My Cinema - The Butler

Lee Daniels' The Butler.

I had been hearing a lot about this movie. A lot of good things. And since I love historical films, especially ones based on a true story, I knew I had to see this one.

I'm not sure I can truthfully say this was a fantastic movie, or one of the best I've seen. But it was good. And very, very interesting.

The premise of the film is the telling of the story of Cecil Gaines (convincingly played by Forest Whitaker). From a young black boy born as a slave in the turn of the century South to a prestigious position as a butler in the White House where he worked for 8 administrations. We watch as Cecil grows from a young sharecropper slave's son through the 1960's civil rights movement and on into the Reagan era of the 1980's. All the while, Cecil is a passive witness to history in the making from his point of view in the nation's capitol.

My Cinema - Despicable Me 2

I don't care if you're 3 or 93. You will LOVE the new movie, "Despicable Me 2"!

It's laugh-out-loud hilarious! Thoroughly entertaining! And, believe it or not, better than the first.

And don't be scared off if you never saw its predecessor. You'll be able to follow the storyline in the sequel without having seen it. (And if you didn't see the first one, what is wrong with you? Go rent it NOW!)

 

My grandkids were very vocal about keeping me informed about when the movie would debut in our local theater. (The repetitive commercials and saturation of the marketing blitz for the movie were quite helpful in that regard.) And on the BIG day, we found ourselves sitting in a dark theater with 3 eager, excited little ones. Popcorn in hand. Waiting for the lights to dim.

As soon as the screen lit up with the opening scene, I could sense the joy emanating from those little bodies sitting next to me in the dark.

Despicable Me 2 picks up where the first movie left off. After retiring from his vocation as a villain, we find Gru (superbly voiced by Steve Carrell) making an honest living (cooking up home-made jelly...imagine!) and adjusting to being the father to three precocious little girls. He's recruited by the Anti-Villain League to help them find out who's stolen a formula that threatens civilization. After mulling it over and how it'll affect his new family life, he teams up with Agent Lucy and sets off to find out who's behind the evil plot. To compound the situation, unbeknownst to him, his minions are being kidnapped as part of the unknown villain's secret devious plan.

Ah, those crafty little, crack-me-up, twinkie-clone minions. The real stars of this movie. They steal the show! My grandkids are obsessed with them. (And I think some adults are, as well.) How can you not love them?!? I sure hope they get to have their own movie someday. (But think about it...there'd be no dialogue. It'd have to have sub-titles. No one can understand minion-speak...can they?)

(p.s.  Be on the alert: the use of words like "poop" and "fart" abound. If your kids are anything like my grandkids, i.e. perfectly normal, they will be repeating these words and laughing hysterically!)

The characters are well written. The writing uber-funny with the requisite important moral. Animation colorful. The film moves along at a nice clip that keeps the audience thoroughly engaged from beginning to end. (And please, do NOT leave until ALL of the credits roll by; some of the funniest bits are at the end!) Just brilliant!

Won't tell you anymore because I hate spoilers and don't want to ruin your enjoyment of the film. If you haven't seen it, head to your nearest theater; I'm sure it's still playing.

Get ready for an afternoon of laughs thanks to a great feel-good movie and those lovable little minions.

MINIONS ASSEMBLE!

    

My Backyard - If It's 5:00 On A Friday Night It Must Be Time For...The Providence Children's Museum!

News Flash! Friday night all-nighters? Concerts? Parties? Clubbing?

Gone.

My time is now dictated by the wants and needs of the under 4' set. Since they're living with me, and I'm still not working and money is uber tight, I'm on a mission to find free or low cost activities to keep the grandkids busy. And me? Sane.

So far we've spent time at a playground a few blocks from home. We've also been to a huge park in a neighboring town that has a dog area, vintage carousel, top-notch play equipment, some gentle farm animals and a yummy ice cream stand. We've enjoyed some movies, both at the early low-cost matinee and an outdoor movie at the park ("Yogi" - kids had never heard of the pic-a-nic basket snatching bear but thoroughly enjoyed it!). They also enjoyed a day at a local state park swimming in a crystal clear fresh-water lake. They stayed in for hours!

But we need more ideas....

