Classic Movie Monday: The Muppet Movie (1979)

"I know that it's easier to portray a world that's filled with cynicism and anger, where problems are solved with violence.  That's titillating. It's an easy out. What's a whole lot tougher is to offer alternatives, to present other ways conflicts can be resolved, and to show that you can have a positive impact on your world.  To do that, you have to put yourself out on a limb, take chances, and run the risk of being called a do-gooder." ~ Jim Henson

The Muppet Movie

1979

We all have random childhood memories.  I wasn't alive when The Muppet Movie came to theaters, but my parents had a record player, and my Dad had the original soundtrack on that giant vinyl.  For hours (well, it felt like hours, time is a strange thing for a kid), I would look at the movie pictures.  Those images are blurred now, but the feelings I felt while listening to those songs have never faded.

Kermit the Frog sitting on his log playing the banjo, when all of a sudden a Hollywood agent boats across the swamp (so many questions).  The Muppet Movie is the muppets origin story, and this is Kermit's home.  He wants to make millions of people happy, but is quite content hanging in his swamp and watching movies in the theater.  It's the talent agent that encourages him to leave his comfort zone.  What would have happened if that agent hadn't appeared?  Would Kermit have ever left his swamp?  How many lives would have remained unchanged?

The Muppet Movie is a journey and coming together of the muppets as a group of performers and friends.  The movie is also a reflection of how vitally important Kermit is as a character and person.  Everyone he meets has a dream, and as Kermit leaves to follow his dream, he encourages others to follow their dreams.  A pebble in a pond rippling and bouncing everything into motion.

As an adult there's a lot that now makes a lot more sense.  Nuanced jokes are more funny, though some jokes are dated with forgotten in time cultural references.  In the scene where Kermit first meets Fozzie, one of them says, in order to clear the busy bar, "drinks are on the house!" and then everyone in the room runs to the top of the building.  I remember asking my Dad why that was funny.  He explained, though I didn't get it then, even after the explanation, but now it's silly funny.  Then there's the visual gags.  During "Moving Right Along" Kermit and Fozzie, while at a fork in the road, they see an actual giant fork in the road.  Little things like that.

Heh, and then there's the things in The Muppet Movie that would probably never make it in a current film, like Kermit being chased down to star in frog leg ads.  Creepy.  But as a child that was Terrifying!  So it worked.

It has been years since I've seen The Muppet Movie, and it was just a joy watching the movie again.  A pleasurable trip down memory lane.  All the funny cameos that fit well with the plot.  Toe tapping songs.  Dang can Frank Oz sing high!  Creative puppetry that I still marvel at, such as Kermit riding a bike.

The Original Muppet Movie really is the best.  Some of the films that follow are good, but the original is simply brilliant.

Sarah

P.S. Saw this on a meme: "Whatever you do today, do it with the confidence of a 4 year old in a Batman t-shirt". 

 

Classic Movie Monday: The Scarlet Pimpernel (1934)

“They seek him here, they seek him there
Those Frenchies seek him everywhere
Is he in heaven or is he in... hell?
That demned elusive Pimpernel” 

~ Baroness Orczy, The Scarlet Pimpernel

In a time of Revolution the French were sending the innocent to Madame Guillotine, all while cheering and knitting.  Each death resulted in a new cheer while blood stained the streets.  Chilling.  But according to the cheerers those being killed well deserved it.  They had it coming...

The Scarlet Pimpernel, written by Baroness Orczy, was originally a play and was performed in 1903.  The play was an incredible success, and the novel was published in 1905.  The 1934 film, starring Leslie Howard, is based on the play and novel.  

Who doesn't know about The Scarlet Pimpernel!!??  There's been a series of plays, movie adaptations, a radio drama, and a musical, plus a large series of books.  The Pimpernel is a superhero, masquerading under numerous facades to carry out daring rescues.  His mission?  Save as many as he can from death, mounting crazy plans through a large network of connections and a personal league. In real life no one suspects him, including his wife, as he's foppish, disconnected, while throwing himself into fashion and portraying himself as a nincompoop.

