Movie #1220 ........................."Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children"

Movie #1220 "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" has Tim Burton's mark on it from beginning to end.  Nice special effects, esp. the kids' peculiarities, and the swift changing from bird to woman and back to bird.   I just read the book a few weeks ago, and I thought the film stuck to the storyline of the book really well --- (disclaimer:  I can never remember  the very endings of books and movies, so I can't speak for the end --- it seemed to stray a bit there, though).  The story really grabbed me in both movie and book --- and as I watched the film I was trying to think as to why that was  because this seems to be in the magical, fantastical genre, one I don't usually enjoy that much.  I think it's because it seems so rooted in reality --- the set is a beautiful castle in Wales, and seeing it in the movie, just helps cement the realism to me even more.  Asa. the lead, does such a good job of being a regular kid, that it's hard to believe he fits in with these peculiar kids, which are all introduced to us first  through very old postcard pics showing their particular peculiarities.  Those kids play so well, that it isn' difficult to identify with them, even with their strange habits.   And the relationship between the son and grandfather was one I esp. liked and believed (kudos to Terrence Stamp, for that, too)  The only thing I didn't quite embrace in the book or the movie is the big fight at the end.  But the movie reminded me why the violence and fighting didn't repulse me like it usually does --- and that is, that the fighting is won more with wiles than physical shooting, knifing, etc.  Oh, there is some of that, but all in all, it depended more on the kids' abilities, and one more thing I liked is that the fighting was done ALL TOGETHER -- that the kids learned they had to work together to get the job done.  And that is an important lesson everyone needs to learn and relearn, esp. in our society:  accepting people for their diversity and learning to work with everyone.  (I think about these themes esp. when I write this during the second debate I am about to watch!)    I give it 4 stars out of 5, the movie, not the debate!

MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN
PG- 13    2016,  2 hours and 10 minutes

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After Jacob Portman unearths a cache of his grandfather's old photos, curiosity about them leads the teen to a dilapidated former orphanage, where he discovers a group of children who are not only peculiar but also possess extraordinary powers..

Cast:  Eva Green, Judy Duench, Terrence Stamp, Asa Butterfield, Chris O'Dowd., Samuel Jacksons

Movie #1219 ........................."Evelyn"

Movie #1219 "Evelyn" was on TCM the other night, and it happened to be  a Pierce Brosnan film I had heard about but not seen yet, so I sat down to watch it, and I'm glad I did.  It's based on a true story of the plight of an Irish dad whose wife just takes off   suddenly , leaving him to raise their three kids on his own.  He finds it quite impossible to be there to raise them and to make a living paying to clothe and feed them.  He starts to feel the pressure and turns to the bottle, and the alcohol and the lack of money contribute to the government taking his kids away from him and putting them into catholic private institutions ---- a difficult place to then extricate them from in the future.  He fights several years to get them back with the help of Aidan Quinn and Alan Bates, two very capable, smart men who start to turn the tide once they join him in his plight to get the kids.  Lots of heart here, some good realism with the problem of being poor and raising kids, and I highly recommend it.  4 stars out of 5.

EVELYN 2002   PG
4 out of 5 stars


Based on real-life events, this Bruce Beresford (Driving Miss Daisy) drama follows the story of Desmond Doyle (Pierce Brosnan), whose wife has left him and whose three children -- Evelyn, Maurice and Dermot -- are taken from him and placed in orphanages. Authorities deem Doyle's dire financial straights unacceptable for raising children, and the unemployed father vows to reunite his family. But he faces the judgment of the Irish Supreme Court.

Cast: Pierce Brosnan, Julianna Margulies, Aidan Quinn,

Movie #1218 ........................."These Daughters of Mine"

Movie #1218 "These Daughters of Mine" is the last of the movies we saw at the Milwaukee Film Festival 2016, and it rated a 4 to me --- in the middle of the other two.  I haven't seen a lot of Polish movies , but of the ones I have seen, they were about health care in some way, they referred to alternative ways of healing people, life/death issues, and the endings seem more poignant rather than final --- that is, I liked the characters so much, I wanted to see their story go a tad further, but I wasn't unhappy with where it ended, just moderately surprised.  Anyway, this movie deals with two sisters who couldn't be more different from each other, dealing with their two parents who have health issues at the same time.  Even though it is dealing with the polish culture, there is so much we can identify with as far as family conflicts and dynamics.  It was a story that involved me from beginning and ending, and I found it quite good.  But warning that it is intense through a lot of it --- lots of hospital scenes that we don't like to go through in our lives, so watching movies that include them can't be that much fun to watch for many of us!


