A Glance Back at December 2011

As 2011 draws to a close in about seven hours, there are three notable movies. Granted, I haven't seen MI3 or Sherlock Homes as of yet, but either one of them will have to go some to pass the following:
The Muppets is a wonderful family movie filled with singing, dancing and corny lines. It is a crowd pleaser as we reunite with the familiar faces of Kermit and Miss Piggy.
The Artist is a black and white silent film which pays tribute to the films of the Roaring Twenties before talkies became popular.  A very unique film with no dialogue which drove me a little crazy but it is so well done that The Artist will receive multiple nominations.
My Week with Marilyn is a movie that I saw again today. I took my aunt and my son and they both enjoyed it. My aunt who would be able the same age as Marilyn if she were alive, though it was a movie that showed Marlyn's life with great sensitivity. Michelle Willams will receive an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Monroe.

A Look Back - 2011 Fall Movies

As the year draws to a close, some of better and best movies of the year are released. Here are some of the more memorable ones.

October - A Dolphin's Tale and Take Shelter.  A Dolphin's Tale is a wonderful family movie about a young boy and girl's attempt to save a dolphin who has lost its tail. Without a tail, a dolphin can't survive because the tail serves as a rudder. Thanks to a family's efforts in saving a rescue center for sea life, a doctor who works with prosthetics is asked to create an artificial tale for the dolphin. A heartwarming, true story. A must see for the entire family.
Take Shelter is a movie that has the viewers on the edge of the seats asking, "Is Curtis keenly tied to the changes in the environment or is he suffering from the same mental illness as his mother?" Well done movie with a Twilight Zone feel.

November - The Way. Martin Sheen stars as a doctor who journeys through the Spanish countryside on a pilgrimage with his son Daniel's ashes. As he walks and grieves, various characters, and some of them are characters, accompany him along his journey. As annoying as they are, the group bonds. Very touching, quiet movie.

A Look Back - 2011 Summer Movies

The summer of 2011 brought the usual fare of highly advertised action adventure blockbusters, and some of them had disappointing attendance. Looking back, here are the highlights of the summer:

July - Project Nim. Project Nim is a documentary about teaching a young chimpanzee who is taught sign language at a primate center in the early 1970s. Nim is treated like a human and is even raised with a family with young children. As time goes on, Nim becomes stronger and stronger. He eventually becomes unpredictable and violent. He is sent to the Oklahoma Primate Center and is not treated well. This is a  behind  the scenes look at a sad story of a primate that is  the object of human treatment, which really is mistreatment. Project Nim is one of the best documentaries of the year.

August - The Help, Sara's Key, and The Rise of the Planet of the Apes. August had a trifecta of great movies. There were even several more movies that almost made the list but this trio is hard to beat.
The Help is the story life in a small Southern town in the early 1960s as shown by two perspectives, the well-to-do white Junior League housewives and that of their African American maids and nannies. This is a movie that has the audience laughing and crying, sometimes almost simultaneously.
The Help will receive multiple Oscar nominations.
Sara's Key is a story of a Jewish family torn apart by the Holocaust. The film moves between the present and the past. A journalist uncovers secrets about her husband's family during the roundup of Jews in France. As she digs deeper and deeper, the story of two young Jewish children unfolds. Although the past cannot be changed, the present and future will be. Another must see.
The Rise of the Planet of the Apes is the prequel to the 1970s movie, The Planet of the Apes. Extremely well done, this is a hit that will please science fiction fans. The special effects are well worth seeing for themselves alone. I expect several Oscar nominations in some of the lesser known categories.

September - Moneyball.  I love movies about baseball and this is one of the better ones. Based on a true story, Brad Pitt stars as Billy Beane, the general manager of the Oakland A's. Given a small budget, he builds a winning team by hiring overlooked talent. He is the laughing stock of baseball as the team loses game after game. Given time, the team begins to gel and win, win, win. Moneyball is a crowd pleasing grand slam.