I first fell in love with the 1982 movie starring Anthony Andrew, Jane Seymour, and Ian McKellen.  It's fabulous, and that led me to read the novel and see the Broadway travel production of the musical in LA in the late 90's, seeing Douglas Sills, who originated the role on Broadway, perform as Sir Percy Blakeney during his last week in the role.  It was a Thursday matinee, and there was actually a technical malfunction during the song Into the Fire.  The show was paused for about 10 minutes, and Douglas came out to talk to the audience.  It was just so cool and unforgettable.  Needless to say I'm a fan of the story at large.

Even though I'm a fan of the Pimpernel story, I didn't know there was a 1934 movie, but after finding it on Amazon Prime it was worth the gander.  This is a fun version, superbly acted.  Leslie Howard as the Pimpernel is perfect.  If you're a fan of the Pimpernel story or simply like swashbuckling fun, The Scarlet Pimpernel is worth the watch.  All versions are recommended.

Sarah

Classic Movie Monday: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

After all these years it's amazing how "Someday My Prince Will Come" and "Heigh Ho" are songs that are still sung, loved, and easily recognized, and they're 83 years old.  

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is the first movie I remember going to the theater to see.  It's not the first movie I actually saw, which I'll write about next week (it's a sci-fi 80's flick that mainly nerds know about and didn't really go mainstream ;0), but Snow White was the movie that cemented the enchantment of going to a theater.

Before the Disney vault rotated movies for home video release, they showed movies in theaters every 7-10 years.  In 1987 Snow White was fully restored for it's 50th anniversary and was shown in theaters.  My parents took me to this theater in Santa Barbara that was on State Street, fully decked out in grand theatrical fashion.  Somewhere in the back of my mind, through random fractured images, I still remember the theater and being in awe.  It was beautiful.  And I remember loving the movie.  

Walt Disney's first theatrical animated feature film is the stuff of legends, groundbreaking in every way.  If you want to read a detailed history of the film, the Fandom Disney Wiki page and Wikipedia has great articles.

It's wonderful that, even for a movie made in 1937, kids still love Snow White today, even with the modern advancements in animation technology and techniques.  The Disney parks help keep Snow White and her Seven Dwarfs alive with rides, princess meet and greets, and songs during shows.  Though, fun fact, the Disneyland ride has had a makeover.  The original "Snow White's Scary Adventure" has been remade into "Snow White's Enchanted Wish".  Some people may be sad over this, but I'm actually excited to see the changes.  The original ride really is kinda sad with an abrupt ending!  

Happy, happy memories from a beloved classic that will always be amazing.

Sarah

Classic Movie Monday: Roman Holiday (1953)

Roman Holiday (1953)

Starring: Audrey Hepburn & Gregory Peck

The Film

The plot of Roman Holiday comes across a little cliche in this modern era, mainly because the tropes displayed have been overplayed.  Hard working Princess dreams of common life, escapes, meets a dashing young man, and they have a grand ol' time.  The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain, published in 1881, is about identical strangers trading spaces--another now overworked plot--so the idea of royalty escaping to normality is an idea romanticized throughout time.

Roman Holiday was filmed entirely in Rome, and all the city's highlights are captured in this gem of a time capsule: A glance over Trevi Fountain, walking around the Roman Forum, stop at the Colosseum, and gelato on the Spanish Steps.  It's strange to think that this movie was filmed less than a decade after the end of the second World War, and the scene about the Wall of Wishes brings a somber reality to this time period.  Life after grand tragedy moves on, things change, but remembrances remain.

Some fun facts.  Gregory Peck was the main star when Roman Holiday started production and he was going to get top billing, but as filming took place Gregory wanted Audrey Hepburn to share top billing.  Such a rarity in those days.  In the scene with the Mouth of Truth, that wall with an open mouthed face, Gregory told the director he was going to pretend his hand was cut off after sticking it in, but he didn't tell Audrey.  Her reaction and scream was so natural because she wasn't acting in that moment, though Audrey is a wonderful actress and won an Oscar, Golden Globe, and BAFTA for this role as Princess Ann.