My Cinema: Iron Man 3 - An Action Packed Marvel

Photo Credit - Flickr (Sam Howzit)

Full disclosure: I am NOT a closet comic-phile. I didn't grow up engrossed in action packed comic books. I tended more toward the adventures of Archie and his gang. (And for the record, I was Team Betty!) Sure, I knew there were heroes and there were avengers. That there was DC and there was Marvel. But it wasn't until I had three comic book loving sons that I figured out the difference between a hulk and a hornet, a superman and a batman, a wonder woman and a supergirl. And thanks to my husband and kids, I think I have seen every movie based on the DC and Marvel storylines. (It was either that or be left behind...nah, I'd rather follow the crowd!)

Truth be told, I'm still not sure I could tell you which super hero is a DC or who is a Marvel and which ones are considered super heroes and which are considered Avengers. (Maybe they're one and the same?) I have no idea if the plots and characters in the movies are true to the original comic books. Still kind of fuzzy on who has what special talent and/or super power. And I'm definitely in the dark on the many villains.

What's a girl to do?

My Cinema - The Crude Croods

I mentioned in a previous post I recently got to see the new animated film from DreamWorks, "The Croods". Saw it with my grandkids (it's the only way to see animated films!). The perfect barometer to tell if its a winner or not.

So if you haven't seen it yet, let me fill you in
(no spoilers, I promise!).

The official premise is:
"The Croods is a prehistoric comedy adventure that follows the world's first family as they embark on a journey of a lifetime when the cave that has always shielded them from danger is destroyed. Traveling across a spectacular landscape, the Croods discover an incredible new world filled with fantastic creatures -- and their outlook is changed forever."              

The comedy adventure film stars Nicholas Cage as the voice of "Grug", the patriarch of the family, and Emma Stone as "Eep", his willful, curious older daughter. Judging by the giggly reaction of my grandkids, I think they loved best "Belt" a pet sloth, and the silly antics of "Sandy", the baby daughter. However, the cackling, cantankerous character "Gran", voiced by Cloris Leachman, had my vote! I admit to chuckling along with the grandkids when "Belt" would sing out "duh-duh-DUH" in the cutest voice at just the right juncture; always set the kids off on a case of the giggles!

While I can't say it's the best animated movie I've ever seen, it made for a pleasant afternoon. The storyline kind of just wanders along. It basically has the family following "Guy" who is searching for the land of paradise called "tomorrow"; along the way the family's mindset slowly evolves as their world expands. (The scenes about fire and shoes are some of the best in the film.) The humor isn't the really laugh out loud type. Mostly snickers and guffaws from the audience. But when I saw the way all the kids in the audience laughed and cheered during the movie, I knew it was just right for the demographic the movie makers were trying to market to.

If you're looking for a feel-good movie you can see with your little ones, I highly recommend "The Croods". But I think I can safely say you can skip the theater and wait for this one to be released on DVD.

 

Have you seen "The Croods"? What did you think?

What is your all time fav animated movie?

 

Florida - Redux

Welcome back...I'm glad to see you. I just KNEW you'd be curious to come back to read the second part of my latest travel adventure.

And here it is............................

We left our oldest son behind and hit the road to the panhandle to visit our youngest and his wife and children.

Have you ever had the pleasure of being greeted after a long absence by little children? It's heartwarming, overwhelming and simply...grand! We got the best reception - lots of hugs and kisses all around.

The following days were fun but relaxing. Perfect combo. It was school vacation week - our son took a few days off so we could have plenty of time together. There were a few occasions to celebrate too - our son's and granddaughter's 3rd birthday, and Easter!

It didn't take long for the fun to begin:

My Cinema - Oz, the Great and Powerful

I firmly believe that my first words as an infant were set to music, as follows: 

 

♫♪    Somewhere ... over the rainbow ... way up high...  ♫♪

♫♪     There's a land that I heard of  ... once in a lullaby   ♫♪ 

 

 

That's how long I've been a fan of that cinematic treasure, L. Frank Baum's "Wizard of Oz". I recall the annual airing of this beloved classic feeling like a holiday, like Christmas. All year long we waited - and waited - and waited. For that big announcement. The date and time the movie would air on television. And on that celebrated holy evening, my family would gather round our black and white television. Fresh popped popcorn. Plastic cups filled with cherry Kool-Aid. A hush would fall over our crowded little living room as the opening sequence of the film appeared on the big old console at the end of the room. 

 

Sweet, innocent memories. To me, the movie is sacred. It's a masterpiece. It represents that basic human curiosity through the eyes and dreams of a little Kansas farm girl:  Is the grass greener on the other side?  Is there "no place like home"? 

 

So now that you know how much this film is revered in my little mind, you'll understand why I will look at any other "Oz" production with caution and skepticism. It had better do justice to its predecessor.  