We Bought a Zoo (2:04) 2011

Benjamin Mee is a recent widower with a thirteen year old son, Dylan, and a seven year old daughter, Rosie. He abruptly quits his job and buys a  house in a different town. The purchase of his residence is "complicated". The Mees have bought a zoo with forty-six different wild animals. The family, along with the zookeeper and the crew, work hard to reopen the zoo. As the opening nears Mee runs out of money and he is at odds with his son. Dylan wants to return to the home where he grew up. Of course, there are other complications, an aging tiger and projects needed to be completed in order to receive approval for the adventure park opening. In the movie, Field of Dreams, the famous line is "build it and they will come". Will Benjamin and his family discover that this is true of zoos? This is a wonderful family movie which is based on a true story. The children and nature loving adults will love all the scenes with the animals. Rosie, the seven year old girl, is an adorable young actress. There is a moving scene with Benjamin and Dylan as they are struggling with the loss of Katherine, the wife and mother. This is a movie that is well worth seeing this vacation week.

A Look Back - 2011 Spring Movies

The following are movies that are well worth renting if you missed them on the big screen.

April - It's a tie - Water for Elephants and Jane Eyre.  Water for Elephants is the story of a young veterinarian who leaves his home when his parents are killed in a car accident. Jacob joins the circus and travels around the country taking care of the animals. He also falls in love with the owner's wife (Reese Witherspoon). This causes the owner to become jealous and plans on throwing Jacob off the train. Very good period piece.

Jane Eyre - One of my retired teacher friends and I are suckers for English nineteenth century films based on novels by Bronte and Austin. Jane is played by Mia Wasikowska who is fantastic in this role. The panoramic shots of the Moors is breathtaking and adds to the isolation of English country life.

May - Again, we have a tie - Rio and Bridemaids. Rio is a animated story about Blu, a Brazilian macaw, who lives with his owner, Linda. Linda is asked to bring Blu back to the rain forest for breeding purposes.
Soon after arrival, Blu is birdnapped by bird smugglers. He escapes but can't fly and must rely on his bird buddies for assistance. Rio is a great family movie.
Bridemaids - One of the funniest, if not the funniest, movie of the year. The scene where the bride and her bridesmaids go shopping to try on dresses is one of the funniest scenes ever filmed. The audience was doubled over in laughter. It is crude and vulgar but it is fun.

June - Midnight in Paris. Owen Wilson is the star of Woody Allen's latest film. Gil is a writer vacationing in Paris with his fiancee. He longs for Paris in its heyday and one night finds himself in the company of F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda. This is one of Allen's best works/

The Artist (1:40) 2011

The Artist has received high praise from critics and it is richly deserved. The style of this black and white silent film is eye candy. Hazanavicius, the director, hits the bulls eye with the late 1920s style costumes, hair styles, automobiles and home furnishings. I did struggle with no dialogue because I like snappy dialogue with lots of one-liners. Fortunately, the acting and the soundtrack moved The Artist along at a good pace. The storyline is about the career of George Valentin, a star of the silent films. Being 1929, the talkies become so popular quickly, Valentin finds himself left in the dust with no career or wife. Valentin does have a connection with an up and coming young starlet, Peppy Miller, whom he gave a start. Peppy never forgets Valentin. As her career rises and his fails, she reaches out to give him a helping hand. Will Valentin's pride prevent him from accepting help? I recommend this highly unique tribute to the glory days of Hollwoodland but I again caution viewers that there is no dialogue so be prepared for a very different type of movie going experience.

A Look Back - 2011 Winter Movies

As 2011 draws to a close and Oscar predictions are popping up, this is a good time to review the movies that I thought, sometimes in disagreement with movie critics, were good quality movies. One movie per month will be highlighted.

January - 127 Hours - yes, I realized that this is really a 2010 movie but by the time I worked up the courage to see it, it was well into January, This is definitely a big screen movie, the scenery was fantastic.
James Franco gave an outstanding performance as a hiker who becomes trapped by a boulder in an cave. No one knows his location or even that he has gone hiking, so help is not on the way. Told in flashbacks, the movie keeps moving, we see the deterioration of his physical condition, and finally his decision to perform his own amputation. Based on a true story, this is a riveting story.

