afford to live far away from work. Huge parking lots will give way to mixed use spaces and we'll see a come back to urban living for all.

I feel these pessimists don't take into consideration the ingenuity of human thought. More than anything we love a puzzle.

I do think that suburbs tend to isolate people and a more pedestrian friendly environment might make communities stronger. But this film just talked about all the problems that were for sure going to happen.

I'd be careful to take this as gospel. Feel free to watch though. Look in Bandon for the DVD.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0446320/

Amazon: The End of Suburbia: Oil Depletion and the Collapse of the American Dream

An Animated Empire of Soso

The Emperor's Treasure

Though I do like the idea of some South American fables coming to film, the execution of this animation didn't excite me. The crude drawings seemed amateurish and I wish they'd made the bad guys BAD, instead of oafish.

While exploring ancient Inca ruins with his father, a fare haired young man falls asleep inside a cave. A puma spirit mysteriously appears and transports him many years into the past. Once there, he discovers the Inca in all their glory.

Because of his blond hair he's mistaken for the sun god's son. In order to save a princess from a bad marriage he has to be her champion and of course he falls in love.

His opponent tries to cheat the contest, but of course our hero wins in the end.

It's not HARMFUL to little children to watch, but I think adults would be bored. Let them watch by themselves. It might spark some interest in a different ancient culture.

Bandon and Coquille each have a copy of this family friendly DVD.

IMDB: None for this film

Amazon: The Emperor's Treasure (Golden Films)

The Emperor's New Groove

Probably if they'd cast someone besides David Spade as the lead voice I might have liked this better, but I doubt it. Like the last film, I like that it's a story from a different cultural point of view. I do like John Goodman and Eartha Kitt so that's a plus.

An egotistically insensitive emperor abuses everyone and then expects them all to bow and scrape at his feet. When his adviser gets fired she turns him into a Llama. He tries to get help from Goodman's peasant character but can't stop his abusive ways.

Again, this would be fine and safe for little kids. Maybe make a double feature and pop them a nice bowl of popcorn. Pick up the VHS in Bandon along with a DVD copy. North Bend also has the disk.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120917/

Amazon: The Emperor's New Groove - The Ultimate Groove (2-Disc Collector's Edition)

Good Review: Who Killed the Electric Car?

Who Killed the Electric Car?

Starting in the mid 90's electric cars appeared on California roadways. One major modern effort began with auto conglomerate General Motors. They called their new no emission vehicles the EV-1.

Environmentalists praised them and heralded the age of no pollution vehicles. But when the California air quality board stopped requiring such stringent standards, GM decided to abandon the project.

This film asks if the car companies ever had any intentions of really producing them. Did GM and others have close ties to big oil? Was the battery technology just not there yet?

Why did they take them back from the lease holders and crush them and shred the data? I mean why would anyone want to just ignore research?

I remember seeing the EV-1 commercials and thinking, what are they selling here? They seemed like they were calling for the end of humanity. Eerie and surreal, yeah.. great marketing ploy there GM.

Have a watch and it'll make you wonder what was going on. I might have placed this in the Gem category, but I still had questions after it was over.

Look in Bandon, Coos Bay and North Bend for this fascinating DVD.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0489037/

Buy this intriguing DVD from Amazon: Who Killed the Electric Car?

Gem Review: Enter the Lone Ranger

Enter the Lone Ranger

Okay, so Clayton Moore's acting leaves something to be desired, but I found myself on the edge of my seat. If an old black and white TV series can do that, it deserves my kudos.

This encompasses the first three episodes of the series telling us of the Texas Rangers and how a group of six were betrayed by a dastardly villain. How one survived and makes a mask out of his dead brother's vest. He sets about righting the wrongs done tio him. We learn how he meets his Indian friend Tonto. Jay Silverheels shines as the faithful nondescript native American. He looked great fighting too.

Moore looked a little stiff all around, but I believed him anyway. It's amazing watching all the horse action too. We learn why the ranger decides to use silver bullets and where he finds his horse silver.

Maybe a bit violent for little little kids, but real decent all around. Maybe I'm just a big kid, but I had fun. Pop some popcorn and return to the glory days of the old west.

Look for DVDs under either "Enter the Lone Ranger" or just "Lone Ranger" in Bandon, Coquille or Powers. It's only a few episodes, so if you want to see more, check Netflix or some other source.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0635481/

Buy this fine DVD from Amazon: The Lone Ranger, 4 Full Length Episodes

Dog Review: A Dog's Tale

A Dog's Tale

This lame fantasy film might charm a child, but I kind of doubt it. Gordon Jump tells a boy that if he wishes upon a super nova in the sky, he'll get his wish. He wishes for a pet dog and turns into one himself.