Personal Thoughts

Roman Holiday first came to my attention when I was 14.  After having surgery I was kept overnight for observation and looking after at the hospital, and my Mom bought the VHS.  She and the nurse watched the movie as I drifted in and out of consciousness, hardly remembering a thing.  It wasn't for another couple years until I pulled the tape out and had another go, and found it quite charming.

Having just re-watched the movie, being older and having visited Rome, Roman Holiday means so much more now.  When younger the ending bothered me, as it's more bitter sweet.  Now I see it as it is, realistic.  No nonsensical Hallmark ending.  The last several minutes of the movie intense, and I felt all the emotions, quiet love, the pain.

If you want to see a fun romantic comedy, timeless, great, Roman Holiday is worth the watch.  (Heh, after I just spoiled the ending... oops).

Sarah

Bringing Back the PPPPA, Classic Movie Monday Style

Okay, not quite.  It's a PPPPA of one.  But what is this PPPPA you may be asking?  It's a little club my friends and I created back in High School, and it stood for the Poor Pathetic People of Porterville Association.  It's as awesome as it sounds...

So what did we do?  Well, while other teens were driving the 30+ minutes to the nearest mall, going on fantastic dates, and other really cool stuff, my friends and I would go to Hollywood Video and rent a movie.  (Did we ever go to Blockbuster?!?!  Guess Hollywood Vid was more convenient?  Was Blockbuster already gone?  Why can't I remember?  Dang empty crevices of my mind.)  But we didn't rent just any video, we rented classics and old movies, and in some cases the stranger the better.

Old campy sci-fi.  Once we watched a fantastic random musical that I wish I remembered the name of.  It was great.  Hitchcock's Vertigo.  We rented a silent movie this one time, determined to read every slide with words.  It was fun for the first 30 minutes, until it got old, and I swear that movie was like 3 hours.

So for my PPPPA nostalgia, instead of having a group of people over to watch movies, which sounds fantastic right now, I'm going to seek out to watch old movies and then talk about them.  For "reasons" I've decided not to review new movie releases anymore, and instead write about the old stuff.  It will be fun watching and exploring the classics, and silly campy stuff as well.  Old movies that are new to me, as there's so much I haven't seen, and old favorites I would like to revisit. 

Sarah

 

Are Movie Theaters Going to Survive?

This afternoon I heard that the next Wonder Woman movie was skipping the theaters and heading towards streaming.  A quick search later and it looks like that may actually happen, though Patty Jenkins', Wonder Woman's director, is sending this warning: "If we shut this down, this will not be a reversible process.  We could lose movie theater-going forever."

3 days ago it was announced that Regal theater will be shutting down 536 theaters, affecting 40,000 employees.  AMC has been suffering as well.  Cineworld is closing theaters across the US and UK.

And all this while major blockbusters are getting pushed back: James Bond, Black Widow, etc.  I appreciate the fact that TENET came to the theaters that are open, but I guess its box office gross (either $150 million-$200 million global, depending on the source) is scaring other movies from being released.

Problem is, if you hold back a movie hoping for more money, but the holding back causes movie theaters to close because they can't survive, then will blockbusters ever make the money they once did?  You have to have theaters for that, unless streaming really is a goldmine.  I find that questionable.  Besides, the whole multiple streaming services has become fatiguing, and I canceled Netfix last month over moral reasons concerning a certain French film.  You can't release a movie to a theater if there are no theaters left to release movies into.

I've been to the movies a few times now, and there isn't anything to fear, if there are people holding back for that reason.  The theaters are clean, and much care is being taken to ensure safety for those that are worried.  I don't like to see anyone lose their jobs, especially in this market, and when it comes to the movies there are a lot of people, from all walks of life and situation, that keep the film industry going.

Time will tell.  I love entertainment and stories, and I would be sad if theaters go away.  I also have a huge imagination and love different forms of storytelling.  Times are tough, true, but we're all suffering.  And we have priorities.  But also, I do hope large screen storytelling survives, but the industry needs to wake up before it's too late.