THESE DAUGHTERS OF MINE 2015      1 hour 28 minutes

Director:

 Kinga Debska

Writer:

 Kinga Debska

Stars:

 Agata Kulesza,  Gabriela Muskala,  Marcin Dorocinski

Marta is a successful actress unable to put her life in order. Unlike her domineering sister, Kasia is sensitive and effusive. They're not keen on each other but an unexpected illness of their mother forces them to cooperate. Laughter is liberating in this heart-warming and profound story about family relations.

P.S.  The actress who plays Marta is a big deal actress in Poland and was the co star (not the nun, but her cousin) in the academy award winner "Ida" (couple of years ago).

Movie #1217 ........................."Sweet Bean"

Movie #1217 "Sweet Bean" was the third movie I saw at the Milwaukee Film Festival, and this is the one I rated as a 5.  What a wonderfully poignant film full of the message that every soul is important and worthy of our attention --- even the cherry blossoms on the tree in front of your storefront.  This is a Japanese film about a guy who makes doriyaki every day but is not excited about it.....until a very old lady with crippled hands makes him try her sweet bean paste, and the bean paste and his relationship with her transforms his life forever.  And just when you think the story is going to go on this straight narrative about experience teaching the young what life is really about, the film goes into some discrimination and the consequences of that.  This is a quiet, slow paced film, but I loved it --- I am a foodie (so all the painstaking effort they put in together to get the sweet bean paste just right every day, I greatly appreciated), and I also like good character work, and that's here, as well.  Throw into the mix metaphors of freedom like birds, and cherry blossoms, etc. and you have a great idea for this film that is executed quite well.  Highly recommended. And you can stream it on netflix (just found that out).

SWEET BEAN 2016   1 hour 53 minutes (just a tad too long for me, but that's my only complaint: 4.8 out of 5)



Looking for help in his bakery -- where he specializes in doriyaki pastries -- Sentaro hires 76-year-old Tokue. To Sentaro's surprise, his new employee has a unique talent for making the popular delicacy ... but she's also hiding a troubling secret.

Cast: Masatoshi Nagase, Kirin Kiki, Kyara Uchida

Movie #1216 ........................." A Stray"

Movie #1216 " A Stray"  -- well it's that happy time:  Milwaukee Film Festival 2016, and we saw three movies yesterday, and this was the first one, and it was just okay.  (Incidentally, if it sounds intriguing to you, I do believe it is an offering at the Chicago Film Festival which starts very soon, check their website).  It's about a muslim looking for direction in his life --- he's not found anything he is passionate about --- his family, friends and religion are just not that thrilling to him --- they don't seem to give him guidance.  When he finally finds a job and starts to put some regularity in his life, a a stray dog comes into his life and he loses that job.  We spend an evening and a day as he wanders the city trying to find his niche.  I like the relationship he had with the dog (and the dog with him), but what I didn't like about the film was the missing information the viewer didn't get through his wandering.....whether it was due to muffled sound or lack of the subtitles occasionally (the whole film should have had subtitles) or missing dialogue or explanations, possibly faulty editing....whatever, there were  moments and even whole scenes where I was left "hanging" ----and I wasn't the only one because there were four of us afterwards, trying to fill in the blanks; some we could, but others we couldn't.  So overall, this was a good film viewing; I just wanted more info along the way.  And I learned something I didn't know about his culture (he was somalian) --- they think dogs are impure and they shouldn't let dogs touch them --- if you have that info going in, might be easier to follow the film.  I give it 3 out of 5 stars.




A STRAY 2016

After burning bridges with friends and family, Adan has nowhere to go until the imam of a local mosque allows him to sleep there in return for work. But when Adan takes in a stray dog, he finds himself homeless again -- this time with a mangy charge.