February - Even the Rain - Tambien La Lluvia - Set in Bolivia, a film crew is shooting a movie about Christopher Columbus and the exploitation of the indigenous population.  As the crew is filming, residents of the nearby city are protesting the privatization of  the local water supply. As the film crew realize that the protesters, in this just cause,  are in need of assistance are torn. If they give aid to the protesters, the movie will not be finished within the budgeted time. Viewers see that the struggles of the indigenous people never end.

March - Paul - My son was home for the holidays and we rented Paul as he missed it on the big screen. We laughed at this science fiction comedy starring Nick Frost and Simon Pegg as two British tourists visiting all the reported alien sighting spots. Much to their shock, the pair meets Paul, a wisecracking, pot smoking alien. The trio soon find themselves on the run from government agents. While it is a rather raunching comedy, it is funny and recommended for adults,

Offside (1:39) 2006

Iranian filmmaker Jafari Panahi comedy takes place during the Iran v Bahrain soccer game taking place in Tehran. The winner of the game will proceed to the Word Cup. Excitement is running high as the stadium is filled to capacity -  with men, women are not allowed in the stadiums. Several young women are determined to enter the stadium dressed as men. A handful of women are rounded up and placed in a holding area inside the stadium. They can't see the action but can hear the cheers when Iran scores. The women bond during the time they are being held and later celebrate on the bus on the way home. Offside is based on an incident in the director's real life. Panahi's young daughter asked to go inside the stadium while a game was being held. She was not allowed but was able to sneak in somehow. As an American woman, it was hard to imagine that my entrance to a sporting event would be prohibited. When the film was finished, I watched the interview with the director. Panahi related that Offside was prohibited from being screened in Iranian theaters but CDs were distributed on the street so many of the Iranians had an opportunity to watch it at home.

War Horse (2:26) 2011

Albert, the son of farmers in rural England, raises and trains a horse he named Joey. The two have a special bond as they work together to save the family farm. The turnip crop fails just as the British soldiers are coming to enlist men for the first world war. Albert is too young to join up but Joey is leased to a young officer who promises to take good care of him. Albert receives a drawing of Joey from the young officer as he is informed of his death. Albert does know what has happened to Joey but Joey has fallen into enemy hands. When Albert is old enough to join, he enlists and soon finds himself in a trench in France ready to face the enemy. Albert is injured in No Man's Land as Joey is running away from the Germans when he runs into barricades protected by barbed wire. Will these two brave individuals be reunited? War Horse, while a little too long, is a very emotional experience. It takes awhile for the movie to get going but it picks up steam when Joey us sent to the front. We were glad that we saw it on the big screen, the scenery in England was fantastic. The five us agreed that this is not a movie for young children but middle school age  on up will enjoy this movie epic.

The Adventures of Tintin (1:45) 2011

Tintin is a journalist in search of the big story in this Spielberg animated adventure. Tintin buys a ship model unaware that the ship holds one of three clues to a long lost gold treasure. Tintin pairs with Hackett, a ship captain, whose grandfather had lost the gold when his ship was sunk. They travel the world pursuing the two other clues as they are being pursued by Red Rackham, who will use any method to obtain all of the clues. Will Tintin, his dog Snowy, and Hackett survive a place crash in the dessert, being shot at by Rackham's men, and cast overboard in a lifeboat? Will they find the three clues? Will they find the gold? The style of the animation reminds me of an Indiana Jones adventure without the love interest. I thought the movie was too long by about fifteen to twenty minutes. The computer graphics were impressive but the storyline not so much. My nephews liked the movie, I thought it so-so. Based on a comic book series by the Belgian Herge, I'm not quite sure how American children will respond to this movie.

