Love the movies? How about blu-ray movies? Maybe movie merchandise? Learn more about your favorite movies past, present, and future, whether at the movie theatre, on blu-ray or on DVD. Find some unusual gift ideas for movie fans, including yourself. Join the fun and discover a new movie or two!
It was with great interest that I sat down to watch the feature length 2018 British film Nothing Like a Dame or Tea with the Dames as it is called in the United States. Not a movie but rather a simply presented, often times funny, documentary-style visit with four legendary stage and film actresses: Dames Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Eileen Atkins and Joan Plowright.
Interwoven with scenes from their careers current and past, it finds the four talking casually and sometimes candidly about their lives. We had an interesting visit and I gained insight into the lives they have lived, the work they have done and even into aging, something that is coming to get all of us. Because of this film, more details about the experiences of these four very talented individuals has been recorded for posterity.
The Guardian gives the film five stars and leads with the title, "Judi Dench and Maggie Smith trade brutal banter." Yes, there were serious parts about the relationship of these two women who must, at times I expect, have been rivals. However, I think that there was more humor than bad banter. I loved some of the stories that Dame Dench related. They ranged from being stung in the bum by a bee to being offered the role of Cleopatra when she was 53. I won't elaborate to avoid spoiling her stories for you. Finally, of course, there was discussion of lost loves and lives.
Variety sums it up nicely when they say, "the conversation romps jovially across subjects ranging from stage fright to late-blooming screen stardom, and from early-career body-image concerns to the wearily accumulating indignities of old age, their combined good humor and catty irony rarely flags." Take a peek into at the film for yourself in this official movie trailer:
The Telegraph says, "…(the Dames) are funny and witty and sharp. They are in their eighties, very lively women, and this film is a celebration of friendship." I agree and Nothing Like a Dame is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me. If you are a fan of these amazing ladies, you should check out Nothing Like a Dame. You can find your copy on Amazon by clicking right here.
Looking for a simple, but heart felt Valentine's Day present for a Peanuts fan? Don't miss this cute little Charles M Schulz book called Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown.
Packed between the covers are 128 pages of Valentine's Day themed comic strips. Love is in the air for the beloved Peanuts characters and it could be for you, too.
Yesterday is totally enjoyable, funny, charming and sweet romantic comedy. At least that is what I thought about it.
THE STORYLINE
The premise of the film is odd but simple. A blip to the world's power supply wipes the earth of any sign of the existence of the Beatles. It turns out that Jack, a struggling musician in England, is the only one who remembers the Fab Four and their music. Being the only one with the knowledge of some of the best-ever created songs puts him in a unique position to better his career and allows us to reminisce with some fabulous Beatles tunes. Jack is and has always been supported in his quest for musical success by Ellie, who acts as friend, manager and roadie driving him around to gigs when she is not in the schoolroom teaching math. The rest of the story follows Jack's rise to fame and stardom and how that impacts on his friendship with Ellie.
THE CAST
It stars Himesh Patel and Lily James and the music of The Beatles. You might know Patel from the EastEnders or The Aeronauts and you might know James from Cinderella, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Mama Mia: Here We Go Again or Downton Abbey, where she played Lady Rose MacClare. The cast is rounded out with Joel Fry playing the oddball character Rocky, who steps in as manager when Ellie is not available and Kate McKinnon playing Debra, the Hollywood mogul determined to profit from Jack's newfound music writing talent. I have deliberately chosen to leave off this cast list the special guest since we did not know that he was going to appear in the film when we watched it and not knowing added to the fun.
THE MOVIE TRAILER
Here's a peek through the official movie trailer, which reveals the special guest so if you'd like to keep that part a secret, don't watch the trailer.
REVIEWS
Apparently, not everyone appreciates a charming and sweet movie as much as I do.
Reviewers on Amazon give Yesterday 4.4 stars out of five.
On Rotten Tomatoes, audience viewers gave the film a solid 89 percent while their approved critics gave it a lesser score of 63 percent.
Roger Ebert's website gave it a 2.5 of 3 stars though I found author Sheila O'Malley's words less enthusiastic than her score. She said, "The film gets caught up in the relationship between Jack and Ellie," which is true and that "much of it did make her feel good" though she found it underdeveloped and that she was "conflicted about a choice made late in the film."
The New York Times said, "Yesterday is more of a novelty earworm than a classic. It’s appealing and accessible in a way that the Beatles never really were. If it took itself — and them — a bit more seriously, it would be a lot more fun." Yes, of course, this film could have been a lot deeper but that did not detract from my enjoyment.
Rolling Stone magazine says, "Yesterday has its heart firmly in the right place. It’s the challenge to take it to the next level that’s missing."
