Movie #971 ..........................." A Day Late and a Dollar Short"

Movie #971 "A Day Late and a Dollar Short" -- this was definitely a Whoopi Goldberg vehicle, and she has gathered together an unbelievable supporting cast to play her children/husband.  It is too bad that the script and dialogue aren't up to their abilities --- if the film would have had just one or two of the problems presented here, it might have been easier to swallow, but with so much going on in this family, well it's reminiscent of soap opera fodder.  I had one huge question, too.  Mom Whoopi seems to be more than capable to dispense great advice and steer her kids in the right direction --- but did that happen over night?  I don't think so, so why the heck are her kids so troubled?  I know Dad hasn't been present, but it's hard to see he was a big problem when we only see him rather loving as he ages.  Lots of holes in the plot; too bad the good actors wasted their time with this, but I did find the ending satisfying.  Letter writing to each kids seems to work, esp. when the kid who is asked to read the letter is the one having a problem with that kid.  Good advice!  But my good advice here is not to bother with this film.

A Day Late and a Dollar Short   (3 stars out of 5)

2014 TV-PG 90 minutes

Average rating: 3.0

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Our best guess for you: 3 stars

Average of 1073 ratings: 3.5 stars

Facing the reality of her grave medical condition, ornery Viola Price decides to bring her combative clan back together to create a sense of solidarity. Among the challenges she'll have to tackle are drug addiction, incarceration and teen pregnancy.

Cast

Lyriq Bent, Whoopi Goldberg, Ving Rhames, Mekhi Phifer, Anika Noni Rose, Kimberly Elise

Director

Stephen Tolkin

Genres

Television

Movie #970 ........................."Robot & Frank"

Movie #970 "Robot & Frank" is a film with  an intriguing premise --- a senior citizen using a robot to help him out in his life, and esp. to help him steal from the rich in the neighborhood.  His kids come in and out of his life fleetingly, but really the film is all the robot and Frank (thus the title).  This makes the film a bit difficult to watch, because it seems slow going and I fell asleep a couple of times, but the film picks up once the caper starts.  And there are a couple of surprises along the way.  So as far as recommending it, I'm on the fence on this one.  I'm glad I saw it because of the idea of it, but not sure it would be a good watch for everybody.  If the idea intrigues you, too, and you like the cast, I would see it then because there's much to like here once the story gets off the ground floor.












Robot & Frank2012PG-1389 minutes   I would give this 3.5 out of 5 stars

Worried about their aging father living alone, Frank's kids give him a humanoid robot that's programmed to be his caretaker. Reluctant Frank -- a retired cat burglar -- soon warms up to his new helper and begins to treat it as a partner in crime.

Cast:

Frank Langella, James Marsden, Liv Tyler, Peter Sarsgaard, Susan Sarandon, Jeremy Strong, Jeremy Sisto

Genre:

Indie Comedies, Indie Dramas, Comedy

Movie #969 ........................."St. Vincent"

Movie #969 "St. Vincent" is a bittersweet comedy -------I don't use that term a lot, but this one is.  On one side it is terribly funny to see the interaction of Bill Murray's character with everyone, esp. the little boy Oliver (what a find he is!) Oliver  is so polite, so earnest, so real, you can't help but root for him.  But then on the other side of the coin, the bittersweet, is how sad the Vincent character really is ---- this kid deserves so much more!  That is a feeling that will keep tugging at your heart.  So you are torn back and forth ---------and if you are like me, you also wonder a lot through the film (through the end) how he buys food at all, even for the cat, when he doesn't really hold down a job, but he spends quite a bit gambling and drinking!  Anyway, the bottom line is that you root for the people because the boy and Vincent and the boy's mom (played well by McCarthy) are so darn human, with warts and all................that you buy the ending, even if it doesn't seem as believable as the rest of the film.  I highly recommend this-----------it's so hard to do a valid comedy, and this definitely is one!  Good for you, Murray!  Glad you took this seemingly unknown director/writer under your wing!  There's a lot to like in this film and it delivers well!














