Showing posts with label reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reviews. Show all posts

The Best Old Movies for Families: A Guide to Watching Together

Reviewers highly recommend The Best Old Movies for Families: A Guide to Watching Together. This book is a guide to older movies that breaks them down into three age ranges:

FOR THE LITTLE ONES AGED 3-6: This section includes fast moving movies that are fairly simple but not dumbed down. This section would include movies like Singin' in the Rain and Bringing Up Baby.

FOR THE ONES IN BETWEEN AGED 7-12: This section includes great stories with the characters in simple situations that turn out not to be quite so simple. This section includes movies like The African Queen and Some Like It Hot do the job well.

FOR THE OLDER ONES AGED 13+: This section includes movies that relate to contemporary movies and compares movies. For instance, without Alfred Hitchcock's work, there might be no Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

Find your copy of The Best Old Movies for Families here, on Amazon.

See you 
at the movies! 
Brenda 
Movie Treasures By Brenda

Talking Pictures: A Parent's Guide to Using Movies to Discuss Ethics, Values, and Everyday Problems with Children

 

Talking Pictures: A Parent's Guide to Using Movies to Discuss Ethics, Values, and Everyday Problems with Children

Talking Pictures is a book that will help you get discussion going with your children. This book actually takes the movies and uses them as ways to discuss sensitive issues. It covers subjects like divorce, marriage, family, love, gender identity, social ethics, separation and loss, friendship, death, illness and substance abuse.

One reader says that this book is full of insights into how to use films in a family setting. He says that it is not just a movie guide but also a book that will show parents how to use movies to learn about their children. If you do not have chatty children, the movies recommended in this book will give you some common ground for conversations.

Find your copy of Talking Pictures here on Amazon.

See you
at the movies!
Brenda
Movie Treasures By Brenda

The House with a Clock in its Walls Blu-ray Movie Review

The House with a Clock in its Walls Blu-ray Movie Review

The title of this movie is mysterious and will have you wondering what the movie called The House with a Clock in its Walls is all about. I had previously seen trailers and was intrigued but it was not until Halloween 2023 that my husband and I put this 2018 movie on to watch. 

The story, is based on a children's novel by John Bellairs and Edward Gorey. The movie tells the story of a clever 10-year old boy named Lewis Barnavelt (played by Owen Vaccaro) who goes to live with his slightly odd uncle, Jonathan Barnavelt (played by Jack Black) and his friend and neighbor Florence Zimmerman, (played by Cate Blanchett). It turns out that his uncle's house is full of mystery and intrigue and danger. It's the first children's spooky movie from Eli Roth, director of a number of adult horror stories. Roth considers this film a "starter horror movie" for families and tweens. Here's the official trailer:  




PROFESSIONAL REVIEWS

Common Sense Media gave the movie 3 stars saying, "it isn't a masterpiece, but it's just spooky and funny enough to entertain young moviegoers who are new to the horror genre."

Simon Abrams on Roger Ebert.com called the movie, "basically watchable" was fairly critical and gave the film a 2.5 star rating.  

Finally, The Hollywood Reporter calls the interactions between Black and Blanchett (that Simon Abrams did not like) an "enjoyably unlikely pairing." 

WHO IS IT SUITABLE FOR?

Common Sense Media recommends the movie for children aged 11 and up.  They say, in their Parents Need to Know Section, that "the movie is very creepy, and that there are a few scenes that are downright jump-worthy for kids. There are scary toys and dolls, ominous sounds, a demon, witchcraft, necromancy, and the occult" but they also say "that good ultimately prevails against the forces of evil." Within the story are also a few injuries, a few milder curse words and an exchange of insults. It is not a lightly frightening movie but it does have messages about "teamwork, perseverance, friendship and facing your fears."

MY THOUGHTS

The House with a Clock in its Walls is part fantasy, part horror and part comedy. It's a supposed children's movie that might be too scary for your children so beware. Consider Common Sense Media's age recommendation from above, KNOW YOUR CHILDREN and pre-watch the movie if you are unsure

As an adult, I enjoyed way this movie was able to go, as one reviewer said, from "really funny to pretty freakin' scary" and I loved the house and all of its trappings. I think that this movie is just the sort of movie that might become a cult favorite in the way that Hocus Pocus, Halloweentown, Under Wraps and The Peanut Butter Solution have. Also a fun movie for adults who don't want a horrific horror film. I loved the baby scene!