The Music Never Stopped (1:45) 2011

The Music Never Stopped  is a gem of a movie. Gabe is a man in his mid thirties which a large benign brain tumor. Gabe has been estranged from his parents after a disagreement with his father over burning a flag in the protest days of the 70s. He is reunited with his family after a successful surgery. His parents learn that Gabe is not able to form new memories and is "stuck" in the mid seventies. Gabe is a musician who responds to music that he listened to with his father but comes alive, almost normal, when he listens to Rock and Roll. His father doesn't like the Beatles, Stones or the Grateful Dead. Henry, the dad, realizes that if he is to ever have a real conversation  again with his son, he needs to learn about the music his son's loves and and over time, Henry comes to appreciate the Dead and other artists. This is a wonderful, heartwarming story of reconciliation, tolerance and acceptance. I highly recommend this movie, a great story with a fantastic soundtrack.

Warrrior (2:19) 2011

Brendan is a married physics teacher with two young daughters. One of his daughters had a heart condition causing the family to run up huge medical daughters. On the verge of losing his home, Brendan enters a mixed marital arts competition and wins. When he returns to school on Monday, the Superintendent pays him a visit, suspending him without pay. Being a member of a teachers' union, I found this part of the movie unrealistic. Brendan, in real life, would have been given representation from the union including legal counsel. With no money coming in, Brendan enters the SPARTA competition which has a winner take all five million dollar prize. Brendan learns that his brother, Tommy, has returned home from a tour of duty in Iraq, is a hero, and has entered the same competition. The brothers have been estranged for years and are not on speaking terms but may eventually face each other in the ring. Can punching each other bring them closer together? I don't like movies about boxing and fighting. I really am a big fan of Joel Edgerton. The dialogue was not inspired. Nick Nolte was excellent as the estranged reformed alcoholic father and trainer. And I cried at the end.

Toy Story 2 (1:34) 1999

Woody and Buzz are back for another adventure. Andy is away at summer camp and the toys are free to spend some down time doing as they please. A devoted toy collector has his eye on Woody, a cowboy doll who hasn't been in production for a long time. The toy collector steals Woody to add him to the Round Up Gang. With the gang together, the toy collector will send the toys to a museum in Japan. Woody has to make a choice, will he go to Japan to enjoy his status as a rare toy or will he reunite with Andy and his friends.
It's been awhile since I've seen the sequel and this animation is still a lot of fun. It was interesting to Woody and the toys talk about how Andy was getting older and wouldn't be playing with toys much longer, setting up Toy Story 3 very nicely.

Young Adult (1:33) 2011

Mavis is an divorced alcoholic ghost writer for a once popular teen series. She receives an  forwarded email from a  hometown friend  from Mercury, Minnesota announcing the birth of a little girl. The father is  her former high school boyfriend, Buddy. She decides to return to Mercury after talking  herself into thinking her former boyfriend is miserable and bored with his life with his wife and baby daughter. Mavis meets up with Buddy (Patrick Wilson) and decides to make a play for him. Walking into a bar from her early years, Mavis also  meets up with Matt, the invisible boy who had a locker next to hers throughout high school. Matt, a victim of a hate crime and  left with a physical disabilities, strikes up a conversation with Mavis and quickly realizes her plans to go after Buddy. Matt, realizing Mavis is terribly unhappy,  becomes a shoulder to cry on. Mavis soon has to admit and face the realities of her situation. Will she be able to build the life that most people in Mercury think she has? Charlene Theron is absolutely wonderful as the troubled and trouble making Mavis. Her side kick, Matt,  played by Patton Oswalt is a very sweet man who was dealt a terrible blow in high school and is so sensitive to Mavis turmoil and pain. I thought this was a very good movie as I was torn between feeling badly for Mavis and then being angry with the way she treated others.  Young Adult is highly recommended.

Daddy Longlegs (1:38) 2010

Lenny, the divorced father of two young boys, is living in New York City and works as a movie projectionist. His boys, Sage and Frey, live with their mother and spend two weeks of vacation time with their dad. Lenny, who loves his boys, is not a responsible father and puts his needs first. Lenny is impulsive, self-centered, displays poor judgement and needs to grow up. Their vacation time together is very trying for Lenny as he tries to juggle work and fatherhood. He doesn't rise to the occasion and places his children in harm's way. Will the two weeks push him in a new direction - that of a responsible adult? Daddy Longlegs was an independent film which was nominated for an American Spirit Award last year. The movie is low budget in both look and feel. It is an interesting look at parenthood when one of the parents is lacking in the skills needed for this most important job. Being a teacher, I am a mandated reporter when children are suspected of being neglected and abused.  Good thing I wasn't in this movie, as Lenny would have been reported to the authorities making this an entirely different movie.