Visiting a Movie Theater Again After Several Months: Empire Strikes Back

Last weekend was my parents 39th wedding anniversary.  My Dad was trying to figure out what to do with my Mom to make it special, but there's still a lot of limitations in regards to what's open and whatnot.  He discovered that Cinemark was opening again, and that you can rent out a theater for $99 with a small selection of movie options for 20 people or less.  Our family gathered to watch Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back, which is possibly one of the best movies ever created.

It's been several years since I've seen Empire, forgetting nuances, and it truly is a masterpiece.  (It's really embarrassing how long it's been!)  The pacing, editing, humor, subtle romance (minus the sibling bit -_-;; Do you're genealogy peeps), character development, one-liners by more than one character, music, etc, etc, etc.  Even the kids were completely engaged and glued.  This was their first time seeing it.  And I forgot how much I missed the Twenty-First Century Fox fanfare at the beginning!  Ahh!!!!!  Classic!!!!

These last few months have proven interesting for the entertainment industry.  Won't get into it.  In the beginning of the pandemic I missed going to the movies, but the feeling of "missing it" has turned to apathy.  There's more than one way to find entertainment and to escape this World.  Reading.  I've been reading more.  Watching classic films and shows has been fun.  YouTube and podcasts.  

Here's a list of movies Cinemark is offering for the $99 theater rental: Jurassic Park, Inception, Sonic the Hedgehog, Bloodshot, Empire Strikes Back, Jumanji Next Level, Harry Potter 1, Harry Potter-Deathly Hollows II, Greatest Showman, Goonies, The Avengers, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Despicable Me.  Some of these movies are also available as $5 tickets for adults and $3 for kids.  There's also good deals on concessions.

It was really fun going to the movies again and having the theater to ourselves.  Seeing Empire on the big screen for a second time was awesome, the first being back in the 90's at a theater in Bakersfield CA.  Everyone needs to see Empire Strikes Back on the big screen.  So good.  I'd love to see Ever After in the theater again.  Heh, don't know what the demand would be, but I saw it five times in the theater.  I saw the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie seven times in the theater.  Good times.

Hope you're having a great day.  TTFN.

 

Finally Finding One of My Favorite Soundtracks: The Secret World of Arrietty

 Every now and then a movie produces a soundtrack that touches the heart and soul in various ways.  Some soundtracks inspire a generation.  Star Wars was one of those iconic soundtracks.  Growing up I was enchanted by Chariots of Fire, Field of Dreams, and the original Muppet Movie.  Then it was Ever After, Emma (Gwyneth Paltrow), A Little Princess, and Sense and Sensibility.  In college I was addicted to the first Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack; Barbossa Is Hungry was played on loop (I have vivid memories carrying my discman around campus, perfectly balanced, steady steps, so the CD wouldn't skip).

For some reason soundtracks haven't really caught my attention all that much in this last decade, but when I heard The Secret World of Arrietty, a movie by Hayao Miyazaki, about eight years ago, the songs jumped off the screen full of enchantment.  The music doesn't sound typical Miyazaki, instead it's whimsical Celtic by Cecile Corbel.  The very first time I heard the music I wanted the soundtrack, but couldn't find it, and that was even after visiting Japan.  Guess I was looking in all the wrong places.  But a few weeks ago I finally found it, by accident, on the Amazon Market Place under the title: Karigurashi No Arrietty.  It arrived in the mail yesterday, and it really is simply whimsical and enchanting.  Celtic is such happy music.

 (As a side note, I'm listening to the Field of Dreams soundtrack off of YouTube, that's another hard one to get, and it's bringing back so many memories.  So haunting.)

Just Leaving This Here...

It's been awhile!  And this post doesn't have a picture.  There are times when I wanted to write about something, but didn't have an image that matched, so those posts went unwritten.  I'm still doing picture posts!  Because I like pictures.  But I'm going to try more posts without pictures as well.  Thoughts.  Ideas.  Whatevers.  Wanderous Whatnots.