Cast: Barkhad Abdirahman, Faysal Ahmed, Christina Baldwin

Movie #1215 .........................."Two Guys from Texas"

Movie #1215 --- the other night I watched halfheartedly "Two Guys from Texas" just because it was on TCM and I was missing that beloved station  at home (where Comcast recently took it away from my basic package and I'm still angry about that!)  Anyway, the film was pretty silly and lame.  How they ever got Dorothy Malone to act in it with Jack Carson and Dennis Morgan I will never know.  It dealt with disguises, an all too earnest sheriff who is ready to lock up Jack and Dennis instead of the real criminals, so these two "cowboys" have to figure out who really robbed the bank and also they have to get the girl.  Incidentally, the very end of this film was pretty offensive because the two girls went to the other stars, and Jack Carson was left out, but then he was called over by a voluptuous native American and he ends up with her (and whooping like a stereotypical "Indian")  oh my.  Anyway, it wasn't worth your time, so if you missed it, don't worry about it at all.  Just here to warn you that if you ever see it pop up on the t.v., you can turn it off.  2 stars out of 5.  And that's just for the singing.....


TWO GUYS FROM TEXAS
1948     1 hour 26 minutes      2 stars out of 5


Song-and-dance men Steve Carroll and Danny Foster walk to a Texas dude ranch after their car runs out of gas. The team's friend, singer Maggie Reed, gets the boys a job. With their auto stolen, the two settle into ranch life. While Danny consults with Dr. Straeger to conquer his fear of animals, Steve courts ranch owner Joan Winston. When their stolen car is used in a robbery, the duo must then find the real culprits

Director:

 David Butler

Writers:

 I.A.L. Diamond (screenplay),  Allen Boretz (screenplay)  

Stars:

 Dennis Morgan,  Jack Carson,  Dorothy Malone

Movie #1214 ........................."Daddy's Little Girls"

Movie #1214 "Daddy's Little Girls" is the second Tyler Perry film I have watched.  Yes, I was a big supporter of his excellent film "Precious,"  but I have never sat through an entire "Medea" film, for example.  Just looked too silly to me, and there are so many other films out there I'd rather see.  But I also know that he has been working on a ton of movies, such as this one, and I've been wanting to see one of his for  a while, so I did the other night when it was on t.v. on an indie station.  I tried this one in particular because of the actors who were starring in it:  Idris Elba and Gabrielle Union --- both really capable actors to get this story across about a dad trying to keep a hold of his three little girls while his ex wife is trying to get complete custody of them because he is too busy working to take care of them.  It sounds reasonable until you find out that she is tangled with gangs and drugs --- her boyfriend is a biggie drug dealer and the neighborhood doesn't even want her and him around.  A couple of scenes are manipulated in the story:  for example, the meet up of the lawyer and the daddy is a bit pushed when he has to get another job and becomes her driver.  While driving her , he overhears quite quickly that she is lonely and single ,  and because they have to go to the hospital one night instead of taking her home, she is able to change from being  witchy (with a b) to  being nicer when she learns what really was happening (his kids were in danger because they had been home alone and a fire had started).  Some parts are hokey (like some  courtroom scenes when the entire neighborhood stands up to condemn a bully in their neighborhood), but the film still works--- why?  we need films like these that show a black man's plight in so many ways living in a white world:  he is put in jail wrongly for a while and is still paying for that, he can't afford lawyers to help him out, he can't afford nannies who could help him out, he really cares being a father and is excellent at it (which would surprise those who misstereotype african american fathers, and those are just a few.  So I'm glad I sat down and gave this film a look and I intend to seek out others ----- might not be Medea, but I will try his others because if they are good like this one, I will find other real stories about real people acted well, with good storylines and valuable racial issues that we should be talking about and helping people to solve.  I give this 3.5 stars out of 5 and recommend it.

DADDY'S LITTLE GIRLS

2007, PG 13      1 hour 40 minutes      I give it 3.5 stars out of 5.

In this drama from Tyler Perry, a powerful attorney falls in love with a janitor who's the single father of three daughters. Trouble comes in the form of his ex-wife, who reappears on the scene threatening to take away his children.

Cast: Idris Elba, Gabrielle Union, Louis Gossett Jr.