It's a Christmas time film but I don't think that element really matters. None of them are much for the acting talent and the scenery wouldn't inspire anyone. I'd say just all around avoid it.

Myrtle Point has the DVD.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0331997/

Amazon: A Dog's Tale

Watchable Review: Ella Enchanted

Ella Enchanted

Sometimes the blessing of a fairy godmother can make your life miserable. Annoyed with her infant ways Ella's enchanted benefactor decides to give her the gift of doing whatever anyone tells her to do.

She has to hide her obedience from those around her to keep from being taken advantage of, but naturally someone with unfriendly intentions finds out and makes her do whatever they want. Ella tries to just take this all in stride and find ways to get along in her fanciful world.

Anne Hathaway positively charms the pants off the most grizzled cynic in this film. Look for nice performances by Minnie Driver and Vivica A. Fox too.

Since this follows a standard fantasy plot line, naturally the prince of the land falls in love with Ella. She tries desperately to avoid giving away her nature and he's confused but still loves her.

From the library summery, "In a bid to regain control of her life, Ella goes on a quest to free herself from this mysterious "gift". Ella must outwit a kingdom filled with ogres, giants, wicked stepsisters, talking books and other various evil plots."

Look in Bandon and Coquille for this sweet DVD. Plenty of entertainment for the whole family.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0327679/

Buy this DVD from Amazon: Ella Enchanted (Widescreen Edition)

Soso Review: Dragonslayer

Dragonslayer

I so don't understand those IMDB people. Though this had a similar plot to Eragon, it didn't even come close to the entertainment value yet they rated it much higher. Just too weird.

A sorcerer's apprentice tries to help a village kill a virgin eating dragon after his magical mentor dies. He meets a guy we found out is a girl and they fall for each other.

He thinks he managed to kill the dragon but he's wrong and his girlfriend goes into the lottery with every girl in the village. The king's daughter thinks she's been part of the lottery all along but finds out that's not true. She fills the lottery hat with all her name which upsets her farther.

The magician comes to life and helps his assistant slay the dragon for real. I do not agree that the effects hold up as someone on IMDB said. I do NOT agree that the acting was good. It's not as bad as I expected but it's not worth watching unless you're really REALLY into this kind of thing.

Look in Bandon and Myrtle Point for the DVD and North Bend for the VHS copy.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082288/

Buy the DVD from Amazon: Dragonslayer

Gem Review: Eragon

Eragon

I always have a look at IMDB before I write a review. I'm looking for tidbits to add that might spark an idea or something I didn't realize. I found out many MANY fans of the novel were so disappointed they dropped the rating pretty low.

I went back and forth between calling this a good or gem. I chose gem because like a film a few months back, Stardust, it held my interest all the way through.

I LOVE science fiction but sword and sorcery runs a close second. We come upon the story of a kingdom where dragons and their riders used to be every day occurrences. But a power grabbing rider killed his fellow dragon riders and began ruling with an iron fist.

A farm boy finds a dragon's egg and it hatches into a blue dragon. He has to grow up fast as the evil king sends out his sorcerer to kill the boy and his dragon.

He hooks up with a strange fellow on town, Jeremy Irons, who helps him find the people who resist the king and hope to bring goodness back to the land.

It sure did seem like pieces were left out and from what I read, that's likely the case. I understand that a director has only so much he can do. If you're a fan of the novels, most likely you wont like the film. Lots of computer graphics effects of flying dragons and magic incantations.

I found it charming and mostly family friendly. It wouldn't appeal to young children, but if you let them see Harry Potter, they can see this too.

Look in Bandon, Coos Bay, Coquille, Dora, North Bend and Powers for the DVD.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0449010/

Buy it on Amazon: Eragon (Widescreen Edition)

Good Review: Fingersmith

Fingersmith

A few months back someone suggested this was a better film than Affinity and they were right. Simply speaking, the filmograpy made for a lighter less dreary viewing. I wanted to be with them on the English countryside. I wanted to touch the beautiful gowns the women wore.

We view this in two parts. First we see a young pickpocket girl sent to dupe a young somewhat privileged girl of her fortune. A "gentleman" introduces the pickpocket to her as a maid.

These women become close friends and eventually intimate in what might be lovers if the one girl weren't trying to cheat the other. Tasteful lesbian scenes that made sense within the context. If you're looking for something pornographic, this wont suit.

