Netflix Movie Review: Remarkably Bright Creatures

 This is an emotional life drama narrated by an octopus (Alfred Molina).  In the end two characters come together in an unexpected way.  Tova (Sally Field) lost her son when he was in high school due to a boat accident.  Cameron (Lewis Pullman) comes to town looking for his father.  He stays with a friend, Ethan Mack (Colm Meaney) of Tova's, living in his van.  He is hired at the local aquarium, where the octopus resides.  He is going to replace Tova as the janitor, who is thinking of crossing the bay and living in a senior home.  Cameron find the man he thought was his father, but he is not.  He has a girlfriend, Avery (Sofia Black D'alia).  But he blows it when he meets her son who is high school age.  

The octopus has to go to drastic measures to fix things, before he returns to the ocean to die.  

This movie is a current offer on aNetflix.  It is very likable.  The ending is very good.

Harrison Ford Movie Review: **^ Witness (1985)

 This movie is rated "R" and like most movies of this ilk left me with a bad feeling at the end.  Too much vioence and using the F word does that to me.  The actors do a good job, Harrison Ford as Book and Kelly McGillis as Rachel.  Rachel is a widow who travels through Philadelphia with her son.  Her son witnesses a murder at the train station.  At the police station he identifies a police officer from narcotics as the killer.  When Book reports this to his boss, that officer comes for Book.  Book flees with Rachel and the boy, Samuel (Lukas Haas) to Amish country, the home of her father (Jan Rubes) where he hides, and recovers from a bullet wound.  After recovering Bok gives himself away when he hits a local boy who was teasing the Amish.  Eventually the dirty police come for him, Schaeffer (Josef Sommer), McFee (Daniel Glover) and Fergie (Angus MacInnes).  

This movie is too violent, but it does show the contrast with the peaceful Amish community.  It is a. very good look inside the community which you don't see on a regular basis.  

Music Review: Karen Carpenter

 Karen Carpenter recorded a solo album while Richard was taking a year off for drug rehab from Quaaludes.  The music was recorded 1979-1980.  However it was not released.  The producers at A&M Records did not think they could release it.  Karen went along with the decision but was not happy with it.  Some of the songs on the record were rearranged by Richard and included in Carpenters music, but this was after Karen had passed away. The C.D. was not released as Karen wished until 1996, 13 years after her death.  It was first released in Japan, and then in the United States.  I peaked at number 19 in Japan.  The only known song is the Paul Simon song, "Still Crazy, After all these Years."  "Make Believe Its Your First Time" by Bob Morrison had previously been released in a Carpenter posthumous album, Voice of the Heart.

Karen Carpenter's voice is unique and it is always a pleasure to listen to her. 

Meg Ryan Movie Review: **^ Ithaca (2015)

 This movie is about a young man, Homer Macauley (Alex Neustaedter) who works as a delivery person with his bike.  Problems is he delivers telegraphs from the war department informing people of deaths in the war.  He works for Tom Spangler (Hamish Linklater) and with Willie Grogan (Sam Shepard).  His own father (Tom Hanks) has recently passed away but visits his mother (Meg Ryan) as a ghost.  His younger brother (Spencer Howell) is precocious and about town, his older sister (Christine Nelson) has a boyfriend, and his older brother (Jack Quaid) is off to war.  Everything falls apart when Grogan the telegraph operator get the message that Hoer's brother has been killed in the war.  The telegraph operator dies.  And Homer gets to deliver the message to his mother.  Fortunately a fellow soldier beats him to the home to tell his mother of the loss.  

I really didn't care for this movie.  I couldn't see what was the point.  Meg Ryan directed and it is baed on a book, The Human Comedy by William Saroyan.  

