A classic holiday musical from 1954 shown repeatedly on the small screen but not seen by this reviewer until it's appearance on the large screen in 2013.
Starring the legendary Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, and Rosemary Clooney, the film depicts a successful army song-and-dance team who become romantically hooked up with a sister act to save the Vermont inn owned by their former commanding general.
Some of the wonderful songs enjoyed during the movie are the title song, White Christmas, Sisters, Blue Skies, Gee! I wish I was back in the army, Count your blessings instead of sheep and What can you do with a general?
I would recommend this movie for anyone who likes any of the following: Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, musicals, and/or Christmas and give it two thumbs up pointing up to the sky where the snow falls providing for us a white Christmas.
Saturday, November 14, 2015
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel/The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
In 2011, movie-goers were able to travel to India with some British retirees to experience what they believed to be a newly-restored hotel. Then in 2015, we were allowed to go back to experience the continuing storyline of the retirees long with more of picturesque India.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel:
Dev Patel first came into our radar in 2008 blockbuster, Slumdog Millionaire. Now he portrays Sonny Kapoor, a young man with an entrepreneur spirit to own the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel much to his mother's dismay. The hotel becomes filled with characters portrayed by the wonderfully talented ensemble of actors: Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Tom Wilkinson, Bill Nighy, Penelope Wilton, Ronald Pickup, Celia Imrie and Diana Hardcastle. They all combine to bring humor, sadness, honesty and realism to a group of individuals thrown into a difficult situation.
The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel:
A sequel to capitalize on the success of the first, this movie succeeds on the talent of the ensemble alone. Not to say the story is bad but just simple enough as not to get in the way of the characters. All the cast from the original returns, except Tom Wilkinson, plus the addition of Richard Gere, David Straithairn and Tamsin Greig.
If you link talented acting, beautiful scenery and a reason to with there was a best ensemble category with the Academy awards like there is for the Golden Globes, then by all means watch these movies. I give the original two exotic thumbs up pointing to the pedestal that Judi and Maggi reside on and the sequel one enthusiastic thumb up for the privilege at seeing both of them together again.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel:
Dev Patel first came into our radar in 2008 blockbuster, Slumdog Millionaire. Now he portrays Sonny Kapoor, a young man with an entrepreneur spirit to own the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel much to his mother's dismay. The hotel becomes filled with characters portrayed by the wonderfully talented ensemble of actors: Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Tom Wilkinson, Bill Nighy, Penelope Wilton, Ronald Pickup, Celia Imrie and Diana Hardcastle. They all combine to bring humor, sadness, honesty and realism to a group of individuals thrown into a difficult situation.
The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel:
A sequel to capitalize on the success of the first, this movie succeeds on the talent of the ensemble alone. Not to say the story is bad but just simple enough as not to get in the way of the characters. All the cast from the original returns, except Tom Wilkinson, plus the addition of Richard Gere, David Straithairn and Tamsin Greig.
If you link talented acting, beautiful scenery and a reason to with there was a best ensemble category with the Academy awards like there is for the Golden Globes, then by all means watch these movies. I give the original two exotic thumbs up pointing to the pedestal that Judi and Maggi reside on and the sequel one enthusiastic thumb up for the privilege at seeing both of them together again.
The Fault In Our Stars
Based on the best-selling book by John Green, this movie attempts to pull at our heartstrings and teach us a lesson on living a fulfilling life.
Shailene Woodley, who came to the attention of movie watchers from the critically acclaimed movie, The Descendants and also the teenage dystopian film, Divergent, stars as the protagonist, Hazel Lancaster. Hazel has metastatic lung cancer and meets Augustus Waters in a cancer support group. They story follows their journey through friendship and love. The film realistically portrays cancer patients, different ways parents deal with their children with cancer and peer relationships between cancer patients and non-cancer patients.
Augustus' friend Isaac is more predominant in the book and is missed in the movie but the focus is on Hazel and Augustus.
Hazel and Augustus bond over the book An Imperial Affliction by Peter Van Houten. Augustus uses his "make-a-wish" wish to allow them to travel to Amsterdam to visit Peter and find out what happened after the final page.
This reviewer has had the good fortune to be able to travel to Amsterdam and also share a birthday with fellow writer, Anne Frank. Those scenes were amazing to watch on screen after experiencing them in person.
I give this movie one large thumb up pointing to all the stars in the sky helping us realize as Shakespeare said "The fault...is not in our stars, but in ourselves."