Not going to talk much about the situation at large.  We all have a myriad of experiences.  Some similar.  Some very different.  Luckily where I live we didn't go into complete lock down, so random walks and drives were allowed.  Even so I still feel claustrophobic and struggling with motivation.  We're all fighting our way through, and it's good to keep fighting so we don't lose ourselves.

I am getting stir crazy!  Several days ago I dreamed I was in Japan and dropped off two suitcases to be held in two different locations.  When I went to get them, I couldn't.  Translation barrier.  When I woke up I thought it meant I wanted to start traveling again.  Then I decided to look up dream meanings out of curiosity.

One website said: "To dream of lost luggage represents feelings about having lost your ability to “keep it together” during or after a transitional moment. Feeling unprepared or not ready for something you expected to be ready for."  That feels pretty spot on.  Another website said: "Losing your luggage or items from your luggage is actually a good symbol in a dream. It is a request to let go of baggage or past issues that you are carrying around. It doesn’t matter in the dream what is in the bags. The bags represent issues that are holding you back."  Heh, so it's hard to know which meaning is more fitting.  Maybe both are applicable!  Honestly, yeah, I think both meanings work, and I did have two suitcases that were lost.

I'm trying to figure out if I should keep doing movie reviews, as the theaters are closed.  I've seen Emma and Onward, so those will get reviewed.  Maybe I can talk about classics, or movies that have meant something to me.  I'm still not quite sure how I feel about the digital releases taking place.  I understand the need for studios to make immediate money, but are theaters going to have movies to show when they do open?  And after all this time will they be able to open?  Hopefully.

There is a locally own theater that created an impromptu drive-in several weeks ago, and that seems to be doing well.  But there's just something so nice about going to the movies and getting a bucket of popcorn.  Hopefully the industry can pull through.  But also, these movies getting early digital releases are going for around $20 for 48 hr. access.  There are movies I want to see that my family doesn't, and in the past when that happened I would go to $5 Tuesdays.  Tuesdays are what made it possible for me to see so many movies.  We'll see.  There are so many unknowns.

And that has me now thinking about Disneyland.  So many thoughts on this matter.  I think Disney World will open, most likely partially, before Disneyland.  The situation between Florida and California, plus the different ways the Governors are approaching the situation, means one might open before the other.  Honestly, I think Universal will probably open first in Florida, and Disney World will watch.  It will be interesting to see how this all happens.  I wonder how different things would be if Disney didn't buy Fox.

One thing I don't want is virtual queues, which is something I've been reading is a probability for managing crowds and social distancing.  Not saying this will happen, as I haven't a clue, but this speculation is popping up.  I didn't want to deal with Rise of the Resistance when I went last February.  The thought of crowding into the park before opening, trying to get a spot for a ride that has limited availability, and then having all the spots filled within minutes, possibly missing out, was something I didn't want to deal with, especially since my two nieces and Mom were with me, and all of us would have needed to be in the park at the same time to get the boarding passes.

Can you imagine doing virtual queues for all the rides?  All of the spots filled up within the first few minutes of park opening, people desperate just to ride a ride.  Can you imagine going to the parks early, paying all that money, and not being able to get on any ride?  And people are going to crowd around waiting for their boarding group to open.  It would be a mess.  It's a tricky situation.

I have other thoughts, but I think I'll bring this post to an end.  Oh, I really wish I had a Nintendo Switch or lite.  Both are impossible to buy as they're all sold out, and I really don't have the money, but that Animal Crossing New Beginnings game does look like fun.  Heh, so maybe it's a good thing I don't have one, as it would suck me in and I'd really lose all sense of time.  I have a Nintendo 3DS that hasn't been turned on in the last few years, and I have games I got on sale that haven't been played, so priorities.  I should see if I can even charge the 3DS up.  Hopefully it still works.  Heh. :/

Until next time.

It really is weird not attaching a photo to this blog post.

The Call of the Wild, movie review

Rating: C

The Call of the Wild, a novel by Jack London, is the tale of Buck, a large spoiled dog in California, stolen and sold to the North wilderness during the Yukon gold rush.  Alaska and Canada are shown in great beauty, and ultimately this movie, inspired by the book, is a love letter to the wildness of nature, both in ourselves and the natural environment.