BLU-RAY VERSION

With regard to the Blu-ray version, High-Def Digest says, "The enchanting fantasy flick casts its charm on Blu-ray with a mesmerizing picture quality, a reference-quality Dolby Atmos presentation and an enjoyable set of supplements" and gives it 3.5 stars. I will add that there is much to see in this film and Blu-ray shows it well.

Order your copy of The House with A Clock in its Walls here from Amazon. It is available in your choice of format including Prime Video, DVD, Blu-ray and 4K.

See you
at the movies!
Brenda

MORE READING

A page of Not-Too-Scary Movies for Tweens.

Disney's Under Wraps movie reviewed.

The Peanut Butter Solution movie reviewed.




Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) Movie Review

Marvel Studios Spider-Man Far From Home Poster. Love it!

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 Sense says 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.

"Peter Parker to pick up a passport please." Yes, in Spider-Man: Far From Home, Peter Parker is taking a trip. Read my review and watch the movie trailers to learn more.

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.




Celine Dion's The Magic Man Video

Listen to the Magic Man is one of two English songs that Celine Dion performed for movie the The Peanut Butter Solution. This song and one called Michael's Song were Celine's first English language recordings. Here's an early music video featuring the song and the movie:

The Peanut Butter Solution Recipe for Baldness

The Peanut Butter Solution Recipe
I recently reposted my review of the 1985s movie, The Peanut Butter Solution, here on my movies blog and am also sharing this recipe, which does NOT come HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me, LOL. Enjoy it at your own risk! It is posted simply for fun and not really intended to cure baldness. I think you will see why when you read the ingredient list.

The Peanut Butter Solution Recipe


Ingredients

1 really ripe banana
5 dead flies
1 rotten egg
3 licorice leaves
A fistful of kitty litter
3 Connie Crisps
3 Crosbie Crackers
9 spoons of soil
Glass of pepper's fizz
Spoonful of peanut butter

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a blender and then put them on your head, being particularly careful not to add too much peanut butter. Also be cautious of getting the mixture on the rest of your body as hair will grow wherever the mixture lands.

Unfortunately, I have no idea where I originally found this recipe many, many years ago.

See you
at the movies!
Brenda

Quick Links:

Read my review of The Peanut Butter Solution.

The Peanut Butter Solution Recipe for Baldness


The Peanut Butter Solution Movie Recipe


The Peanut Butter Solution Recipe





The Peanut Butter Solution Movie Review (1985)

The Peanut Butter Solution Movie Review

What Happens When You Misuse The Peanut Butter Solution?


Bald is beautiful...unless you are a young boy who suffers a bad fright and has all of his hair suddenly fall out. That is the story in The Peanut Butter Solution, a rare movie from 1985, which is currently only available on VHS videotape and not on DVD, which is now available on eBay as a Blu-ray and DVD combo.

What follows the loss of his hair is both touching and humourous. It really is a serious problem when he loses his hair but he does not quite follow the recipe that he receives for curing baldness and adds too much peanut butter...bald might have been bad but once that hair started to grow...look out! What follows is a hairy mess and, as the cover says, "a hair-raising family adventure" that will make you laugh out loud.

On this page, find more information and reviews of The Peanut Butter Solution as well as sources for buying your own copy of the movie. And, just in case you want to try it out, you can find a Peanut Butter Solution (for baldness) recipe here.


   

The Peanut Butter Solution Story Line


"Michael is an 11-year old who investigates a supposedly haunted house that has recently burned down. What he sees scares him so badly that he faints, and on top of that, two days later all of his hair falls out. A couple of ghosts give him a magic recipe to make his hair grow back, but Michael puts too much of one of the ingredients - peanut butter - in the concoction and astonishing results occur!"

Fast Facts About The Peanut Butter Solution


ACTORS: Mathew Mackay, Siluck Saysanasy, Alison Darcy, Michael Hogan, Michel Maillot

DIRECTOR: Michael Rubbo

WRITERS: Michael Rubbo, Andre Pelletier, Louise Pelletier, Vojtech Jasn

PRODUCERS: Jim Kaufman, Nicole Robert, Rock Demers

RATED: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)

STUDIO: Anchor Bay

ORIGINAL RELEASE DATE: 1985

VHS RELEASE DATE: July 28, 1994

RUN TIME: 94 minutes

MUSIC: Celine Dion performs two songs in English in this movie. They represent her first English recordings.