St. Vincent2014NR                  I would give this 4.5 out of 5 stars.

With his parents preoccupied with their divorce, lonely 12-year-old Oliver strikes up a friendship with his war-veteran neighbor Vincent. A hard-drinking gambler with a fondness for hookers, Vincent finds his life changed by the boy's presence.

Cast:

Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy, Naomi Watts, Chris O'Dowd, Terrence Howard, Nathan Corddry

Genre:

Indie Comedies, Comedy

Movie #968 ........................."Beware the Gonzo"

Movie #968 "Beware the Gonzo" was a valid teen movie with lots to say about how kids bully others kids.  I rented this one because I was so impressed with the young actor Ezra Miller in "Perks of a Wallflower" and "We Need to Talk about Kevin" and I was not disappointed here --- he is very good, and he definitely holds the audience's interest when he is on screen.  Lisa Bonet (& Lenny Kravitz)'s daughter is quite effective, too.  I could have done without some of the other characters, esp. the over sexed one who ends up doing a threesome with some young girls.  I didn't care for that storyline at all, and it's a shame it is in the film because it deters me from suggesting that many teens should see the film ------because there was so much sex in the film, I hesitate to suggest for teens to see it ------Yes, I am one of the few people, I guess, who thinks that a teen film doesn't have to have all the cliched sex scenes to keep their interest.   Anyway, I enjoyed the film's ideas and emotions.  i like that the ending is a bit ambivalent, and I like that the parents aren't buffoons (Campbell Scott was really good as the dad).  I find teens who go against the grain to be the most fascinating, and Gonzo truly is one of those, but the kids learn a lot about what it takes to be an adult, and the consequences that can occur when you make some grownup decisions.  Good topic for a film!  I just wish it was handled with a tad less sex scenes.



















Beware the Gonzo2010NR94 minutes   I would give this 3.8 out of 5 stars.

Eddie "Gonzo" Gilman is the head geek at his high school -- and determined to do something about it. When Gavin, the popular editor of the school paper, fires him, Eddie obtains revenge by establishing an underground paper of his own.

Cast:

Ezra Miller, Zoë Kravitz, Jesse McCartney, Campbell Scott, Amy Sedaris, Judah Friedlander, James Urbaniak, Marc John Jefferies, Noah Fleiss, Lucian Maisel

Genre:

Indie Comedies, Comedy

Movie #967 ........................."The Wedding Gift"

Movie #967 "The Wedding Gift" is a well acted film, no doubt, with Julie Walters and Jim Broadbent in the starring roles.  BUT the film just centers on the deterioration of Julie Walters' body until her death......she is suffering from some deliberating and very quick acting disease that leaves her incapcitated.  We don't know much of any of her life pre-disease, so we can't feel a lot of emotion other than feeling sorry for her and very sad she has to suffer so much.  He is seeing someone else, but he could never leave his beloved wife when she needs him so much, so..........it's a wedding gift.  She lucks out that she has someone who treats her with smooch dignity and love the last few months of her life, and with this support, she is able to make her goal ---- to be able to walk down the aisle at her son's wedding.  I wish I could have put on the subtitles in this because there's a lot of mumbling and I  feel I missed a bit due to the language....I also wish I got a better handle on her pre disease life, and more information on the disease itself, since it is the "bad guy" in the film.  This is definitely a downer, and if it gave more info, I would recommend it, but since it doesn't, I don't think you need to see this.













The Wedding Gift1994PG-1387 minutes    I would give this 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Originally airing as part of the BBC's "Screen One" series, this film is based on the true story of Deric (Jim Broadbent) and Diana Longden (Julie Walters), who were faced with the debilitating symptoms of an undefined illness that left Diana unable to function. Suffering from what would become Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome, Diana is a paralytic prone to blackouts who must battle her disease and the public ignorance surrounding it.

