Movie Review Bagdad Cafe

Bagdad Cafe

WEEIRDNESS ok, this fim shows up on IMDB as OUT OF ROSENHEIM. I have NO idea why, but I thought I'd mention it in case you get confused like me.

A strange German woman shows up at a high desert truck stop and cafe. She finds a way into the crusty heart of the truck stop owner Brenda and helps build the business into a thriving hot spot. I use the word "quirky" too much, I realize, but it so fits!

Search for Bagdad Cafe in Bandon.

IMDB http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095801/

Buy it on Amazon
Bagdad Cafe

Movie Review All the Queen's Men

All the Queen's Men

Who knew Matt LeBlanc can act?! I'd never heard of this silly film before I saw it in the library list. It's a World War II romp about a group of, um, men who try and steal an enigma machines from the Germans. Eddie Izzard teaches them how to fit inside a factory run entirely by women. It seems they were trying to do a "dramedy," and it mostly worked for me. I kinda wish they'd decided to go for all laughs or go for serious with funny bits happening naturally. No matter, it's enough to get a Good rating from me.

Check out this fun film in Bandon.

IMDB http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0252223/

OiVey

Reason for this blog

I've been meaning to start a blog on "interesting movies" I found at the Library. I started out just picking movies off the shelf in Coos Bay and North Bend at random. I found some good ones just because I liked the actors or I'd heard about them somewhere. Then when I logged on to the library web site, I found I could click on DVDs and go through the list alphabetically. I'm still on the B's at the moment, but I think there's enough to start posting some "should see" with comments.

The library and Internet Movie Database links are to the upper left. Any reader can comment. I've made labels at the bottom of each review so you can see clearly a list of what I consider a gem, good, soso or dog. Also family and adult theme can be selected.

Suggestions welcome. Post a comment and I'll see what I can do.

Happy viewing Oregon!

OiVey

Movie Review Chocolate

Chocolate

A gypsy woman and her daughter swirl into a small French town during a windstorm and soon open a chocolate shop. Townsfolk discover the decadence of the perfect sweet spot, though some conservative faithful balk at her Sunday store hours. Juliette Binoche stars and look for Johnny Depp, Judi Dench and others in this sweet romantic film.

Bandon, Coos Bay and North Bend all have DVD copies of this film.

IMDB http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0241303/

Buy it on Amazon
Chocolat (Miramax Collector's Series)

Movie Reviews

Ok, this IS a review post, but I decided to do three movies in one. I will post the links and tell what library but I disliked them so much, I wont bother with seperating them into individual posts.

The Family Stone

Sarah Jessica Parker stars as an uptight finance going home to meet Dermot Mulroney strange, free spirited family. While You Were Sleeping did this plot better and with tons more charm and grace. See that instead.

Insist on seeing it? Look in Coos Bay, North Bend or Bandon.

IMDB http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0356680/

Best Laid Plans

Go ahead and hate your neighbor, go ahead and cheat a friend. Di it in the name of heaven, you can justify it in the end. Ok, old song lyrics aside, this pointless random screwing people over film just left me cold. Reese Witherspoon and Josh Brolin star.

Coquille, North Bend, Dora and Coos Bay all have copies.

IMDB http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0133412/

War of the Worlds.

I don't consider two hours of Dakota Fanning screaming her head off as entertainment. Want some special effects science fiction fun? Try 5th Element.

If you want to see the story, try the 1953 version, it's also at the library. To see Tom Cruise wet his pants look in Powers, Dora, Coos Bay, Myrtle Point or Bandon.

IMDB http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0407304/

Movie Review Aeon Flux

Aeon Flux

Reading the reviews on the Internet Movie Database confuses me a lot. I wanted to call Æon Flux a gem, but they made me doubt myself! Ah well, ok, I will just say what I think. I loved all it's science fictiony glory. It comes off as a weird mix between the Matrix and the Sixth Day. It surpassed both in story quality, acting and look.

Four hundred years in the future, the human race is ruled by an elite family and rebels try and take them down. Charlize Theron stars and look for Frances McDormand as Aen's handler.

Look for this film in Bandon and Lakeside.

IMDB http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0402022/

Buy it on Amazon
Aeon Flux (Special Collector's Edition)

Movie Review The World's Fastest Indian

The World's Fastest Indian

OK, I knew Anthony Hopkins could act and I'd heard about this film and wanted to see it. I just didn't know how an old New Zealander could charm so many with so few words. He has a dream to test his modified Indian motorcycle at Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats and sets about doing just that. His mishaps and encounters follow a magical path toward his goal.

It has a PG-13 rating, but the language and "old man sex," probably will get a yuck from teens. It is a good story of perseverance though, so use your judgment to show it to them. It's in Bandon, Myrtle Point, North Bend and Coos Bay.