White Irish Drinkers (1:49) 2010

Brian and Danny are brothers living in 1975 Brooklyn. The younger brother, Brian, works at a local movie theater and has ambitions to be an artist. Danny is a petty thief with ambitions of leaving home. Their father is a brute when he has been drinking and often punches and beats Danny but leaves Brian alone. Danny is arrested after he takes the fall for his friend. Danny has an opportunity to make a lot of money quickly. His opportunity is robbing the theater  after a special concert where Brian works. At first, Brian is willing to look the other way but forgetting to the lock the back door so Danny can slip into the office. Brian, realizes he is loyal to his boss Whitey, who has been very good to him. The night of the concert an unexpected event takes place changing the brothers' lives for ever. This is a true independent gem. The cast of experienced actors and some unknown are excellent. The story is one of a dysfunctional family who are all trying to get through life in the best way they known.

Salem Falls (1:29) 2011

Salem Falls is a Lifetime Movie based on a Jodi Picoult novel of the same name.  Jack, a former social studies teacher, moves to Salem Falls after being released from prison for a crime he did not commit. He takes a job as a dishwasher at the Do-Or-Diner and falls for the Addie, the owner. Addie is trying to rebound from the death of her six year old daughter three years ago.As Jack begins to rebuild his life,  a trio of young girls are dabbling in witchcraft and their leader Gillian, the daughter of a wealthy business owner, falls for Jack. Gillian wants to leave town him but Jack with have none of her plans. Gillian decides to take revenge by accusing Jack of raping her. Jack now faces another trumped up charge and Addie doubts his innocence. will Jack be able to clear his name? This is a typical Lifetime movie and I have to admit, even though it wasn't very good, I kind of liked it in the same way as every once in awhile, reading a trashy novel hits the spot.

Golden Globe Nominations 2012 are Announced

Please follow the link for the list of all nominees for the Golden Globe awards. http://www.goldenglobes.org/nominations/

The Golden Globe nominations for movies are divided into two categories - Drama and Comedy/Musical.

Drama category:  Of the six nominations, I've seen The Descendants, Moneyball, The Ides of March, Hugo, and The Help. The other nomination is The War Horse which will be released on Christmas Day.
As of now, I'm backing The Help.

Comedy/ Musical category: Of the five nominations, I've see these three: The Bridesmaids, Midnight in Paris and My Week with Marilyn. The two which I haven't seen: 50/50 and The Artist.

I think The Artist will win based on the buzz on the Internet.

The Devils' Double (1:48) 2011

Latif Yahia is a lieutenant in the Iraqi army fighting the Iranians. Unfortunately, he is a classmate of Uday Hussein and even more unfortunately, looks like him. Latif is drafted to be Uday's body double. Of course, this is an offer he can't refuse. Latif undergoes plastic surgery and dental work to look even more like Uday.
Latif is given clothes, watches, an extravagant lifestyle, and  lives in Uday's palace so he can be at his Uday's beck and call. As Latif spends time with Uday, he realizes that Uday is insane. He witnesses Uday's cruelty, his drunkenness and his drug-fueled mistreatment of women and young girls. Dominic Cooper plays both Latif and Uday brilliantly. The Devil's Double is a fascinating and disturbing  look at Hussein and his inner circle filled with decadence, brutality and madness. Although there are a more than a few scenes that will turn your stomach, it really is worth renting.

Green Lantern (1:45) 2011

As much as I really like movies about superheroes and as much as I really adore Ryan Reynolds, Green Lantern is a movie that isn't worth a rental. The first part of the movie was very hard for me to stick with, the story is that the Green Lantern Corps has chosen Hal Jordan for their newest member. The movie was a little more interesting when Jordan first appears in public to save a large number of people from harm when a helicopter is malfunctioning and will crash into the crowd. Let's face it, even the green ring can't put Humpty Dumpty together again.