BLU-RAY DVD COMBO RELEASE DATE: April 11, 2017

Reviews of The Peanut Butter Solution


The Peanut Butter Solution MovieYES! The Peanut Butter Solution Is Really a Movie! The Peanut Butter Solution was not a figment of your imagination.

It is a movie that people remember vaguely and leave comments online like: I can't believe this was actually a real movie!, "I thought this movie was just a dream..." and, "Wow. It was actually real."

People have spent years trying to figure out what this weird movie was that they remember watching as a child. A movie in which a boy lost his hair and used something to grow it back. When they finally figure out that it was this movie, they feel better. One writer said, "There should be a society called The Peanut Butter Solution Viewers Anonymous... for those who saw this movie who were haunted by it and told that it doesn't exist".

Canuxploitation said"The Peanut Butter Solution has proven it has just enough of an eccentric Dr. Seuss touch to permanently wedge itself in the memories of young viewers. Watching it again today, the film holds up generally well, despite some dated special effects."

Click here to buy your copy of The Peanut Butter Solution Blu-ray DVD combo on eBay.

Have you seen The Peanut Butter Solution? Are you a fan of 1980s movies? Is there a movie that you remember from the past that is haunting you?

See you
at the movies!
Brenda

MORE RARE MOVIES:

Orson Welles' Ghost Story (1951)
The Cheaters (1945)
The Great American Cowboy (1973)
The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978)

Author's Note: Previously published elsewhere.

Zootopia Blu-ray Movie

Zootopia Blu-ray Movie
Well, it's here. Disney's Zootopia was released on Blu-ray, DVD and of course, Amazon Instant Video on June 7, 2016.  Is it a movie you will be adding to your collection?

Zootopia's success took some people by surprise. Mashable says that Zootopia was number 1 in its opening box office take, surpassing even the hugely successful movie Frozen. The movie was also successful globally, with the critics and the movie going public all of which are definitely reasons to look closer at this movie if you have not already done so.

I have long watched Jeremy Jahns's reviews though I have not seen one in a while. I am glad to say his review of Zootopia is family friendly although he is promoting a product. If you ignore that promotion, I think you will like what he has to say about Zootopia:

 

Jahns says the movie is definitely worth watching for children and for adults as it is funny but also carrys a message and that it is definitely worth watching on blu-ray disc.

Blu-ray.com also highly recommends the blu-ray release, saying "Disney's Blu-ray 2D release of Zootopia yields the expectedly gorgeous 1080p video and top-notch 7.1 lossless soundtrack."

High-Def Digest says, "This Blu-ray has some stellar video, some very strong audio, and a healthy portion of extras. 'Zootopia' is highly recommended."

If you like Disney animated movies, Zootopia definitely sounds like a contender for your movie collection. You can find it on Amazon by clicking here. Will you be adding it to your movie collection?

See you
at the movies!
Brenda

 



Imax Under The Sea Nature Documentary Review

Imax Under The Sea Nature Documentary Review
UNDER THE SEA WILL SWIM INTO YOUR LIVINGROOM


Under the Sea is a film worth being excited about, particularly if you love nature documentaries. This one, of course, highlights the world beneath the sea. Originally released in Imax theatres on February 13th, 2009, it was released on March 30th, 2010, on blu-ray and DVD and there is also an audio CD soundtrack available.

Howard Hall leads the same team that created Deep Sea and Into the Deep and this time he takes you on a tropical adventure which includes the Great Barrier Reef and other South Pacific regions.

Jim Carrey is the voice behind the action which will have you up close and personal with a Great White shark and enjoying the doings of a cuttlefish in love.

The film received 95 percent positive reviews from the tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes. That's an almost perfect score and Under the Sea received comments like, "The footage is spectacular, the colors electric, the life aquatic trippier than anything you have ever seen..."

About.com said, "Under the Sea offers a uniquely inspirational and entertaining way to explore the beauty and natural wonder of the oceans."


Blu-ray.com reviewed the blu-ray version of Under the Sea and said that this film is "bubbling to the surface with a magnificent 1080p/VC-1 transfer...blessed with a stunning source and a proficient presentation...immersive DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track; one that does justice to Hall's lively soundscape, New Guinea and Indonesia's enveloping waves, and Micky Erbe and Maribeth Solomon's diverse music." They said this is a film worth buying on blu-ray.

