Tuesday, August 10, 2021

Movie #2176 ........................"Turbo" (DVD)

 Movie #2176 "Turbo" (animated, DVD)   - I had a bunch of animated films that I hadn't seen, so we watched several of them with the kids we had over.  The first was "Turbo" with Ryan Renolds --- which should be a selling feature to me, since I love everything he does, usually.   I must mention that I am not a crazy fan of animation --- never watched cartoons when I was a little kid, and the stuff I like or expect in good animation is a good story, competent voices,  entertaining to adults and kids, and a good strong theme.  So if I judged this one, I'd say it has most of those things, but it just was too long for me.  It sustained my interest for about an hour, but that was it.  I think where it lost me was the actual race, because just going around and around and around in a race seems very boring to watch.  I guess that was my only complaint for this one --- it just never pulled me in to care about the story.  I'd rate it 3.5 out of 5

PS -- a kid, esp. one who liked "Cars,"  would probably enjoy this film a lot!  lots of action and noise.


"TURBO"  1 hr, 36 mintes         PG                 2013

a freak accident might just help an everyday garden snail achieve his biggest dream:  winning the Indy 500

Director:  David Soren

Writers:  Darren Lemki and Robert Seigel and David Soren (screenplay by) .


Voices:  Ryan Reynolds, Paul Giamatti, Maya Rudolph 


A freak accident might just help an everyday garden snail achieve his biggest dream: winning the Indy 500.

A freak accident might just help an everyday garden snail achieve his biggest dream: winning the Indy 500.

A freak accident might just help an everyday garden snail achieve his biggest dream: winning the Indy 500.


A freak accident might just help an everyday garden snail achieve his biggest dream: winning the Indy 500.


A freak accident might just help an everyday garden snail achieve his biggest dream: winning the Indy 500.

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Mo ie #2175 ........................."The Great Race" (DVD)

 Movie #2175 "The Great Race" (DVD) --- while we were watching one of the kid's  favorite film, we noticed the similarities in the plot with one of our favorite, this film.  So we suggested this one for the next night.  To me, this is a 5 out of 5 film because it has every kind of comedy you can think of in it --- Even if you don't laugh, they are trying so hard to fill every minute with a sight gag, verbal pun, sound gag (who can forget Peter Falk's pipe?)  or whatever.  Meanwhile, it is making fun of every genre you can think of in film :  romance, western,  swashbuckling, desert movies (a la Rudolph Valentino), racing films, action films, royalty (Kings & Queens), etc.  with a special nod to pie in the face silent comedies, and the great swordfight in "the Adventures of Robin Hood" (the original one with Errol Flynn.)  (Princess Bride also had a scene in homage to Robin Hood, but it wasn't near as good).  I think this film still stands the test of time, even though it is quite old, and plus the cast can't be beat --- the film puts Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon together again (some like it hot did it so well, too) and Natalie Wood and ironically,  a much younger Peter Falk (than the one in Princess Bride) are both a delight to watch.  If you haven't seen this "classic," it comes highly recommended in this family.


"THE GREAT RACE"  2 hours, 40 minutes              1965

In the early 20th century, two rivals, the heroic Leslie and the despicable Professor Fate, engage in an epic automobile race from New York to Paris.

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Movie #2174 ........................."Princess Bride" (dvD)

 Movie #2174"Princess Bride" (DVD) -- we had young guests over last week, and so we set up a movie night every night, and their first choice was this movie, which Dave and I had never seen all the way through.  I am glad we finally did --- we could then see how the most funny bits and popular lines propelled the plot --- it was nice to see little Kevin Arnold (Ben Savage) and his grandpa (Peter Falk) make their narrative comments , and the cast is quite competent.  However, I did not fall in love with the plot --- it is quite thin and meanders -- if it weren't for the funny bits occasionally (like "Good Luck storming he castle" - Billy Crystal), I am not sure the movie would be considered as great as it is --- in fact, I would go so far as to say this film seemed overrated to me --- it was just okay, and I like I said, the memorable funny bits have propelled it to a cult film, much loved by many.   I'd give it 3 out of 5 stars.  "


"PRINCESS BRIDE"      1 hour, 38 mins               PG               1987

While home sick in bed, a young boy's grandfather reads him the story of a farmboy-turned-pirate who encounters numerous obstacles, enemies and allies in his quest to be reunited with his true love. 

Stars:  Robin Wright, Mandy Patinki, Cary Elwes, Billy Crystal, Wallace Shawn

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Saturday, August 7, 2021

Movie #2173.........................."The Mauritanian"

 Movie #2173 "The Mauritanian " (netflix DVD)  This is a tough movie to watch about the treatment of the prisoners, one in particular, after 9/11 at Guantanamo Bay.  Without seeing this movie, I figured what was happening with  the pressure on finding those who were to blame and the torturing that was happening as a result.  But to see it.............not that the film has scene after scene showing it --- there's just one section, but it is tough to watch.  Aside from that, there's very little story --- it just involves how the prosecutor (played by Cumberbatch) finds out the truth of the torture and how he deals with that, and the defending lawyer (Jodie Foster) who finds out about what happened to Sahli (the Mauritanian) and how she fights for her rights.  Most of the information is done in blurbs at the end of the film, so I don't highly recommend this movie at all.  I thought it would give much more information.  I would give this a 3.5 out of 5.  It did make me want to look for the book it is based on, hoping it would give more information.


"THE MAURITANIAN"              2 hours, 9 mins               2021                rated - R

Based on the NY Times best-selling memoir "Guantánamo Diary" by Mohamedou Ould Slahi, this is the true story of Slahi's fight for freedom after being detained and imprisoned without charge by the U.S. Government for years. Alone and afraid, Slahi finds allies in defense attorney Nancy Hollander and her associate Teri Duncan who battle the U.S. government in a fight for justice that tests their commitment to the law and their client at every turn. Their controversial advocacy, along with evidence uncovered by a formidable military prosecutor, Lt. Colonel Stuart Couch, uncovers shocking truths and ultimately proves that the human spirit cannot be locked up.

Director:  Kevin McDonald

Actors:  Tahir Rahim, Jodie Foster, Benjamin Cumberbatch, Shalene Wooley

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