Cast:

Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Thora Hird, Sian Thomas, Dinah Handley, Peter Whitfield, Candida Rundle, Andrew Lancel, Anastasia Mulrooney, Ann Rye, Moya Brady

Genre:

Romantic Dramas, Medical Dramas, Tearjerkers, Drama

Movie #966 ........................."shorts 1 at the Chicago Film Festival 2014"

Movie #966 "Shorts 1" included ohs theatre alum Adam Poss's short "Speed Dating" which I would rate 5 out of 5.  This short was a nice neat package.  It is all made with Stop/Action motion, and it takes you painstakingly through the speed dating process --- you get the impression this is the girl's last desperate chance to meet someone, but it deals with the idea that you have to go through many frogs to get to your prince, and Adam is one of the "frogs" or bad date possibilities.  It's cute and has a little surprise, and a very nice ending.  The second movie was "Baby Mary", and it was about a very young girl, about 10, just taking this crying baby from behind the fence while the mother is crabbing about something on her front lawn and not noticing much about her baby being taken.  Then, we watch her "take care" of the baby, feeding her, entertaining and bathing her, and then HER mom comes home and returns the baby, and the mother then crabs at the mother and the 10 year old girl.  It was a bit rough in the filming, but it had heart and a cute idea, and I would give it a 3.  "The Fox of Bloody Woman Island" was next, and it was a waste of film.  Something about a guy named Ulf and him making a boat for too many endless minutes of film time. (a 1 out of 5) Along with "Framework" which just showed pictures of the beam filmed like news footage, with annoying sounds in the background.  The woman next to us had to leave (I put fingers in my ears and couldn't wait until it was over ---- another 1), but then "Lucy" came on and it was wonderful.  It told a complete story with a white board and marker about getting a dog.......it kept erasing and then quickly drawing another picture to move the story along.  It is hard to describe, but if you ever get a chance to see it, take it, because it was a winner (5 out of 5), and finally, "A Priceless Woman" was a homage to those Italian films of the 60s, and how this scientist built his wife again, after she died.  Overacted, overshot, looks like it was made in the 60s (which was the intent), and it was for the most part  fun to watch.  I'd I've it a 3 out of 5.  We missed the last 3 shorts because we had to eat some time, but what we saw was mostly good, with Adam's "Speed Dating" and "Lucy" leading the pack!

Movie #965 ........................."The Young Kieslowski"

Movie #965 "The Young Kieslowski" was the last film we saw for the Chicago Film Festival this year,and we found it really enjoyable.  It was fun to recognize Joshua Malina (from Sports Night, West Wing, and Scandal) and to see new talent, like the two "virgins," do so well.  I really liked the story line, thought there was some nice stuff done, filmically to keep our attention, and it was very believable in an almost unbelievable circumstance.  Ironically, the story was inspired by a real life story --- the director said he was a twin, and his folks met in college.  I hope this is released and more people can see it because it was a very satisfying comedy ---- and those are rare these days.









The Young Kieslowski2014NR     I'd give this 4.5 stars out of 5.

In this quirky teen comedy, two gawky virgins -- a Bible student and a nerdy physics major -- find themselves in a quandary after a night of alcohol-fueled sex leaves them expecting a set of twins.

Cast:

Ryan Malgarini, Haley Lu Richardson, Melora Walters, Joshua Malina, James Le Gros, Osric Chau, Jessica Lu, John Redlinger

Genre:

Comedy

Movie #964 ........................."Black Coal, Thin Ice"

Movie #964 "Black Coal, Thin Ice" was another movie we saw at the Chicago film festival, and parts of it were interesting (like the plot), but other parts were really odd.... odd shots (like one with the detective kicking a bottle down a flight of stairs, or another one of a proprietor of a casino laughing so hard she falls into a bathtub  and continues laughing.....it doesn't say this below, but I thought the movie was trying to be like a film noir that the United States might do, like a Coen brothers' film like "Fargo", but it wasn't successful.  It had a hard time getting the mood across, and also a hard time with the humor and going in and out of a funny mood.  The acting isn't that good either.  Another thing I noticed is that the detective looks a lot like the bad guy, and the woman at the opening looks a lot like the woman in the rest of the film, so it made me think (and waste my time) more trying to connect the opening to the end because I thought they were the same woman at times.  But I thought there was enough to like in it to give it a 3, so I do.  But this is one you could have missed (and probably did!  hah!)