My Week with Marilyn (1:39) 2011

Bottom line: Run to the nearest theater to see this movie! Michelle Williams is excellent as Marilyn Monroe and is supported by a fine cast including the great Judi Dench. The film takes place in 1956 when Marilyn is in England to shoot what later came known as The Prince and The Showgirl. Marilyn was directed by her co-star Sir Laurence Olivier, who quickly becomes frustrated with her late arrivals as well as her flubbing and forgetting her lines. The film is based on the memoirs of Colin Clark, a twenty-three year old 3rd assistant director working on his first job. Williams is very convincing as she shows Marilyn's battling her insecurities and her doubts. Colin is very taken, just as all the men are, with Marilyn and falls in love with her as she relies on him more and more on and off the set. Everyone warns Colin that she will break his heart, but it's Marilyn. Who wouldn't give his right arm for that opportunity?

The Other Side (0:17) 2010

In 2040, a man and two two children are living in destitution with few resources and little hope of a better life. There is one dangerous action they can take - cross the border to a country with a higher standard of living. The trio pay a coyote to smuggle them across the border but after the drive turns around at the border, the family has to walk fifteen miles across the desert and mountains to reach the other side.

Windtalkers (2:14) 2002

Joe Enders (Nicholas Cage) returns to duty in Saipan after being injuried during a battle on the Solomon Islands. Enders has lost his platoon and suffered an hearing loss. His assignment in Saipan is not to fight the Japanese but to keep a code talker, Ben Yazhee, alive and out of the hands of the enemy. Yazhee (Adam Beach) is a Native American who speaks his native Navajo language. The US Army used Navajo speakers to send coded messages that could not be broken. The Navajo codes were never broken and used until they were declassified during the Vietnam War. The Native Americans code talkers have been credited with saving many American soldiers lives during WWII. The major criticism of this film is that Windtalkers is a vehicle for Nicholas Cage in an action war themed film. Windtalkers would have been a much better movie if the focus had been on the Native Americans and their stories with a greater focus on the training they undertook to become code talkers.

Get Him to the Greek (1:49) 2010

The bottom line - I just wasted one hour and forty-nine minutes of my life. Get Him to the Greek is crude, vulgar and for a comedy, not really funny. I will give credit to Russell Brand, he is very good as the wasted rock star who is given a chance to make a comeback. Enough said.

Martha Marcy May Marlene (1:42) 2011

Nominated for three American Spirit Awards, Martha Marcy May Marlene  is the story of a young woman who leaves a cult in upstate New York to reunite with her sister. Martha or Marcy, depending on where she is living, spends two years on a farm in a rural area. She is under the "spell" of charismatic Patrick, played brilliantly by John Hawkes, until her group participates in a home invasion which ends badly. She runs away and lives with her sister and brother-in-law in Connecticut. Marcy has difficult adjusting to life outside the cult, she sleeps a lot but also has nightmares. She has vivid flashbacks in which she has difficulty telling if the are dreams or realities. Her sister, Lucy, is concerned about her emotional state as she is in the dark about her sister's life for the past two years. As time goes on and Martha Marcy's behavior becomes more erratic, Lucy realizes the her sister needs help. Will the damaged Martha Marcy be open to receiving the help she badly needs? Elizabeth Olsen is the star of  Martha Marcy May Marlene  and her Spirit Award nomination is greatly deserved. The film itself is a truly independent film with its small budget, excellent cast and a interesting story.

Hot Coffee (1:34) 2011

Many of us remember the newspaper article about the woman who sued McDonald's after she spilled a cup of coffee she was holding between her legs. The jury awarded her over 2.7 dollars in damages. Popular thinking was she won a frivolous lawsuit. Hot Coffee reveals that the coffee she was drinking had a temperature of 170 degrees, a water temperature which causes third degree burns. The documentary also reveals that she was one of seven hundred who filed claims against McDonald's for burns received from the excess water temperature. Hot Coffee continues with an examination of tortes and torte reform. While some of the dialogue is rather technical, this is an excellent look at our legal system with regards to ordinary people trying to receive compensation for injuries.