Obviously, I took this film in a much less critical way than those officials who review movies. I know that certain issues were not fully fleshed out and that explanations were not given for some of the things that happened in the movie. Yes, the movie could have been more but what instead it is is as I said in the beginning, is a totally enjoyable, funny, charming and sweet romantic comedy.
Watch it for yourself and let us know what you think. Buy your copy on Amazon by clicking right herewhere you will find the Prime, Blu-ray, DVD and 4K versions. If you buy one of the discs, be sure to watch the extra scenes, alternate ending, etc. We enjoyed them, too.
THE BEST VERSION OF DISNEY'S SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS IS ON BLU-RAY DISC.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was Walt Disney's first animated feature. In 1937 it was considered extremely unlikely that people would want to sit through a full-length animated movie. However, Disney spared no expense putting this movie together and it went on to great success and has stood the test of time extremely well. I am sure that Snow White is still hugely popular because of the wonderful music, which includes the highly unusual voice of Adriana Caselotti and the lovable characters and creatures.
If you are in the market for a copy of this legendary animated movie, you should definitely be considering one of the Blu-ray disc versions as that will present the movie in the best possible quality for home viewing and you will be happy to know that the Blu-ray release ranked very well for quality of picture, sound and extras.
On this page, you will find all of the Blu-ray choices that are available. You can choose from the more affordable, simple Blu-ray disc package like the Diamond edition (shown above) right up to the amazing gift sets, which include but are not limited to, the Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Plush Gift Set and the Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Limited Edition Collector's Set. You will also find the Blu-ray movie trailer, reviews from amateur and expert movie reviewers and much more.
Disney called Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs a 'limited time release' and put it back in the vault in 2011. However, if you are looking for a copy of Snow White on blu-ray or DVD it is still available on Amazon.
We all know that Snow White is the earliest of Disney's princess who escaped from a jealous stepmother and took up house with a group of seven dwarfs. However, she eventually ate a poisoned apple from which she can only be revived from the spell by love's true kiss.
FAST FACTS
ACTORS: Adriana Caselotti, Roy Atwell, Lucille LaVerne DIRECTOR: David Hand RATED: G (General Audience) STUDIO: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment ORIGINAL RELEASE DATE: 1937 RUN TIME: 84 minutes RETURNED TO THE VAULT: April 30, 2011
FOR WHAT AGE IS SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS RECOMMENDED?
Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs is definitely a movie classic. However, that does not make it suitable for all children. It is, as Commonsense Media says, enchanting but scary. They recommend Snow White for children aged five years old and up. The Movie Mom, in her book The Movie Mom's Guide to Family Movies, also recommends this movie for children aged five and up.
In case you do not remember, the frightening parts include many with the wicked queen, when Snow White is in the enchanted forest, when she eats the apple and when the Queen transforms into a hag. Don't forget, the Queen actually orders the huntsman to kill Snow White and return with her heart. Take this information in before you show it to your very young children.
Some might even dislike the basic approach of Snow White, that of young lady content to stay home and clean house until her prince comes for her.
Finally, the movie does not have narrative and relies on the use of pages from the storybook to share details of the story. Non-readers will require someone to read for them.This film is a marvel, however, and boasts a beautifully remastered video and some of the most famous Walt Disney music of all time.
REVIEWS FROM THE EXPERTS
Blu-ray.com says, "The 3-disc Blu-ray edition of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is a near-definitive release of the animated film that started it all. Its gorgeous restoration is simply the beginning. What follows is a glorious video transfer, a fit and faithful...
High-Def Digest says, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs' is a lovely film that captures the heart and imagination of Walt Disney and what he was trying to achieve in the world of animation. It's a beautifully animated film that has been given new life with a fantastic...
AMAZON CUSTOMER REVIEWS
The Amazon customer reviews of Amazon include comments like the Blu-ray being simply brilliant. Dennis A. Amath was amazed that a 1937 class movie could look so vibrant and spectacular and said that Disney did a brilliant job of restoring and remastering the film. He found the picture "pristine." In more technical terms he called the "new lossless 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio" magnificent. Justice4all72 call the quality unbelievably good.
I LOVE, love, Love this set. Imagine receiving the Snow White movie and all of the dwarfs in plush toy form! Find this set here on Amazon.
BLU-RAY STEELBOOK
Ever wondered what a SteelBook is? I did and recently learned that a SteelBook Case is one that is similar to an ordinary disc case but which is made out of metal making it much more durable and more attractive as well. Some collectors even prefer the more substantial feel of a SteelBook case in their hand. Often the SteelBook version of the movie features different artwork (as this from Snow White does) and sometimes that artwork is even embossed or dressed up in some way. This SteelBook set includes both Blu-ray and DVD discs. Find the Snow White SteelBook set on Amazon here.
Have you seen Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs recently? If so, what format did you watch it in?