And that brings us to the newest release from Disney, "Oz, The Great and Powerful", the prequel to the Wizard of Oz. Set 20 years prior, it tells the tale of how the Wizard, Oscar Diggs, arrived in the land of Oz. I saw the previews and was very excited and anxious to see this film. Sadly, it didn't measure up to my expectations. 

 

I went to the theater with hubby, my sister-in-law and her son. Our review was unanimous: we weren't bowled over. It was ok but not a movie we we'd see a second time or rate very high (maybe 3 stars out of 5?). Tho there was much to like about the movie, we agreed the problem was the cast. We didn't buy either James Franco as Oz or Mila Kunis as Theodora. And the storyline was a little thin. 

 

Without giving too much away, in case you haven't seen it yet, here's my review:

Adventures on the West Coast

There's no place like home. No truer words were ever spoken.

I'm home after an awesome week in California. The best part? It didn't seem to fly by like most of my vacations. It felt like it hit just the right note.
(Don't you just love it when that happens?☺)
We were busy, yet relaxed. We did a lot of fun stuff but also found time to just chill.

My Red Carpet - 5 Most Iconic Movie Looks of All Time

It's that time of year...when cinema's best is announced. The awards are bestowed. And for some of the winners, they become household names.

No, I'm not talking about the movies. I'm talking about the fashion! All hail the red carpet and Joan Rivers! (Guilty pleasure confession: I love watching Fashion Police!) Who cares how well you acted in the movie, it's all about how you look and "Who Are You Wearing?".
Thinking about tonight's grand entrance of the glamorous movie stars at the Academy Awards got me waxing nostalgic on how the movies costumes influenced the general public.

For instance, did you run out and buy a sweatshirt only to rip it all up and wear it ala "Flashdance"? Were you styling a tight white t-shirt like Stanley (i.e. Marlon Brando) in "Streetcar Named Desire"? Or did you simply add an accessory or two to your everyday outfit like the Wayfarer sunglasses Tom Cruise wore in "Risky Business"?

Looking back I can see there were a few movies that greatly influenced how I dressed then and how I dress today. Here are my top 5 iconic movie looks of all time.

          5.   Karen Lynn Gorney "Stephanie" - Saturday Night Fever
          4.   Melanie Griffin "Tess McGill" - Working Girl
          3.   Julia Roberts "Vivian Ward " - Pretty Woman
          2.   Diane Keaton "Annie Hall" - Annie Hall
          1.   Audrey Hepburn "Holly Golightly" - Breakfast at Tiffany's

Photo Credit - twn1340 (Flickr)

 

Of course there were other fashionable movie characters that I adored (but could never pull off their looks): all the women in "Devil Wears Prada", Kate Hudson's character Penny Lane in "Almost Famous" and Elle Woods (i.e. Reese Witherspoon) in "Legally Blonde" come to mind.

Your turn. What movies or movie characters influenced your fashion choices?

My Cinema - Les Miserables

Sensationnel!

Everything I'd heard about "Les Miserables" is so true! The movie is trés magnifique! From the opening scene to the closing credits, I was mesmerized...hooked!

The movie stars Anne Hathaway, Hugh Jackman, Amanda Seyfried, and Russell Crowe, directed by Tom Hooper and is set in 18th century France.

Truth be told, I went to see this movie not knowing what it was about. I heard all the hoopla and buzz but never saw a production of it nor had I read the story anywhere. I  kind of liked it that way. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the epic tale unfold before my virgin eyes. And for that reason, I won't go into great detail about what the story is about in case you haven't seen it yet; don't want to spoil it for you! But I will tell you the story is captivating and superb.

Admittedly, this probably isn't seen as a manly kind of film, but guess what? Hubby accompanied me to see it! (He's such a great guy, eh? Think I'll keep him!) And....he liked it too! Maybe not as much as I did, but he thought it was very well done and he wasn't turned off like he thought he'd be with all the singing. I believe he was pleasantly surprised to find that he liked it as much as he did. (Think he went in believing he was sucking it up and being the good hubby and that it was going to be a "ho-hum" loooong movie but voila! It wasn't so bad!)

So yeah, there's lots of singing. Matter of fact, it's all singing. There's very very little spoken dialogue (a few words that were more spoken than sung). But the music and songs really keep the action moving along. Not to mention every now and then, between scenes, the screen would have a paragraph or two of information about events occurring outside the scope of the film that aren't being depicted (but are pertinent to the storyline); the words helped to pull the story into the next time period or chapter. 