With regard to the 3D version of Under the Sea, Film Journal International said that, the 3D version makes you feel like the animals are right there in your lap and that children are often seen trying to pet the screen.


Under the Sea is recommended for children who are six-years old and up. It has scenes that are startling like when one fish eats another or when a creature snaps. Mating habits and global warming and the danger it presents to us all are discussed. These considerations aside, your child must also be old enough to sit through a 40-minute documentary film. In the case of the 3D version, they must be old enough to wear 3D glasses for that length of time.

You can learn more about this film on Amazon or order your own copy by clicking right here.

Like most Imax films, it is fairly short and you will come away wanting more...

See you
Under the Sea!
Brenda

 





Meet Roger Ebert: The Two Thumbs Up Movie Critic

Meet Roger Ebert, the Two Thumbs Up movie critic

Sadly, Award-winning movie reviewer Roger Ebert passed away on April 4, 2013 from the ravages of cancer.

Roger Ebert was likely the most famous movie critic of all time. He started reviewing movies for the Chicago Sun-Times in 1967 and he was a television movie critic for more than 35 years during which time he and a co-host created the pop culture reference Two Thumbs Up.

He received a Pulitzer Prize for his movie reviews and is the only movie critic to have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

There are a handful of movie critics that I enjoy reading or watching that I return to again and again. Critic Roger Ebert was one of those.

Due to his problems with cancer he was not able to speak in the last years of his life but he was still an influential film critic, making extensive use of the written word, which he promoted with his team on the television and online versions of Ebert Presents At The Movies.

Over the next few posts, learn a bit more about Roger Ebert and his movie reviews and books.

Forbes called Roger Ebert, "The most powerful pundit in America." A pundit being someone who offers the world through the media his or her opinions on a subject. I am inclined to agree with that statement.

See you
at the movies!
Brenda

Image of Roger Ebert from Wikipedia.


Dark Shadows: The Complete Original Series

Dark Shadows: The Complete Original Series

I'll confess. I have not seen Dark Shadows: The Complete Original Series but I was totally amazed this morning when I saw the Amazon customer reviews for this boxed set. A whopping 90 percent of the reviewers gave this vintage daytime 1960s television program five stars.  That really is amazing and definitely is enough to make me want to watch it.


It is impossible for me to share the depth of the reviews those customers left on Amazon and I encourage you to check them out for yourself by clicking right here.

With comments like, "There is just something about this series that makes me want to see it again and again. Maybe because it mentally transports me back to a time when I was a kid at home after school, before my parents were deceased, when all seemed right in the world and the scariest thing about life was Barnabas and Angelique in Dark Shadows."

They are thrilled with the programming.

They are also thrilled with the packaging.

Those who have a history with Dark Shadows love it. Those who don't? Well, they seem to love it, too.

The set is massive, containing 1225 30-minute episodes that aired on ABC between 1966 and 1971. Because of the incredible size of this series, it does not come cheaply but Amazon customers don't bemoan the cost. Especially those who purchased the programs individually on DVD and know how much that cost!

What a truly magnificent gift item this would be!

See you 
at the movies!
Brenda

Quick Links:

Read more about Dark Shadows: The Complete Original Series on Amazon.
Uncover a page full of blu-ray movie boxed sets.

Romantic Hallmark Movies For Valentine's Day and All Year Long

Romantic Hallmark Movies (2011) For Valentine's Day and All Year Long
Wondering about the romantic Hallmark movies that are being released in 2011 just in time for Valentine's Day?  The Hallmark channel is running a countdown of movies leading up to February 14th and three of them are brand new movies.

There are three exciting new movies: A Valentine's Date, Smooch and Accidentally in Love and yes, in my humble opinion, they do look good.

While The Lost Valentine was not released as part of Hallmark's countdown Valentine's Day, it definitely was a romantic movie and it was extremely well received on January 30th when it premiered. It is doubtful that this movie will be rerun anytime soon, but you can already buy a copy from Amazon by clicking right here.

See you
at the movies!
Brenda


True Grit Blu-ray Movie (2010)

Discover John Wayne's True Grit western movie.

Literally just in time for Christmas 2010 was the 1969 John Wayne True Grit Blu-ray movie. I think it created and continues to create the possibility of a magnificent Christmas gift for anyone in your family who loves John Wayne movies and owns a Blu-ray player.