Granted, I haven't read the book, just read a synopsis on Wikipedia.  For lovers of the book there are changes.  It seems the book itself is much harsher.  More bleak.  Cruelty more cruel.  The movie is more child friendly.  The villain at the end of the movie actually dies midway through the book, taking the place of the Native Americans.  In the book Thornton, played by Harrison Ford, is a true gold seeker, another change for the movie.

This is a dogs tale, and we see Buck's character arc from carefree dog in Santa Clara Valley, played up for laughs, to leader of the pack.  Scenes change.  Characters come and go.  Buck is the constant through this movie.

Now to address the elephant in the room.  The CGI dogs.  The animals are all animated.  Buck is essentially a lifelike cartoon character, complete with exaggerated emotional character animation.  This is a plus and a minus.  Taking out real animals takes out the realism, the risk, the wildness.  CGI animals are naturally easier to work with, as unpredictable animal behaviors are eliminated for ultimate control.  And you don't have to worry about PETA or other groups.  Buck becoming an animated character humanizes him, which is the opposite of The Call of the Wild movie's theme.  Though, have to admit, I did find myself crying a little at times, touched by Buck the character.

If you like animal/nature movies, you might like The Call of the Wild, but I'm okay seeing it only once.

MPAA: Rated PG for some violence, peril, thematic elements and mild language.

Sonic the Hedgehog, movie review

Rating: B+

"With great power comes great responsibility!" To quote the wrong fandom.  Sonic is a being with great power, and in the wrong hands his power can cause much harm.  Running speedily around an alien world, Sonic assumes he runs so fast no one can suspect him or pin him down.  But he is discovered, and when a friend sacrifices them self for Sonic's escape, he uses golden rings to travel between Worlds, going from one to the next to hide, and then leaving once discovered.  Sonic finds himself on Earth in a small town, hiding in a cave full of Earthly treasures, reading The Flash comics, and spying on the towns citizens.  Apart yet separate.  He enjoys watching Doughnut Lord, aka Tom Wachowski, played by James Marsden, who Sonic regards as family, though they've never met.  Then Sonic, in a state of frustration, recklessly exposes his power sending the U.S. government and Dr. Ivo Robotnik, played by Jim Carrey, after him.

When the first trailer for Sonic The Hedgehog was released there was a huge outcry from longtime Sonic fans, fans of the game and show in which Sonic is based, over Sonic's CGI character animation.  In all honestly, his design was horrendous.  I won't post a photo here, but the images and trailer are easy to track down.  So what did the studio and director do?  They actually listened to the fans, pushed back the movie's release date, and reanimated Sonic.  For this very reason I went to see Sonic on Saturday, to support a movie that cared what the fans think, who spent money to make it right.

Was their effort in redesigning and then spending money to fix Sonic worth it?  Yes!!!  A thousand times yes.

Was going to see the movie a waste of time?  No, not at all, though I'm a sucker for good family entertainment.  Sonic the Hedgehog is a fun family film with a 90's nostalgic feel.  The movie is modern, but this is the sort of movie that would have delighted audiences twenty years ago when fun family movies were all the rage.  Jim Carrey, who plays the villain, helps with his over the top antics and personality, hearkening to his best loved films in years past, delighting a new crop of youth with his zaniness.

Sonic is a delightful ball of blue, blurry fluff.  Funny, too, with a cute sense of humor.

The whole movie is enjoyable.  Yeah, it's not perfect.  Not groundbreaking.  The middle bit lags a little.  But overall it's a good, escape the World flick, perfect for family audiences wanting something to bring the kiddies to for lighthearted entertainment.

To end this review I'll quote my Mom as she left the theater, "I enjoyed that movie a whole lot more than I thought I would."

MPAA: Rated PG for action, some violence, rude humor and brief mild language.