Black Coal, Thin Ice2014NR     I'd give it 3 stars out of 5.

A police officer looking into a series of suspicious murders discovers that the killings have one thing in common: each victim was romantically linked to a woman whose husband died five years earlier.

Cast:

Fan Liao, Gwei Lun-Mei, Xuebing Wang

Genre:

Foreign, Thrillers

Movie #963 ........................."Guardians of the Galaxy"

Movie #963 "Guardians of the Galaxy" was not on my list to see because I thought it would not interest me, but so many people said I had to see it because  it was great ---- and rotten tomatoes gave it in the 90's from the critics, so we went today.  Mistake for me.  I didn't find it interesting.  I found it long, with too many fights, cheesy moments, old jokes, and a convoluted plot that I got lost in about the third place they took us (in the first 10 minutes).  Okay, but that's me.  Everybody else out there will probably like it.  It has humor and non stop action, and 80's music.  Who could ask for anything more to entertain, esp. the demographic of 10-20 year old boys.  To me, it was a bad version of "Star Wars" without Yoda and Obi Wan.  I gave it 3 because I have seen enough films to say that this is a better than average film in the genre.  I just don't like the genre.










Guardians of the Galaxy2014PG-13        I would give this 3 out of 5 stars.

On the run from intergalactic warlord Ronan, hotshot space pilot Peter Quill unites a ragtag band of oddballs to form a team of unlikely heroes. Soon, the Guardians discover that they alone stand between Ronan and the galaxy's destruction.

Cast:

Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Lee Pace, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Djimon Hounsou, John C. Reilly, Glenn Close, Benicio Del Toro

Genre:

Action & Adventure

Movie #962 ........................."Rudderless"

Movie #962 "Rudderless" is William H. Macy's first directorial debut, and it is very well done.  Yes, he has learned that casting well is half the battle with Billy Crudup as the father, and Felicity Huffman (Macy's real life wife) as the mother.  But there are also 4 supporting roles that shine, as well:  Laurence Fishburne, who plays a music store owner, William H. Macy, a bar owner, Selena Gomez, his son's girlfriend, and then a second break out role for Anton Yelchin (the first was that he played the little boy in "Hearts of Atlantis" years and years ago).  The chemistry between Crudup and Yelchin works well to propel the story along.  I really enjoyed this 2nd film we saw at the Chicago Film Festival;  it does  well to show the ebb and flow of this man's grief, along with the growth of the relationship between the mentor and the menthe.  The music works well, too.  The only negative I could see was the lack of a more complete back story on Anton's character, and also the son's.  The film didn't seem overly long, so I really would love more scenes on those two subjects.  Otherwise, well done, and hopefully you'll be able to see it when it is released if it sounds interesting to you.  And maybe a nomination for Billy Crudup?  possibility.........











Rudderless2014NR                             I would have given this 4.7 out of 5 stars

Devastated over his son's death, former ad exec Sam removes himself from society to drink away his grief. When he summons the will to perform his son's songs at a local bar, the music gains popularity and Sam claims to have written the tunes himself.

Cast:

Billy Crudup, Anton Yelchin, Felicity Huffman, Selena Gomez, Laurence Fishburne, William H. Macy

Genre:

Drama

Movie #961 ........................"This Afternoon"

Movie #961 "This Afternoon" was the first of 5 movies we are seeing at the Chicago Film Festival 2014, and I'm guessing this was the least we will like.  But we'll see.  There are a few things I liked:  it took place in chicago, by a Colombia graduate, the premise of the film, and a few of the discussion moments.  But that was really it.  For a 66 minute movie, it wasted a lot of film time, and there were very few shots with both of them in the frame, which seemed really strange to me.  Also, he must have spent a good 3 or 4 minutes with a long shot of the woman's hallway in her house, with NOTHING happening............very strange.  It's such an uncomfortable film to watch, too, with long pauses, lots of looking away, strained conversation that goes nowhere at times.  Now, I would have forgiven the film's flaws IF the ending would have worked...........i.e. that it didn't get to be predictable and it actually showed some baby step toward solving the problems they brought up.  But it didn't on both counts, so I don't recommend this "exercise" in film making.  