Movie Review: **** The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)

 Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) is up to his old tricks, and he is tracking down his history.  Treadstone did not go away, but it is now operating under a new name, Blackbriar.  The operation is a program to train and direct assassins.  The CIA directors who are running the program, and insist on going after are Noah Vosens (David Strathairn) and Ezra Kramer (Scott Glenn).  Kramer is the immediate boss of Pam Landy (Joan Allen) who is trying to advocate for Bourne.  Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles) also tries to help, and gets caught with Bourne in the field.  There is a reporter (Paddy Considine) with information on Treadstone but he is murdered before Bourne can get the information.  Bourne actually breaks into the CIA office and gets records about the program from from Vosens' office.  He gets this to Pam Landy who quickly gets it out before they can kill her.   Bourne finally meets the behavioral psychiatrist, Dr. Albert Hirsch (Albert Finney) who has made the assassins.  He has no regrets.  The program comes down, and Bourne continues on the road.  Again plenty of action.  Bourne has to fend off several assassins who come for him.  Thee are also lots of chase scenes.  

Bourne and Parsons

Harrison Ford Movie: **** What Lies Beneath (2000)

 This is a very good Halloween/Ghost story.  After taking her daughter, Caitlin (Katharine Towne) to school, Claire Spencer (Michelle Pfeiffer) starts seeing a ghost.  The new neighbors Mary and Warren Feur (Miranda Otto and James Remar) have a love hate relationship, and then the wife disappears so she assumes he has murdered his wife and the ghost if of her.  However when she confronts him, his wife is there.  Her husband, Norman Spencer (Harrison Ford) is not very sympathetic.  She sees a psychiatrist (Joe Morton) who suggests she ask the ghost what it wants.  She and her friend, Jody (Diana Scarwid) try a seance but with limited success.  A woman disappeared a year ago, about the time of Claire's accident.  She slowly becomes convinced that this is the ghost, and it has something to do with her husband.  

If you are into a good fright this is a very good movie.  Harrison Ford is in a different type of role for him.

In Theaters: Star Wars: ****^ The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026)

 What ever you say about this movie it is a fun ride.  Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) (Brendan Wayne and Lateef Crowder assist) and Grogu have been recruited to help out factions of the old empire.  They take an assignment from Colonel Ward (Sijourney Weaver) to rescue Rotta the Hutt (Jeremy Allen White), son of Jabba in exchange for information from Jabba's twin brothers who now run the crime syndicate.  Zeb Orellios (Steve Blum) travels with them.  They find Rotta who is a gladiator fighter.  He does not care to be rescued.  However the gladiator boss intends for Rotta to die in the ring.  Turns out Rotta and Mando fight a large group of monsters intended to be a killing move by the arena leader, Lord Janu (Johnny Coyne).  Mando and Zeb capture Rotta but he reports the person they are looking for is actually Lord Janu and his uncles want to kill him so they can have legitimate claim to Jabba's network.  So they take Janu with them and facilitate Rotta's escape.  Now they Hutt are after Mando and send a bounty hunter to bring him in.  They end up as captives in the Hutt stronghold.  Mando is de-helmeted, a great shame for a Mandalorian.  He is cast into a monster pit.  Grogu helps him escape, but not before the dragon serpent poisons him.  Thanks to a local fisherman (Stephen Mckinley Henderson) who provides an antidote for the poison.  They then decide to storm the castle and rescue Rotta.  Rotta fights the uncles and the all fall into the dragon serpent pit.  However Grogu lifts Rotta with the force and rescues him.  

Lot of cool action and interesting characters based on the Star Wars franchise.  I think Mandalorian could do with the return of Gina Carano as Cara Dune.  I really liked her but she was fired by Disney for not being politically correct.  

Movie Review: **** The Bourne Supremacy (2004)

 The action continues, but we start with a tragedy.  Ward Abbott (Brian Cox), head of Treadstone is intent on getting Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) based on something he might remember.  The frame him for a CIA operation that went bad.  They then someone to kill Bourne.  Instead of killing him, they kill his girl, Marie (Franka Potente).  So Bourne is back and needing answers.  Pamela Landy (Joan Allen) now works high up in the CIA.  She and Nicky (Julia Stiles) are trying to get to the bottom of things.  Again Bourne is chased by the world, and finally things turn on Cox, who instead of being arrested does himself in.  Bourne is equal to the tasks of those who are sent to kill him, and he finally gets the person who pulled the trigger that killed his girl, Kirill (Karl Urban).  Some memories return for Bourne.  He is able to apologize to the daughter of a couple he murdered.  