The well to do young woman lives with her rather creepy uncle who deals in pornographic material. He's trained her as his secretary, so she has a truly warped view of the world. She has no idea that she would receive an income if she should marry.

Eventually she agrees to marry the "gentleman" and with her maid's help they go off to a cottage for their first night. The man and pickpocket/maid plot to drive his wife mad and put her in an insane asylum.

(SPOILER ALERT)

The doctors talk to both the maid and her mistress and encourage the man to bring his wife right away to spend some time getting "cured." As the carriage takes all three to the nut house the maid is captured and dragged inside while the lady sits calmly refusing to meet her gaze.

I liked that the first half they did NOT telegraph this AT ALL. It took me by surprise. In the second half of this fine film we see that the privileged young woman wanted to escape her degrading uncle and the "gentleman" proposed the whole replace her with the maid scenario.

Plots twist and turn and conspirators turn out to be family. The clever maid manages an escape of the asylum and envisions revenge on the man and woman. It seems everyone does these women a wrong turn.

I've already spoiled the major plot twist, I'll just leave the ending for a viewing. If you like Dickensian drama with intrigue and betrayal, this will hold your interest. The lesbian action is limited to a few scenes in the first half. It's quite tastefully done and romantic, rather than titillating. And you just have to love the play on words, Fingersmith?? Too funny.

Look in bandon for this fine DVD.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0423651/

Buy this DVD from Amazon: Fingersmith

Dog Review: Election

Election

I rather like Matthew Broderick and Reese Witherspoon but this film flat out grosses me out. A teacher's best friend boinks his 16-year-old pupil and keeps giving details to Broderick's character. Who doesn't do a thing to stop it.

If that wasn't gross enough, after the big scandal the girl stays at the school and tries to become class president. Broderick hooks up with the wife of his friend and and then there's some election fraud shenanigans.

I can only imagine that someone thought this would be edgy and funny, but it just irritated me. Pick a better teen angst movie. Like Ferris Bueller's Day Off or Pleasantville. Much more going on in them.

SWOCC has the DVD and find a VHS copy in Lakeside or North Bend.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0126886/

Amazon: Election

Watchable Review: Doctor Zhivago

Doctor Zhivago

Since we're doing older films this week, I figured I'd go ahead with this one. First the music totally sets the mood as we see aristocratic Russia turn into the Soviet Union.

I know many people LOVED this film and it won several well deserved Oscars for Cinematography, costuming and score. These things made the film a beauty to behold. Sweeping scenes of fields of daffodils and snow covered tundra inspire the sense of vastness. Gem quality all.

I thought it just kind of went on a bit long. It teaches a romantic lesson of a country in transition. We see it through the eyes of basically three people. An aristocratic doctor, a woman he helps and the man she marries.

Because he has a valued skill Doctor Zhivago himself, Omar Sharif, finds himself accepted into the new Soviet Union. He and his wife try and cope with learning to live with other people surrounding them.

Before the revolution the doctor meets poor yet beautiful Lara played by Julie Christie. She goes on to marry political activist Pasha. All of Russia suffers in the severity of World War I and Lara inspires Zhivago's poetic heart.

Watch this for the beauty and music. Look in Coos Bay, Myrtle Point and SWOCC for the DVD. Bandon, Coos Bay, Coquille, Dora, Lakeside, Myrtle Point and Powers have VHS copies.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059113/

Buy this DVD from Amazon: Doctor Zhivago (Two-Disc Special Edition)

One DVD Three Soso Films

Edward G. Robinson: Triple Feature Movie Marathon

Two copies of this DVD at the Library in Bandon.
Amazon: Edward G. Robinson Triple Feature

Scarlet Street

Married everyman Edward G. Robinson comes across a beautiful woman being accosted by a man on the street. He saves her and she flirts with him, talking him into taking her out.

He seems to want to do anything to escape his dull life. The woman thinks he has money and she can play him for a sucker. The man beating her up turns out to be her good-for-nothing boyfriend. They scheme to get him to pay for an apartment to keep the woman in, on the guise that Robinson's character can use it for a studio.

When the woman tries to sell his paintings, they find out he has talent. Her boyfriend passes her off as the artist and she gets Robinson to paint more for her. Happening upon her making love to her boyfriend the artist flies into a rage and stabs her.

He gets away with the murder but it haunts him. I guess maybe for the time this might have been a very intriguing film. So you might find it better than I did. It kind of slogged to an inevitable conclusion. Look in Lakeside for the VHS copy of this film.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038057/

Amazon: Scarlet Street

The Red House

Crabby father figure Edward G. Robinson tries to keep strangers away from property next to his farm. When a boy starts getting deeply interested in his young ward, Meg, he tries to frighten the boy away from cutting through the woods.