Toy Story: Small Fry (0:07) 2011

Buzz Lightyear and Woody are back in this animated short shown with The Muppets. Buzz is a miniature toy given with kids meals at the local poultry fast food restaurant. The mini Buzz escapes from the display case and jumps in the little girl's backpack. The original Buzz gets dropped in a playscape filled with balls and is left behind. The mini Buzz goes home and tries to pass himself as the real Buzz. But the gang has their doubts.
This is a seven minute gem!

The Muppets (1:42) 2011

Walter, a muppet at heart, travels to Los Angeles to tour the Muppet Studios. Walter, his brother Gary, and Mary, Gary's teacher girlfriend arrive at the studio to find the studio has been abandoned. Walter overhears plans for the Studio to be purchased by a wealthy oilman who will raze the buildings and drill for oil. Walter, Gary and Mary decide to find Kermit, who has dropped out of sight, to urge him to gather the gang together and put on a telethon. Kermit travels around the country to enlist Fozzie, Animal, the Swedish Chef, and yes, Miss Piggy to come back to perform in the fundraiser. Can they save the studio? This is a super fun movie with lots of singing. dancing and humor. It was great to see all the familiar characters. The Muppets is a fantastic movie for the entire family. This is a definite must see.

Bobby Fischer Against the World (1:33) 2010

Bobby Fischer was a child chess prodigy and  the US Chess champion at age fifteen. In order to become the world champion, Fischer needed to play Boris Spassky of Russia. The twenty four game tournament took place in Iceland in 1972. Fischer did beat Spassky and became world champion at age twenty-nine. Then Fischer realized he now had no goals, no childhood and began to show signs of mental illness. He becomes more and more isolated and disappears from the spotlight and for awhile becomes a man without a country. Years later, he emerges from obscurity  to challenge Spassky to a rematch.  This documentary is a fascinating look at the rise and fall of a chess legend.

Wrangler (1:34) 1988

Set in Australia at the beginning of the twentieth century, Alice is battling to keep her father's horse ranch. After her father's death, Alice learns that the ranch is badly in debt and she has lost the mortgage. Fortunately, the holder of the deed is a wealthy American businessman Ben Creed who is romantically interested in Alice. Unfortunately, Creed loses everything in an explosion including the deed. There is only one chance to prevent the ranch falling into the hands of the local villain - a drover named Jack who is also fond of Alice and Creed's rival. Does this romantic triangle save the ranch? Australian movies are my absolute favorites but this one just didn't cut the mustard for me. Does anyone know if this was a made for Australian television?

Happy Feet Two (1:39) 2011

Mumbles and Gloria are back in this sequel to Happy Feet. Their young son is not much of a dancer. Erik has another focus - he wants to fly. Erik is inspired by Sven, the leader of the Adeles. What Erik doesn't realize is Sven is really a puffin. As Erik and his buddies return home with Mumbles, they discover that an ice shelf has collapsed and their colony is trapped with no access to the sea. Faced with seeing their entire colony including Gloria starve to death, Mumbles and Erik enlist some help from their animal buddies living in Antarctica. The big rescue attempt has the animals dancing to Queen's Under Pressure. Happy Feet Two follows the tradition of sequels not be of the same quality of their original. However, it is very lively and very likable family movie. The panoramic view of  Antarctica and the undersea shots of the krill colony is absolutely gorgeous. Both my daughter and I enjoyed the movie and I recommend it to families looking for an enjoyable afternoon at the movies.

The Tree of Life (2:18) 2011

The Tree of Life is a beautifully filmed nature movie. For that one aspect, I regret missing it on the big screen. The soundtrack greatly adds to the movie going experience.  And that is where all the positive remarks stop. Brad Pitt plays a father of three young sons in the 1950s Waco, Texas. He loves his boys and provides well for them but he is a flawed man. As the boys become preteens, Jack treats them in a harsh manner, at times. The movie jumps from past to present throughout. Sean Penn plays the eldest son but his role is limited to walking on the beach and in the desert. I just didn't understand this film! But I still love Sean Penn and Brad Pitt.