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I really liked this film and give it four stars. It is sweet, picturesque, pure, and slow moving. It begins with a flashback that makes it take a while to get into the story, but the story itself is compelling, and at the end, you appreciate the flashback as well. And it is wonderful to … Read more
We really enjoyed this new movie about the young Queen Victoria and give it five stars. It beautifully portrays her rise to the throne at 18, and her early challenges in that role, but mostly this is about her courtship and marriage to Prince Albert. This young queen has hutzpah along with a frolicking warmth … Read more
the question of what makes life meaningful, as well as a study in the universal language of music. I give it 4.5 stars. Walter is a tuned out widowed professor that is “pretending” to live his life. He is disconnected and numb, just going through the usual paces, marking time. He is required to go … Read more
The assignment to the seventh grade social studies class is to have an idea that will change the world and then to put it into action. Trevor in that class has the idea for “Pay It Forward.” He will help three people out in a big way and then instead of paying him back, they’ll … Read more
I loved this movie. I give not only the film an enthusiastic five stars but give them to Nelson Mandela as well. This is definitely a feel good movie with a large message. And I am the farthest thing from a rugby fan. This is the story of the South African rugby team the year … Read more
This Steven Spielberg film of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize winning book is wonderful, and wins five stars from me. The excellent cast includes Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg (her debut), and Oprah Winfrey (who back then was not even listed on the front cover.) I had never read the book nor seen the movie before, so … Read more
It has been a long time since I’ve seen a film with subtitles. This one left me melancholy, wishing for a success story not so tinged with disappointment. It is for this reason more than any other that I award this film only three stars. However, given the the face value of the unalterable storyline, … Read more
I bought this video at a summer library sale because I remember it being acclaimed at the time (it was the Sundance Film Festival winner of 1996) and I knew is was about a female inmate trying to find her way back into the world after a prison stint. This topic was pertinent to us … Read more
Are you ever wanting a good movie without sex, violence or swearing? This is a film the whole family can enjoy. It is about Beatrix Potter, and her journey to become the best selling children’s book author of all time. (You know, the creator of Peter Rabbit, Benjamin Bunny, Jemima Puddle-duck and Jeremy Fisher…) Her … Read more
I had read and enjoyed the book The Secret Life of Bees. Since I was dubious how to get the incredible richness of the written language as well as the complexity of the bee metaphor into the movie, I did not go and see the film in the theater. After several friends and blog readers … Read more
I saw this movie on opening night here, as we had been anticipating it for a while. I had read the book by Julia Powell, Julie & Julia, describing her year long blogging adventure of cooking all of the recipe’s in Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking. My friend had read Julia Child’s … Read more
This is a great movie which I would strongly encourage everyone to see. I give it five stars. Not only is there important information shared but a real need for individual action afterwards on the part of the audience to remedy the situation. Consumers, like all of us, are the ones that will have to … Read more
I give the movie UP four stars. It was unexpectedly sweet with the courtship and relationship between Carl and Ellie. Ellie continually helps Carl along, like putting her hand print on the mail box on purpose right after he accidentally does. She is always affirming and encouraging him, enlivening him. Another dear scene is where … Read more
I wanted to like this film. After all, it had Colin Firth, English aristocratic country homes, and a tango scene; all that made it seem rather compelling. But knowing it was based on a Noel Coward play, I should have had my guard up more about the story-line. I found the whole film a disappointment … Read more
I haven’t been out to the movies in eons so this probably added to my enjoyment of this recently released romantic comedy: My Life In Ruins. We were drawn to see it because it has the same lead as My Big Fat Greek Wedding – Nia Vardalos – who is refreshingly not-Hollywood, and also because … Read more
We enjoyed this production of Charles Dickens’ Little Dorrit immensely, watching it in series on Sunday evenings on PBS Masterpiece Theater. We give it five stars. Amy Dorrit, brought up her whole life in debtor’s prison, where she cared for her father who has been the longest inmate there, was played exceptionally well by … Read more
I liked this movie: unvarnished and polished, sad and triumphant, disturbing and empowering, straightforward and complex. The restoring power of love was…