The young teens fall in love and go exploring in defiance. The boy sees a strange house and then gets scared off by a woodsman we later find out the father figure paid to keep the kids clear of the spooky woods.

They make reference to some creepy backstories and we do find out the whole sad truth in the end, but I don't want to spoil it. Lets say it's the tale of another haunted man.

Lakeside also has a VHS copy of this film.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039757/

Amazon: Red House

The Stranger

Though directed by Orson Welles, I only liked this one slightly more than the other two. Really, it's his movie, but Edward G. Robinson got top billing. I guess he's the hero.

They took a really long convoluted route to the plot. Made just after World War II, Robinson chases a Nazi sympathizer to a small town hoping to find a bigger fish. Welles kills the man out of Robinson's sight, but the investigator figured out he's the bad guy.

Now it gets tricky. He's engaged to the local university president's daughter and she can't believe anything bad about her man. She kind of helps him and he makes a plot to kill her. Robinson does everything he can to prevent this and ends up fighting with Welles up in the clockworks of a church tower.

I'd seen the film before and forgotten all but the last few minutes. I like a more linear clear plot and a well defined reason for people to do what they do.

There's a DVD called Classic Film Noir in Bandon with a copy of this film on it. Also, North Bend has a VHS tape.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038991/

Amazon: The Stranger

Good Review: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

A young boy finds a strange little alien in this backyard and he hides it in his bedroom. Soon his siblings and he figure out the alien wants to fix his ship and go home. "E.T. phone home." became a huge catch phrase for the early 1980s.

The big bad military finds out about E. T. and want to dissect him, but the kid and his friends help him. In later copies director Steven Spielberg had the guns the military used digitally changed into walkie talkies. Some think it's a big deal, I really don't care. It's his film, he can do what he likes.

The boy and alien develop a friendship that can't help but charm all but the most hardened heart. Mostly safe for kiddies, but if you have any doubts, view it yourself first. There's a little funny juvenile language that you might not want them picking up.

Find the DVD in Coos Bay (though in mending), North Bend and SWOCC. So far I've seen VHS tapes in Bandon, Coos Bay, Coquille, Dora, Lakeside and North Bend. It's an old movie so don't depend on them being in good shape.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083866/

E.T. - The Extra-Terrestrial (Widescreen Edition)

Happy 4th of JULY!

No reviews today. Have a great weekend and enjoy all that Coos County has to offer.

Dog Review: Burn After Reading

Burn After Reading

Some say these Coen brothers can do no wrong. I love a couple of films of theirs, but this isn't one of them. They love to confound us with weird plots that turn violent in what some call funny ways. Sometimes it works, sometimes not.

A disgruntled numskull of a CIA agent goes off the rails and decides to write a memoir telling all kinds of secrets. While Mr. CIA is at the gym, an employee there, Brad Pitt, finds the disk of his story and tries to blackmail him with it.

John Malkovich plays Mr. CIA. His wife, Tilda Swinton screws around with George Clooney and they plot to run away together as soon as Clooney divorces his wife.

Throw in Frances McDormand as one of Pitt's cohorts and another Clooney lover and we're just wondering WHAT the HECK is going on here.

Honestly, I've had more entertainment value watching a bunch of clowns try and stuff themselves into a tiny car. And that's really who all these people are. A bunch of moronic clowns. We wouldn't have a whole brain if we combined all of them together.

I know many other people have different opinions of this film. I just didn't like it. Feel free to leave a comment and disagree.

Look in Bandon, Coquille, Coos Bay, Myrtle Point, North Bend and SWOCC

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0887883/

Buy this DVD from Amazon: Burn After Reading

Movie Review: Danielle Steel's Zoya

Danielle Steel's Zoya

As made for TV movies go this held my interest pretty well. Melissa Gilbert stars as a Russian aristocrat girl who escapes with her family to Paris. Her mother wants her to marry a much older man but she has her own ideas and plans.

She meets the love of her life played by Bruce Boxleitner. They have a lovely life until he dies leaving her and her children in poverty. She goes to work for a clothier and after years of hard work opens her own shop.

No, Gilbert shouldn't do accents, but at least she sounded a LITTLE Russian. The plot made romance novel sense. If that's your kinda thing, have a look see.

Bandon has the only DVD copy of this film.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112796/

Buy the DVD from Amazon: Danielle Steel's Zoya - Parts 1 & 2