Simply buy a copy of John Wayne's True Grit movie on blu-ray and add a copy of the 2010 True Grit movie and voila, an instant gift set.

The John Wayne version of True Grit was one of his most memorable roles and it is the movie for which he won his only Academy Award.  This would be the great place to start a collection of his movies.

See you
at the movies!
Brenda

Quick Links:

Order your copy of John Wayne's True Grit on blu-ray from Amazon.
More John Wayne movies on blu-ray.

Ponyo, A Beautifully Animated Hayao Miyazaki Movie

Ponyo, A Beautifully Animated Hayao Miyazaki Movie
If you have not seen Ponyo yet and you have young children or you are a fan of Japanese anime, you may want to check it out. You will recognize some of the voices, which include Noah Lindsey Cyrus, Frankie Jonas, Cate Blanchett, Liam Neeson and Tina Fey.

The story is that of a young boy named Sosuke who plucks a barely living gold fish named Ponyo from the ocean only to discover that this fish is an extraordinary speciman who wants to become a princess.  Their journey is one of friendship and exploration until, that is, Ponyo must return to the sea.  Her desire to be human, however, has changed the balance of nature and the result is a gigantic storm. In the end, Ponyo's sea goddess mother is able to rebalance nature and help make her Ponyo's dreams come true.

A beautifully done movie, based somewhat loosely on the Danish story about The Little Mermaid.

The blu-ray? Experts say that they are generally happy with the blu-ray release but the one area of disappointment comes from the audio track. High-def fans might be disappointed. But Blu-ray.com said, "animation enthusiasts, Miyazaki zealots, and kids of all ages should add this to their cart post haste." 

See you
at the movies!
Brenda

Quick Links:

Buy Ponyo from Amazon on blu-ray or DVD.

The Diary of Anne Frank (1959) Movie on Blu-ray and DVD

The Diary of Anne Frank (1959) Movie on Blu-ray and DVD

Have you seen the 1959 version of The Diary of Anne Frank? If you have not and you are interested in Anne Frank and that part of our history, I do recommend you see this movie.

It is a black and white film so be prepared for that.

And it is long, so be prepared for that. (Some movies from that era, this one included, actually have an intermission built into them.)

It is a simply done film on a set that is a replica of the Annex where the Frank family hid for two years. I have been in the Annex so I particularly enjoyed that aspect of this film.

It is a well-done representation of the tensions that two families experienced living in a situation with the constant threat of discovery hanging over their heads.

This version of The Diary of Anne Frank is available on DVD and on blu-ray.  The DVD is said to be a definite improvement over the VHS version and the blu-ray version receives top marks and is recommended by the blu-ray experts. 

This film would be of interest to anyone who has read the story of Anne Frank's diary with the caution that it is considered inappropriate for children under 12 years old. Younger children may find the constant tension, the world events and the tragic ending of this movie a bit much.

This movie was well received when it was released, receiving eight Academy Award nominations and winning three and it was well received by me. In the language of the experts, I would have to say, "RECOMMENDED."

Buy your copy of The Diary of Anne Frank (1959) in Blu-ray or DVD by clicking here to Amazon.

See you
at the Movies!
Brenda

Quick Links:

Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland Movie Review

Johnny Depp in  Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland Movie Review
Alice in Wonderland. Tim Burton. Johnny Depp. Recipe for the perfect movie? Maybe not. It took a few days for me to think it over but I have finally completed my Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland movie review. 

Here then are my thoughts:

Alice in Wonderland was a beautiful and entertaining movie.

If you like Tim Burton, Johnny Depp or Alice in Wonderland, you will probably enjoy this movie.

If you have been anxiously awaiting the release of this movie, you might be somewhat disappointed but you have probably already seen it in this case.

If you have children, you should be aware that this film has some grotesque moments and if your children are younger than say Grade 4, you might want to take a pass on this movie.

I rated it a 3 out of 5. Fun but not fantastic. Entertaining but not destined for my favorite all-time movies list.

I saw it in 3D and thought that I might have preferred it in 2D.  I guess I will have to wait for the Alice in Wonderland blu-ray movie release to see it in that format.

I read somewhere recently that there have been something like 60 filmed versions of Lewis Carroll's book...that is pretty remarkable.  I wonder how Tim Burton's version will stand the test of time.