Weathering With You, movie review

Rating: C+

Hodaka is a boy on the run, escaping life on a small island for the large city of Tokyo, and since he's a minor there's only so many places he can hide without attracting notice from the police.  It also doesn't help that he finds a gun right outside a club.  Meanwhile Hina is a girl with her own set of troubles, and it is while her Mom is in the hospital that she runs outside, following a ray of light, and stops the rain.  It's been raining in Tokyo.  Nonstop.  All everyone wants is a little sunshine.  Hina discovers she's the sunshine girl, able to bring light to a drenched world.

Weathering With You is the latest movie by writer and director Makoto Shinkai.  He became well known a few years ago with Your Name, though other beautiful works of his precede this anime.  Shinkai has a unique style.  He's able to captor nature elements in such an elegant way that no other animation holds a candle.  His ability to animate and stylize water alone is iconic and extraordinary.  It's one of his artistic signatures.

Shinkai's latest movie is a visual work of art.  Seeing different sides and landmarks of Tokyo was a joy, giving me heart-pangs for another visit.  Someday.  And it's so nice seeing two-dimensional hand drawn animation thriving, though Weathering With You has 3D animation here and there, but there's a life and emotion that can be better shown with drawing verses computers.  Just think of the two versions of Lion King.  Realism is nice, but there's so much more heart in a 2D character plane.  In Weathering With You nature becomes its own character.

Where Weathering With You lacks, and where Your Name was capital, is with the story itself.  The pacing is slow at times.  The plot loose.  It's good when movies breathe, but there was a little too much breath.  Though there are aspects of this movie I did like, and some of the messaging interesting, ultimately I found it rather sad.  There's a spot towards the end where I think it's supposed to be tragic, but members of the audience laughed, and I said with an undertone, "Are you kidding me?"  And then I felt removed, questioning characters, questioning mythos, and wondering what ever happened, long term, to the other maidens.

Weathering With You is a nice movie, and it is worth a watch for anime fans.  Would I recommend this for everyone?  Maybe.  All forms of animation needs to be supported, especially the dying art of hand-drawn.  But if I was to recommend Your Name or Weathering With You, I'd recommend Your Name.

Rated PG-13 for suggestive material, some violence and language.

Isn't It Romantic, mini movie review

Rating: C+

(Isn't It Romantic Comes to DVD on May 21st, and was released to theaters just before Valentines Day.)

When Natalie, played by Rebel Wilson, was a little girl she dreamed of romance Pretty Women style, only for her to be told by her Mom to give up such fancy notions, as only pretty skinny girls get such attention.  Zoom to the future and Natalie is now cynical towards love and romantic comedies.  Then, thanks to an accident, she finds herself in an alternate reality, smack in the middle of a romantic comedy complete with musical numbers.

All the criticisms and cliches Natalie listed against Rom-Com's she now lives.  New York is no longer dark and dirty, but bright and colorful with flowers and pleasant smells.  Gorgeous guys who once ignored her are now oozing over her.  Her small apartment got an HGTV makeover.  It seems like a dream world.  A great opportunity.  But is it?  Is fantasy really better than reality?

Isn't It Romantic has a lot of fun moments scattered between awkwardness, bad music cues in triumphant moments, and moments that felt empty.  But maybe the empty moments prove another point, fantasy is empty, with no substance, and in the mix of fluff, over-the-top cliches that are cringe worthy, and pastel colors, reality will always be better.

Love isn't meant to be easy.  It's seldom obvious, unless you believe in love at first sight, which, I should avoid going down that tangent.  And really, should we allow ourselves to believe what people tell us?  Whether we are deserving of love or not?  Whether love is possible?

This Rom-Com fantasy exploit has a good message with fun throwback music.  The only downfall is in the execution and flow, particularly during the middle dream section.  It just felt a little off.

MPAA: Rated PG-13 for language, some sexual material, and a brief drug reference.

Why You Can't Trust Movie Trailers! Spaceballs Interstellar Style

(By The Unusual Suspect)

And this is why I don't trust movie trailers!

Granted, I love movie trailers.

Really, I do.

So much so that I grumble if I'm standing in the concession line instead of sitting on a theater seat right when the trailers roll.