Last night we went to see Spider-Man: Far From Home, the July 2, 2019 release in the Spider-Man franchise, which stars Tom Holland, Samuel L. Jackson, Zendaya and Jake Gyllenhaal. I love Spider-Man and yes, I liked this movie. I have tried to write this review without too many spoilers. It is pretty hard to write without any, especially in this instance. Read on.
THE STORY
Spider-Man: Far From Home follows what happened in Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame. It finds our friend Spider-Man or Peter Parker back at school as in New York City with his friends. The group is preparing for a class trip to Europe while that which is left of the Marvel organization Sheild is facing threats from natural disaster themed villains called the Elementals. Once Peter arrives in Venice, Italy, he is pretty much forced to help save the world and works alongside an impressive new superhero character named Mysterio. Peter would really rather be being the ordinary friendly neighborhood Spider-Man of days gone by and spend his time being a normal teenager, telling his crush MJ that he has feelings for her but things do not go according to plan and he winds up in a web of trouble.
Here's the trailer:
And here's another one:
Spider-Man: Far From Home is definitely heavy heavy on teen humor. I did love much of it though at moments it could seem a bit much.
There is also lots of teen angst with a number of relationships both of the family and female and male variety.
It also has a travel angle. When Peter Parker and his class mates arrive in Venice, Italy it is familiar to me because I had the chance to spend days in that city. At least, I should say it was familiar before the fighting began.
I was curious about what others made of the movie and here's a wee round up.
Forbes Magazine's Mark Hughes gives Spider-Man: Far From Home at first a business-like review with lots of comparisons and he quoted Rotten Tomatoes statistics by saying that "Spidey's latest trip to the multiplex is tied with Endgame and behind only Black Panther, making it the second-best reviewed Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film alongside Endgame. Of all live-action superhero movies from every studio, Far From Home is in a three-way tie with The Dark Knight and Endgame for second place behind Black Panther." Hughes eventually says that "Tom Holland is easily the best actor to play Peter Parker." I do enjoy Holland's version of the web slinger. How about you? Forbes sums up with, this movie "is everything a Spidey sequel needed to be and more. Bold, beautiful, and brilliant, it is a worthy final chapter to the Infinity Saga." They nailed it. Would I see it again? I will.
It is Spider-Man, after all.
Christy Lemire at Roger Ebert's website is a bit tougher with her review. She gives some credit by saying that it was hard to follow up Spider-Man Homecoming and that this movie gave a valiant effort to do so. She says Far From Home "works best as a high school comedy" and yes, I agree though for Spider-Man, I am willing to accept this as an important part of the movie particularly since Spider-Man is a 16-year old teenager who does not really want to be a superhero. He just wants to be a normal teenager and the entire movie finds him fighting these two roles. Lemire closes by saying, "Perhaps his (Spider-Man's) true superpower is the fact that he seems more like a relatable, fully fleshed-out human being than any other character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe." Yes, I agree here, too and the movie definitely sets us up for more Spider-Man movies to come so we will have a more opportunities to explore Peter Parker's personality. Lemire gives the movie 2.5 of 3 thumbs up.
Ruth on FlixChatter sums up the characters quite nicely. She says, "Tom Holland absolutely rocks as both Spider-man and his alter ego Peter Parker." I agree. He does both very well. She calls Marisa Tomei wonderful as Aunt May, enjoyed having Jon Favreau back as Happy to look after Spider-Man and even adores Zendaya as MJ. She calls Spider-Man: Far From Home her favorite Spider-Man movie but, as much as I enjoyed this movie, I think that I would have to have a Spider-Man movieathon to pick a favorite.
Heads Up
In terms of what to be concerned about, this movie has a bit more action violence than the previous Spider-Man did. There's lots of action, massive destruction and at one point, Spider-Man is seen quite battered and bruised. This movie also has some strong language, flirting, discussions of liking someone and dating, some hand-holding and a few brief kisses.
Common Sensesays there is a lot to take away from the themes in this movie and lists "responsibility, leadership, courage, confidence, perseverance and rising up to face your destiny." As a matter of fact, Common Sense believes that the movie stands out for character strengths this despite the fact that Spider-Man makes numerous bad choices in this movie. Common Sense Media gives the movie 4 out of 5 stars. They give the movie four out of five stars and recommend it for children eleven years and up.
The Canadian Movie Rating for this movie is PG (Parental Guidance) for violence, language that may offend and some scary scenes.
Summary
In summary, I think that this movie is quite well done. If you are a fan, I reckon you are going to like Spider-Man: Far From Home. If you have not seen the previous related Marvel movies, I am not sure how you will fare at understanding what happens in this movie. Finally, if you go, be sure to stay for the credits and the post credits and be sure to come back and let us know what you thought of the movie.