IMDB http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0412080/

Buy it on Amazon
The World's Fastest Indian

Movie Review Antwone Fisher

Antwone Fisher

I admire this superbly acted story of the struggles of an angry young man learning to recover from abandonment and childhood abuse. It tells a side of foster care and painful hurt rarely told. It felt so real to me. As a young man in the navy, Fisher finds his original family and tries to sort himself out. Denzel Washington stars as his navy appointed counselor and Derek Luke leads as the man himself.

We all need a little guidance now and then. I hope you enjoy this film as much as I did. Look in Coos Bay, Myrtle Point and Bandon.

IMDB http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0168786/

OIVey

Movie Review Fritz the Cat

Fritz the Cat

So animated breasts and sexual scenes and bad language gets you an X rating? Fritz is just a typical tomcat displayed on film. Though the depiction of animals of all kinds getting the interspecies groove on is kinda weird. Robert Crumb the original comic creator disavowed any association with the film, though I don't remember, or care really, if it was the plot, the voices or the animation. None of it held much entertainment. As an iconic film, it fell flat.

Still wanna see probably the only film the Coos County Library system has that's X-rated? Check it out in Bandon.

IMDB http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068612/

OiVey

Movie Review Zoolander

Zoolander

Don't hate Ben Stiller as Zoolander cuz he's beautiful. This film took me by surprise. This story of a clueless male model uncovering an international plot had me falling out of my chair laughing. Owen Wilson and Will Ferrell turn in typical goofy performances. No worries about the silly plot and Saturday Night Live skit acting. It's simply worth it to watch these guys fool around on the screen.

Coos Bay and Coquille both have copies of Zoolander. It's rated PG-13 but I don't think kids would like it.

IMDB http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0196229/

OiVey

Movie Review Mary Poppins

Mary Poppins

Lets take a look at this old favorite since I already looked it up and everything. I've always liked Julie Andrews voice and Dick Van Dyke charmed as the lovable chimney sweep. Andrews plays a mysterious nanny who shows up to help two children connect with their parents. Coming from old Disney, you can be sure it's wholesome and family friendly.

The mix of animation and live action was state of the art for the time. It may appear a bit dated by today's standards. I'd get it anyway. Show your children what you went to see when you were young.

It's also all over the library system with copies in Powers, Bandon, North Bend, Coos Bay and Myrtle Point. Enjoy reminiscing.

IMDB http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058331/

OiVey

Movie Review Nanny McPhee

Nanny McPhee

I'd call this a twisted Mary Poppins that may appeal to children. Though, it may scare and bore them instead. The love story seems a bit of an afterthought to try and appeal to adults who have to drag their kids to the movies. Emma Thompson plays the lead with gusto and Colin Firth and Kelly Macdonald do their best as the harried father and maid turned love interest.

I realize I fit a different demographic than they're going after, but I can be entertained by children's programming. I love Sesame Street. This film left me feeling "eh."

I did enjoy the special features where Emma Thompson talks about the books and how she translated them to film.

As always, pick it up at any one of these library branches: Dora, Lakeside, Coquille, Myrtle Point, Bandon, North Bend, Coos Bay or Powers.

IMDB http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0396752/

OiVey

Movie Review Magnolia

Magnolia

In my notes for this movie I wrote "stupid pointless downer." Tom Cruise shows some acting depth as a sexist relationship guru, but he can't save this film. I don't even remember Julianne Moore or William H. Macy in their roles. Jason Robards creeped me out as the drunk MC of a child's game show. It all seemed so disjointed and I'm left wondering what happened.

There are lots of copies around the library system for this film. Find it at SWOCC, Coos Bay, Powers, Lakeside and Bandon.

IMDB http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0175880/

OIVey

Blog Adjusting

I put a link to IMDB for each movie, though I haven't done every actor I mentioned. If you find any errors, please let me know in a comment. I also linked the review as either Gem, Good, Soso, or Dog and listed some with adult themes. Posts like this one got an Info label.

I put a hold on Fritz the Cat and I hope to pick that up one of these days. The comic creator Robert Crumb had nothing to do with the film and in fact hated it so much he killed off the cat in a comic. Sexually explicit cartooning is not new to me. I really like the film Heavy Metal, which has lots of adult themes and some pretty good music. I'll have to see if the library has it. Aw, darn, the library copy is "missing."

All for now, OIVey

Movie Review Far From Heaven

Far From Heaven

I think the point was an attempt to dispel idyllic 50s mythos, but it tried to do too much. Dennis Haysbert and Julianne Moore did their best with the disjointed romance plot, but Dennis Quaid just seemed one dimensional as the wife beating gay husband. Haysbert can read the phone book to me, swoon. I just love his voice.

Two copies of the DVD are in Bandon, and Coquille and Lakeside libraries each have a VHS copy of this film.

IMDB http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0297884/