This Afternoon (2014)             I would give this 2.8 out of 5 stars 66 min  -  Drama | Romance  -  10 October 2014 (USA) Director:  Stephen Cone Writers:  Stephen Cefalu, Stephen Cone, Stars:  Stephen Cefalu, Sean Gallagher, Roni Geva

A young seminary student seeking self-knowledge inadvertently finds himself attending a sex addiction support group. It is there that he meets Hilary, an unhappy young mother taken to meeting strangers via Craigslist. Over the course of the afternoon, the two develop an affectionate yet complex relationship, helping each other wade through their mutual storm of love, sex, religion and the weight of the past.

Movie #960 ........................"My Old Lady"

Movie #960 "My Old Lady" was a movie I had seen the trailer for, and since three theater actors were in it (Maggie Smith, Kevin Kline, and Kristin Scott Thomas), I made it a point to look for it.  The movie is based on a play, and not just any play, but one that the director had written.  I tell you this because it has a bearing on the pacing.  Yes, the big change, I would imagine, not having seen the play,is that Paris is almost a 4th major character in, and it is photographed quite well.  And I found that most enjoyable.  And the high point works well with Kevin Kline's breakdown, where the truth finally comes out, but I found fault with the editing and pacing of the piece.  It starts and stops, and the plot's structure depends on a bunch of little vignettes, so it's really hard to avoid choppiness that results.  Also, I felt Kristin Scott Thomas, normally a wonderful actress, changed way too quickly toward Mathias, and that's another problem I blame on the pacing of the film.  I really didn't care much for the character Kevin Kline was playing (his charm was supposed to be working on the audience, I think, but it wasn't there for me) so I got less and less interested in where the story was going. Once the pacing started to pick up, then it got to it, but there's a bit of lag time here.  So I'm on the fence about recommending this or not.  If you want to see Maggie Smith in a completely different part than the one she is now famous for (Downton Abbey) , this might be intriguing to you.  Also, if you have never really seen Kevin Kline work hard at getting across a contrary character, then it shows here, as well.









My Old Lady2014PG-13     I would give it 3.4 stars out of 5.

New Yorker Mathias Gold is delighted to learn that he's inherited a Paris apartment from his deceased father. But delight turns to dismay when Mathias travels to France to sell the property and finds his dad's former lover occupying the place.

Cast:

Kevin Kline, Kristin Scott Thomas, Maggie Smith, Stephane Freiss, Dominique Pinon, Noémie Lvovsky 

Genre:

Drama

Movie # 959 ........................ "Conspirator"

Movie #959 "The Conspirator" is a film that revolves around the small story of the woman Mary Surratt, who was arrested after President Lincoln was assassinated  because her son left town when his good friend John Wilkes Booth was planning to kidnap the President.  She doesn't sound very guilty does she? And that was why  Frederick Aiken, soldier/lawyer, was trying to defend her in the wake of a quick-to-condemn attitude .  As a result of the fury surrounding Lincoln's assassination, her  rights were ignored and there was very little Mr. Aiken could do about it when the powers that be took control.  The film is a bit talky, but in the hands of Redford, the director, there was enough to the story to keep me watching even when I was very tired.  Aside from the intriguing storyline, I was watching the film because I am a huge James McAvoy fan, and if you are, too, he does not disappoint. He and Robin Wright (House of Cards), and Rachel Evan Wood do some fine work here!  It is to a  necessary one to watch, but you certainly will learn a lot about the craziness that occurred during the time period shortly after Lincoln's death.


The Conspirator2010PG-13122 minutes   I would give it 3.8 stars out of 5.