But then it's also annoying when a movie doesn't fit the trailer--lack of excitement, pacing, etc--or when everything in the trailer gives the plot away, so then seeing the movie is just watching an extended 1 1/2 hr. trailer.  Pointless and a money waste.

That aside, this trailer does make me want to see Spaceballs again, if anything for sentimentality sake.  Though, now that I think about, I kind of want to re-see Galaxy Quest instead.

Avengers: Statistical Awesomeness. My review.

 Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars (Because it's awesome!)

So the question is, at this point, who hasn't seen this movie?  And, after answering that question, was there anyone who didn't end up loving the movie after watching the Avengers?  That would be the anomaly.  

The simple fact that I saw the movie twice proves how much I'm a fan.  My brother, Steven, has now seen it at least four times, and with how much the movie has grossed financially it proves that many others are repeat costumers as well.

To give you an idea, this is how the three Marvels, and one DC, movies performed in 2011.  Thor made $65,723,338 opening weekend, $181,030,624 domestic, and $449,326,618 worldwide.  Captain America made $65,058,524 opening weekend,  $176,654,505  domestic, and $368,608,363 worldwide.  X-Men: First Class made  $55,101,604 opening, $146,408,305 domestic, and $353,624,124 worldwide.  While the Green Lantern, the lone DC movie release last year, made $53,174,303 opening, $116,601,172 domestic, and $219,851,172 worldwide.

Clearly the opening for Green Lantern was on par with X-Men, only word of mouth was not as strong, resulting in an overall poor gross.  Now the Dark Knight, a DC Universe film, which had the strongest overall superhero gross up till now made $158,411,483 opening weekend, $533,345,358 domestically, and $1,001,921,825 worldwide.

How did The Avengers compare?  So far, with only three weeks into the domestic (U.S.A) release the movie has broken all sorts of records. (Worldwide territories opened in Australia, France, the Philippines, and New Zealand two weeks before the US; and in England, Germany, Brazil, Mexico, and India a week before the US release, which helped contribute to the buzz).  The movies opening domestic gross was $207,438,708, $468,271,215 overall domestic, and $1,191,571,215 worldwide.  And the movie is far from leaving theaters.

Sorry, movie stats make me geeky excited.  Further proof that I'm a cinephile.

So what did I think of the movie?  I thought it was brilliant.  Sure, it's not a super intense intellectual fare, but a masterfully crafted Summer flick filled with humor, great characters, action, and excitement.  I was worried that the movie would fill too crowded, with all the superheros and villains needing screen time, but the writing, direction, and editing was so perfect that every plot was nicely balanced. I really enjoyed the scenes that involved Iron Man and Pepper Potts.  Gwyneth Paltrow doesn't have a lot of screen time, but her character was memorable.  And the movie also explored Black Widows past and character a little more; she's interesting and deserves her own movie.  Joss Whedon, of Serenity/Firefly fame, sure knows how to work with strong female characters.

And I hope that everyone who saw the film took the time to stay till the very, very end.  With both showings I attended, I was amazed how many people got up and left!  They missed the best part.

The summer isn't over.  The Spider Man reboot is scheduled for July 3.  And the Dark Knight Rises is opening July 20th.  Every cinema geek will be watching the stats on this one.  With the amazing financial success The Avengers has been, and the records The Dark Knight broke when it came out, is there a chance that the final Batman movie in Christopher Nolan's Batman Trilogy will outstrip the Avengers?  It will be exciting.

With the success of The Avengers, Iron Man 3, coming out next year, just got a $60 million production boost, bringing the total costs to around $200 million.  Also coming out next year is the second Thor movie.  Oh, you want to hear an exciting movie season?  2013, Thanksgiving/Christmas, you have Thor 2, Hunger Games: Catching Fire, and The Hobbit: Part 2 all being released.  That's going to be fun.  Captain America 2 is coming out Spring 2014.

The Avengers is coming out on DVD/Blu-ray September 25th, and is packed with extra features including director commentary, blooper reel, and deleted scenes.   

Ah!  Now that I've geeked you all out,
Have a great day!
Sarah