Please let me know what you thought of this latest Alice in Wonderland movie.

Find your copy of Alice in Wonderland from Amazon on Prime, Blu-ray disc or DVD by clicking here.  

See you
at the movies.
Brenda


The New Alice in Wonderland Movie Review

The New Alice in Wonderland Movie Review
What a day! One packed with movies including the new Alice in Wonderland movie by Tim Burton. My 16-year old son and I spent quite a lot of time discussing it afterward. I decided I was not ready to commit my thoughts to paper yet but I did want to give you a taste of what I am thinking.

While Tim Burton's Alice may not have been the best-ever movie that I have seen and it will not unfortunately make my new My Favorite Movie List, it was entertaining and WOW it was beautiful. The scenery was amazing and I, as always, loved Johnny Depp.

If you are wondering whether or not to watch 3D or 2D, I would say try 2D. That is the way Tim Burton originally shot it and I am not really sure that the 3D version added much to the already magnificent visuals of this movie.

I look forward to hearing what YOU think about this movie.

Fans of Depp's portrayal of the Mad Hatter will want to add this t-shirt to their collection.  You can find it in the Etsy store of Barbarian's Crafts where it is available in two colors - black or white and in sizes and styles suitable for men and women. Buy your Have I Gone Mad t-shirt from Etsy by clicking right here.

See you
at the Movies!
Brenda

Quick Link:

Tim Burton's New Alice in Wonderland Movie Reviews
My Favorite Movie List

Finian's Rainbow Movie Review

Finian's Rainbow Movie Review

How about a musical leprechaun movie for St. Patrick's Day? Finian's Rainbow is beautiful to look at and lovely to listen to.

The storyline features a girl-meets-boy plot with a father and a leprechaun in the mix. Throw in lots of singing and dancing and a few humorous moments and it turns into a pretty entertaining movie.

Based on a 1940's Broadway musical, Francis Ford Coppola produced this movie in 1968. It starred a a sixty-nine year old Fred Astaire, Petula Clark, Tommy Steele and Don Francks and was considered dated even when it was released. However, it is considered worthy based on the musical score and because it deals with the subject of racial prejudice. (I have fallen for the original movie soundtrack.)

Movie musicals had gone out of style at the time of this release and Finian’s Rainbow received mixed reviews. Critics considered Astaire aged; Steel, who played the leprechaun, overdone. Praise was given for Clark, who sings like an angel.

Roger Ebert liked the film, however, and said that it was "the best of the recent roadshow musicals…Finian's Rainbow knows exactly where it's going, and is getting there as quickly and with as much fun as possible…it is the best-directed musical since West Side Story. It is also enchanting, and that's a word I don't get to use much…it is so good, I suspect, because Astaire was willing to play it as the screenplay demands…he…created this warm old man...and played him wrinkles and all. Astaire is pushing 70, after all, and no effort was made to make him look younger with common tricks of lighting, makeup and photography. That would have been unnecessary: he has a natural youthfulness.”

Tomorrow, I will finish watching the movie and I'll report back.

Click here to buy your copy of Finian's Rainbow on Amazon Prime, Blu-ray, DVD or VHS from Amazon.

See you
at end of Finian's Rainbow!
Brenda

More Irish Movies:

The Leprechaun's Christmas Gold 

Coraline, One Of The Best Blu-ray Movies of 2009

Coraline, One Of The Best Blu-ray Movies of 2009

The Star Trek Blu-ray movie was actually next on Sound & Vision's list of 10 top movies in 2009 but I have already written about that on my blog so I will not do so again today. If you want to see what I had to say about that Blu-ray, just click right here.

Next on the list then is Coraline. Coraline was an unusual Tim Burton-ish movie not by Tim Burton. I enjoyed it, as I do Tim Burton's films, and I called it 'delightfully creepy.' I'm not crazy about 3D and so we watched it in 2D. Interestingly, Sound & Vision recommends watching Coraline on Blu-ray in 2D instead of 3D and called it a "truly high-def experience of rich color and impressive detail."

Order your copy of Coraline from Amazon by clicking here. It is available in a wide assortment of formats including Prime Video, Blu-ray, DVD, 3D and 4K.

See you
at the movies!
Brenda


DISCLOSURE

This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase from Amazon, eBay or Etsy through a link.



“As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and Etsy (Awin) Affiliate, I earn from purchases.” Disclosure Statement