Shailene Woodley, who came to the attention of movie watchers from the critically acclaimed movie, The Descendants and also the teenage dystopian film, Divergent, stars as the protagonist, Hazel Lancaster. Hazel has metastatic lung cancer and meets Augustus Waters in a cancer support group. They story follows their journey through friendship and love. The film realistically portrays cancer patients, different ways parents deal with their children with cancer and peer relationships between cancer patients and non-cancer patients.
Augustus' friend Isaac is more predominant in the book and is missed in the movie but the focus is on Hazel and Augustus.
Hazel and Augustus bond over the book An Imperial Affliction by Peter Van Houten. Augustus uses his "make-a-wish" wish to allow them to travel to Amsterdam to visit Peter and find out what happened after the final page.
This reviewer has had the good fortune to be able to travel to Amsterdam and also share a birthday with fellow writer, Anne Frank. Those scenes were amazing to watch on screen after experiencing them in person.
I give this movie one large thumb up pointing to all the stars in the sky helping us realize as Shakespeare said "The fault...is not in our stars, but in ourselves."
The Railway Man
Colin Firth continues his fantastic acting ability portraying Eric Lomax, an allied prisoner of war during world war two. As a grown man, he is tormented by his memories of being a prisoner and of the Japanese officer, Takeshi Nagase, at the head of the victimization. When Eric's wife finds out that Takeshi is still alive, she convinces him to confront the officer and his own fears/memories. There are a lot of flashbacks with a young Eric and young Takeshi. Tanroh Ishida really shines as the young Takeshi, emphasizing his power and the fear he commands.
The real essence of the film is overcoming your fears, trials and tribulations to find more peace and try to realize forgiveness.
I give this a large thumb up in hoping we all can search our souls to accept that the past happened, learn our lessons from it and find a way to forgive not only our tormentors but also ourselves to enjoy at least partial peace.
The real essence of the film is overcoming your fears, trials and tribulations to find more peace and try to realize forgiveness.
I give this a large thumb up in hoping we all can search our souls to accept that the past happened, learn our lessons from it and find a way to forgive not only our tormentors but also ourselves to enjoy at least partial peace.
Saturday, June 21, 2014
Book Thief
Based on the novel of the same name, written by Markus Zusak, this is the story of Liesl, a German girl (Sophie Nelisse) who is adopted by Hans and Rosa Hubermann (Geoffery Rush and Emily Watson) after her communist mother flees Nazi Germany. On the way, her brother dies on the train and during his burial, she spies a book fall from one of the gravedigger's pockets thus beginning her book thievery.
Back in World War One, Hans had promised the Jewish family of a fallen comrade that he would do anything for them if they needed. The son, Max shows up at Hans' door and the Hubermanns proceed to hide a Jew during the war.
Most of the movies set during the holocaust are from the Jewish perspective so this is refreshing to see the viewpoint of not only a German but a young girl. Liesl reminded me of the real life German girl, Anne Frank (a writer born on June 12th just like this reviewer) with her innocence yet humanity in the face of war.
This movie was true to the book (but of course read the book for more detail), had wonderful acting, beautiful score and scenery. The storyline between Liesl and Max is not to be outdone by Liesl and Hans, Liesl and Rudy, Liesl and the Mayor's wife nor Liesl and the neighbor, Frau Heinrich.
Overall, I give this two thumbs up in our constant yearning to learn from our history and celebrate the goodness which reside in all of our hearts but sometimes is hidden by tragic war and other negative circumstances.
Back in World War One, Hans had promised the Jewish family of a fallen comrade that he would do anything for them if they needed. The son, Max shows up at Hans' door and the Hubermanns proceed to hide a Jew during the war.
Most of the movies set during the holocaust are from the Jewish perspective so this is refreshing to see the viewpoint of not only a German but a young girl. Liesl reminded me of the real life German girl, Anne Frank (a writer born on June 12th just like this reviewer) with her innocence yet humanity in the face of war.
This movie was true to the book (but of course read the book for more detail), had wonderful acting, beautiful score and scenery. The storyline between Liesl and Max is not to be outdone by Liesl and Hans, Liesl and Rudy, Liesl and the Mayor's wife nor Liesl and the neighbor, Frau Heinrich.
Overall, I give this two thumbs up in our constant yearning to learn from our history and celebrate the goodness which reside in all of our hearts but sometimes is hidden by tragic war and other negative circumstances.
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