Robert Redford directs this gripping historical drama that follows the efforts of young lawyer Frederick Aiken as he reluctantly defends Mary Surratt, a Confederate sympathizer accused of conspiring to assassinate President Abraham Lincoln.

Cast:

James McAvoy, Robin Wright, Kevin Kline, Evan Rachel Wood, Tom Wilkinson, Justin Long, Danny Huston, James Badge Dale, Colm Meaney, Alexis Bledel

Genre:

Courtroom Dramas, Dramas Based on Real Life, Pre-20th Century Period Pieces, Drama

Movie #958 ........................."Cyberbully"

Movie #958 "Cyberbully" should be on a list of films that teenagers would get so much out of watching.  And if they could watch with their parents (or at least parents would see it, too) that would make it even better.  Oh yes, the film is full of teen angst, and there are cliched moments, but it speaks directly to the issue of teen bullying, the importance our teens put on their "social" identity, how fickle teens can be to each other, just how important the boy/girl relationship is to our teens.  We sometimes forget some of these issues, and we adults think:  why don't they just close the computer and get off of Facebook for a time period if they feel they are being bullied..........but it is not that easy  to teens.  When they hit that age, they tend to replace their parents' importance with their friends, and that leaves them out in that cruel world with very little protection.  As a teacher, I would see that time and time again, and to be honest, it's one of the reasons why I didn't choose to be a parent myself.  I didn't think I coiuld get through those teen years.....so any help we as a society can give parents, to me, is important. That brings me back to the film.  I feel it could be a useful tool to keep the doors of communication open between parents and kids, and that's what it is all about.  So, I recommend this film to anyone interested in the subject, but mostly to kids and their parents.  It is really well done --- the kids in it are very real (and one went to school in Naperville).

Movie #957 .........................."Gone Girl"

Movie #957 "Gone Girl" is a movie I was waiting to see for a while, since I heard there was a film being made of the one-of-a-kind book that I read for book club.  I liked the book --- which was really weird for me  , since there was no one in the book to really cheer for.  And I remember not liking the ending of the book because it seemed after all the scheming and planning, etc.  that this ending was unbelievable and came kind of quickly.  Going into the movie, I wasn't sure director  Fincher could get across what I liked about the book ---- the back and forth narration and the twists and turns, but he did pretty well with that.  The characters are well casted, and Affleck does more than his usual slouching in films.  And Rosamund Pike is certainly a find --- showing several different sides of the character.  The sister Margo is a winner, too, as is Neil Patrick Harris as an old boyfriend.  Because of  the trickiness to changing points of view as rapidly in a film as in the book, there are less twists and turns, but that was fine.  The movie is really well done, and worthy of a possible awards nomination for best picture --- it is that well made.  Music, Editing, sound, everything is working well here.  The only drawback I have is this............the book did such a good job of riding the line between good and bad, and flipping back and forth with the characters, and the movie seems a bit too one-sided for me.  I don't want to say too much more, but let's just say that one thing I liked about the book is the mutual badness of the characters, and this seems to tip too much to the guy, and that's too bad because that's one aspect that makes the film like so many others.  But it's different enough to make it stand alone anyway, and I very much recommend it.  But let it be known, there are some very bloody parts, some very graphic sex scenes, and nudity.  Those weren't necessary, I don't think, but they are there I guess to underline the dark sides of seemingly normal married people.  The film is an indictment loud and clear about what's going on in journalism today, the effects of adultery, the roleplaying that occurs in marriage..........for that, and more, as the today show critic said, it's a "hell of a movie."











Gone Girl2014R      I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

Based on Gillian Flynn's novel of the same name, this unsettling thriller follows the mercurial Nick Dunne, who finds himself dogged by police and caught in a media maelstrom after he becomes the prime suspect in his wife's disappearance.