I was very impressed by the singing talent in the movie. Ok, so I know Hugh Jackman, star of stage and screen, has a great set of pipes. But Anne Hathaway? Really? She has a great voice! I don't think I would have guessed it. She totally deserves the "best of" nods at the awards shows. I was surprised by Amanda Seyfried's singing talent also. But who totally surprised me was Russell Crowe. No, he's not the best singer I've ever heard; not even close. But he did impress me. His growly, gravely low timbred voice really matched well with his character. Kudos to him!

I totally recommend this movie but maybe not for the younger set. The themes are very adult and might be a bit overwhelming and frightening for the kiddos, and not sure if the amount or kind of singing will keep them interested. (This is NOT Top 40 nor Justin Beiber-like.)

I also suggest seeing the movie in an afternoon showing or, if you're waiting on the DVD release set aside a few uninterrupted hours, as it's rather long. I just couldn't bear to think of seeing this at night knowing I wouldn't get out of the theater until after midnight.

The film has already won some honors and accolades leading up to the Academy Awards. I believe it's a strong contender for the Best Picture Oscar because of its talented cast, beautiful music, artful sets and scenery, and compelling storyline. But I'm puzzled and saddened to hear that the director was not nominated. How a movie could be considered the best but not its director is beyond me. The director is the captain of the film, and without a competent and talented leader, a film would most certainly flounder and suffer. And with this film, it's very evident Tom Hooper is a master of his craft and made what could have been a difficult movie to watch quite entertaining (even for hubby!).

Great film! Go see it if you get the chance!

Nemo....Oh Nemo...A Rose By Any Other Name....

Nemo: Are you all right?
Dory: I don't know where I am...I don't know what's going on. I think I lost somebody but I...I can't remember
Nemo: It's okay. I'm looking for somebody, too. Hey, we can look together!
Dory: I'm Dory.
Nemo: I'm Nemo.
Dory: Nemo? That's a nice name...

 



A name....what's in a name? Ask anyone....and they'll probably tell you... alot! A name can forever conjure up an image, good or bad. A name can knowingly or unwittingly brand something or someone for a lifetime. For better or worse.

Take Nemo. Just a week ago I'm sure the name brought to mind a nice sweet image of a pretty little orange fish. With stripes. Young. Innocent. One who was lost and searching for home. Who eventually, in typical Disney feel-good infused fashion, was reunited with his family in tear jerker style. And all was well in the world that lives under the sea. (Or at least in the Great Barrier Reef.)

But my how a quick turn of the weather can change all that. Buh-bye sweet innocent little fishy Nemo, and hellooooo ominous scary winter storm Nemo. Really? Whose bright idea was it to name a dangerous winter phenomenon after a character that until recently evoked warm and fuzzy emotions in the minds and hearts of most Americans? Really? Shouldn't they give deadly blizzards monikers like "Satan" or "Hannibal"?

After the damage and havoc wreaked last weekend by Nemo, no one is ever going to utter the name again without remembering the damage, the power outages, the icy cold temperature, the deluge of snow, the total shutdown of a whole region of the U.S. No, it won't be forgotten any time soon.

What's next on the list? Cyclone Simba? Blizzard Bambi? Tornado Thumper? Hurricane Happy? Yikes!

So....we survived. No damage, no power outages at my home. Thank goodness. Was kinda cool seeing the world around us come to a standstill...even if just for a short time. It was eerily quiet this past weekend. And the 2 feet of glistening snow outside my window was kinda pretty.

Life goes on. The snow's been plowed. Travel ban is lifted. The local kids have abandoned their forts and snowmen and have gone back to the re-opened schools.

But for a brief moment in time, the world stood still. And quiet. All thanks to that sweet, innocent, lovable Nemo......

It's Time For the Oscars!!

Are you ready? Did you get the chance to see all the nominated films?

Me neither.

I've never been much of a movie goer, watcher, lover. And I'm pretty picky about what I will or won't see. I usually never let the critics' opinions influence me. I am what I am, and I likes what I likes.

But mostly, I just never had much time. Between raising kids, going to school, working, etc. there just wasn't a lot of empty space in my schedule to pencil in the cinema.

This year I want things to be different. I want to experience more. I don't want to be the one standing around the proverbial water cooler at work and not knowing anything about the films being discussed.  I want to participate. Join in.

So, first step. I watched the Golden Globes awards show.
Step two. I read the list of nominees for the upcoming Academy Awards.
Step three. I've googled info on the movies that piqued my interest.

And now for the biggest step of them all.....actually going to the movie theater.