Movies

This 20th Century Fox movie is directed by Rob Reiner who also directed another favorite, "When Harry Met Sally". It was written by William Goldman. "The Princess Bride; S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure!" - that's what it says on the book and that's what the book, and the movie, deliver.

"Pardon me, you don't by any chance happen to have six fingers on your right hand?" or

"Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."

A subjective exercise to be sure - but here are some of the ones that continually find their way back into our DVD player.

They're five stars all and all two thumbs up too!

Reiner uses one of his little gimmicks in this one - interruptions from a lot of old lovers telling their stories. Kinda' like the grandpa/grandson thing in Princess Bride.

When Harry met Sally, well - they didn't get along! In fact it took a really long time and a lot of popping into and out of each other's lives before Harry and Sally could admit any kind of attraction for each other. Of course, that provides a lot of opportunities for a lot of good story telling. However, this movie has been around so long that if you haven't already seen it, you probably won't - and that's too bad. But , if you ever want to watch just part of it, fast forward to about six minutes from the end (Harry is lying in bed shooting baskets). Leave it cued like this until 11:54 on any New Year's eve. Then start it up and have a Happy New Year! It's about old friends.

The movie uses the content of a compelling letter written by Beethoven to present a retrospective, though not entirely accurate account of his life.

It's a great cast but the best part of this movie is the music - score by Beethoven! - conducted by Sir George Solti. This movie was not a box office success but we followed it around town for several months. If you like classical music, you'll like this movie!

Voque Magazine says that this movie is "A vibrant, sexy, joyous, sunlit romp!". Kenneth Branagh has put Shakespeare on the big screen for us several times but none have been more vibrant, sexy, joyous, sunlit, or romping than this one. As it begins, Beatrice (Emma Thompson) is sitting in a tree, munching big green grapes and reciting poetry:

"Sigh no more ladies, sigh no more,

Men were deceivers ever,

One foot in sea and one on shore,

To one thing constant never.

Then cry not so, but let them go,

And be ye blithe and bonny,

Converting all your sounds of woe,

Into hey nonny, nonny."

Do you remember Bret? Well, Mel has taken Bret from James, and James has become the oft quoted "ol' pappy". And Jodie - more charming than you'll ever see her and more cunning than a lady of her style and beauty should be allowed.

I'm a Bret Maverick fan from way back and another person attempting to step into that roll is pushing the sacreligeous envelope. Mel does well, very well! But even the team of Bret and 'pappy' have a hard time staying ahead of the lady scam artist. It's full of action and full of fun and full of comedic intrigue!

A midsummer night of magic and fairies and such a wonderful collection of players ..

The critiques say it's "Funny and Sexy!" But this is also a very beautiful movie in its' setting and in it's characters. You'll believe in fairies and you'll have a great time and you'll be bewitched. And when Puck speaks to you at tale's end you will want to put your hands together.

We really enjoed the cast on this one - especially Kevin Kline and Stanly Tucci. These were wonderful characters. The soundtrack makes use of some of the best opera ever written.

Shakespeare surely would have enjoyed this movie! And speaking of the bard - when Michael Keaton comes galloping onto your screen you'll surely wonder if liberties are being taken with the dialogue. The answer is no! It's spoken just the way he wrote it - although I don't recall reading about the horses in the book - but then - the horses weren't in the movie either! If you haven't seen it, do!

I'm a long time Tolkein fan and, like many, was wary of what might come of another attempt to film this wonderous myth. Well - they did good!, really good in fact! The Fellowship is a deserved block-buster and Tolkein fans everywwhere, while acknowledging that even a three hour movie can't possibly begin to tell the story as it was written, are delighted that Peter Jackson has captured the caracters and has captured Middle-Earth with all of it's unforgettable creatures and places. The Two Towers aadds another group of characters including Gollum - the most realistic animation ever! And the best of the three was the last - The Return of the King. We saw all of themon opening day and the saw the last again at IMAX.

Lord of the Rings site. Visit there!

This is a hopelessly romantic, but comedic, love story that you still see on lots of video racks. Even though Tom and Meg don't get together until the end of the movie, a sound track of classic pop tunes keeps the two together in this long distant "relationship"

Drawing on the top of the Empire State Building rendezvous of "An Affair to Remember" the two are brought together by Sam's son Joshua, who has been trying for most of the movie to meet Annie who they know only through a letter.

Our favorite musical put on the big screen. Like LOTR, a story from another medium that brings some trepidation in waiting for the translation to a movie. Also like LOTR, this one is successfully done. It stays true to the stage production with just a bit extra added for the screen version. I've described it a couple times noting that in the musical you see the bodies on the stage, in the movie you see the faces and expressions. It's a more intiimate telling of the story. And the story of a discovered singing talent that proved to be, in the musical, a discovery of Sarah Brightman now brings a new discovery in Emily Rossum. The whole cast is excellent including one of my favorites - the monkey.

The PTO site. Look at the photos section as well as the trailers.

This movie was an unexpected pleasure. The advertisements we'd seen were inticing but the movie itself proved them out. Another romance with Eisenheims illusions "that tease you until the very end" (The New York Times) and the end is in the style of O'Henry. The reunion of childhood friends in an unexpected way rekindles and challanges their love for each other . The New York Post called it "One Of The Year's Best. A Masterpiece". We agree with that!

It's a critically acclaimed film that stars Edward Norton and Jessica Biel in roles that were made for them.

The Illusionist site You need to click on this link! Bet you can't do it without getting the DVD..

A powerful romance! This is a Somerset Maugham novel on the screen for the third time but this movie is perfect in every way if you have any romance in you at all. If a reviewer expresses your own opinion better than you can, you should shutup and quote the review - so here are two quotes:

Peter Travers writes in Rolling Stone that the film "has the power and intimacy of a timeless love story. By all means, let it sweep you away."

Rex Reed of the New York Observer says: "The Painted Veil tells a mesmerizing story while honoring all of the classic traditions of superior filmmaking — a magnificent accomplishment that will haunt you long after it ends."

It stars Edward Norton and Naomi Watts.

The Painted Veil site

A comment here - More and more, we find that the megaplex theaters have too much of too many things that we don't really care to see. We've always had some interest in what have been called independent movies - produced by someone other than the major studios. There seem to be more people like us in that respect and there are more of that kind of movies being made now and they are earning bigger budgets and making better and more interesting films with a lot less violence and flesh in them. The first two movies below fit in this category. We've seen several movies start out in these limited release venues only to move to more theaters. "The Queen" and "The Illusionist" are two of these and "The Painted Veil" at the time I'm writing this has not been open long enough for that to happen. Today the film is playing only at the two Angelika theaters and one AMC. That will certainly change.