Cast:

Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris, Tyler Perry, Carrie Coon, Kim Dickens, Missi Pyle, Sela Ward, Casey Wilson, Patrick Fugit, David Clennon, Lisa Banes, Lola Kirke, Boyd Holbrook

Genre:

Thrillers

Movie #956 ........................."The Skeleton Twins"

Movie #956 "The Skeleton Twins" is a dark humored film concerning the relationship between brother and sister.   It covers quite a bit ---- attempted suicide, past  baggage, common friends, finishing sentences, loving the same music, dressing up in costumes, you name it, it's covered here, in this slice of life meet up of an estranged brother and sister.  It's doubly fun with Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig playing the parts.  And hats off to Luke Wilson as Wiig's hubby, finally a part for him to sink his teeth into and show what he can do!  There's a scene with Joanna Gleason that does the same for her, too.  I liked the story, I laughed out loud a number of times, the story went somewhere and had a nice high point and ending.  Who could ask for anything more in a comedy, and I recommend it.  Not for the faint of heart, though.  Some very serious adult scenes and language in parts.













The Skeleton Twins2014R               I would give this movie 5 out of 5 stars.

When near-death experiences on the same day motivate estranged twins Milo and Maggie to reunite, they're forced to reevaluate their empty lives as they attempt to mend the long-broken bond between them.

Cast:

Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, Luke Wilson, Ty Burrell, Boyd Holbrook, Joanna Gleason

Genre:

Drama

Movie #955 .........................."The Canterville Ghost" (1944)

The Movie #955 "The Canterville Ghost" is a movie that scared the bejeebers out of me when I was 12 years old. I remember I was a big fan of Margaret O'Brien, and I was nervous through the whole movie, like she was.  When I went to bed that evening, I imagined there was a ghost in my closet, for weeks afterward.  In fact, it probably is the reason that I put a sheet over my ears to this day --- hiding from that ghost!  Well, then when I watched it when I was in my 20's, I discovered it was mostly a comedy.  So the other night, I decided to watch it in my later life, and I found it a bit silly and maudlin, but when Margaret O'brien turns on the tears, she got me again.  The story is really about a relationship of a little girl to a soldier, who thinks he is a coward who can't break the ghost's curse, but the belief of a little girl can do wonders.  The crux of the story still works.  And that's probably why it has been done 6 times in film............so far.  But I still like the original.  It just isn't scary any more, and that's kind of sad.

Contact the Filmmakers on IMDbPro »

The Canterville Ghost (1944) Passed 95 min  -  Comedy | Fantasy  -  July 1944 (USA) I would give this 3 stars out of 5

Directors:

 Jules Dassin, Norman Z. McLeod (uncredited)

Writers:

 Oscar Wilde (story), Edwin Blum (screenplay)

Stars:

 Charles Laughton, Robert Young, Margaret O'Brien  

n the 1600s, cowardly Sir Simon of Canterville flees a duel and seeks solace in the family castle. His ashamed father seals him in the room where he is hiding and dooms him to life as a ghost until one of his descendants performs a brave deed. Simon believes he may be saved when he meets Cuffy Williams, an American kinsman stationed with a troop of soldiers at the castle in 1943. Will this blood relative save the family honor, or will his blood be as yellow as the rest of the Cantervilles?

Movie #954 .........................."The Night Listener"

Movie #954 "The Night Listener" is a movie I had a hard time getting through --- kept falling asleep through it.  Too slow and moody for me.  I just wasn't interested much in the story.  It was one of those does that person really exists, and after a while, the question becomes :  who really cares?  I wanted to see it because it was one of the few Robin Williams' films I hadn't seen.  But now I know why I didn't see it when it first came out.  I don't recommend it, from what I saw of it.












The Night Listener2006R81 minutes    I would give this 2 out of 5 stars.

Writer and radio host Gabriel Noone receives a manuscript from a troubled young fan. Despite his friends' warnings, the fragile Gabriel develops an unsettling relationship with the boy and his blind guardian. 

Cast:

Robin Williams, Toni Collette, Rory Culkin, Joe Morton, Bobby Cannavale, Sandra Oh, John Cullum

Genre:

Psychological Thrillers, Mystery, Suspense, Thrillers