Movie Review: **** Bourne Identity (2002)

 The Bourne movies are action from start to finish.  This is th first of a series.  Bourne (Matt Damon) has botched an assassination attempt, an was shot in the back twice.  He is fished from the ocean by some fishermen, and they save his life.  He does not know who he is, but they discover a chip in his. body with a safe deposit box number.  There he finds cash and passports from several countries with his picture and the name Jason Bourne.  He recruits a young woman, Marie (Franka Potente) for a ride.  However his former boss, Conklin (Chris Cooper) of Treadstone is not willing to let him go.  Conklin's boss is Ward Abbott (Brian Cox).  They send several assassins after Bourne, but they are not successful.  He gets Marie away.  In the end he get away himself.  Abbott orders an assassin to take out Conklin.  The woman who was Bourne's handler is Nicki Parsons (Julia Stiles).  She does not believe Bourne has gone rogue.

High action and the amnesia angle makes this a more interesting movie.  

Music Review: You Are My Sunshine: Elizabeth Mitchell

 This is a lovely set of children's songs.  The title song, "You are my Sunshine" she actually sings twice.  It is lovey.  Other songs that are very impressive include: "Hey Bo Diddley" written by Bo Diddley.  This is a take of "Hush Little Baby" with a vamped up rhythm.  "Skip to my Lou" is nice.  "Car, Car? written by Woody Guthrie is very fun.  I also like "Froggy Went a Courtin.'"  :The Crawdad Song" is also very nice.  

Movie Review: ****^ Picnic (1955)

 This is a very good movie where passion wins out over what would make sense financially.  Madge Owens (Kim Novak) has a boy, Alan Benson (Cliff Robertson) who has claimed her as she is the most beautiful girl in town.  However she is not satisfied being a thing instead of a person.  When Hal Carter (William Holden) comes to town things change.  He is a transient and down on his luck, but knows Benson from college and hopes to get a job.  It is also the day of the Labor Day  picnic.  Carter goes to the picnic with Madge's younger sister, Millie (Susan Strasburg).  She is obviously young for him but Madge is with Benson.  Madge's mother (Betty Field) does what she can to keep her daughter with Benson; but before the night is over, Madge leaves with Carter.  A school teacher (Rosalind Russell) rents a room from the mother.  She has a long term boy friend (Arthur O'Connell) who does not commit.  After she has drunk some she makes a pass at Carter who rejects her.  She rips his shirt.  The evening turns out well for her as her boyfriend finally proposes marriage.  Shortly after his shirt is ripped, Carter and Madge take off in Benson's car which Carter had been using all night.  He returns the car in the morning, and the police want to arrest him for stealing the car, he runs and has to leave town, but not before seeing Madge.  He confesses his love, as does she.  He runs and catches the train.  Benson calls to say he forgives Madge; but Madge decides to follow Carter, taking the bus.  

The actors do very well at their rolls.  This is a movie based on a stage play of the same name written by William Inge.  A couple musicals were written based on the same play, but were not successful.

Movie Review: ***^ Leave No Trace

 A father and son choose to live in the forrest (outside of Portland).  The father, Will (Ben Foster) suffers from PTSD.  He sells his medication from the VA to buy supplies.  His daughter, Tom (Thomasin McKenzie) and he live together quite comfortably.  They have their own little home in a tent.  And are able to take care of themselves, until Tom is seen by a logging crew.  Shortly after police and social services intervene.  The government finds them a place to live and work.  However Will has difficulty living with others, so the run.  This time they head to Washington state with higher elevation and colder temperature.  Will takes a fall and breaks his leg, but they are rescued and taken to a commune type place.  They stay until Will heals, but he again gets antsy.  They take off again.  But Tom sticks up for herself, says she likes living where she is and turns back.  However they stay in contact as Tom leaves him supplies regularly.  

This is a good study of personalities and PTSD, of being young and trying to make your way in the world.  This family does not consider themselves homeless, but society does.  

Sandra Bullock Movie Review: ***^ Speed (1994)

 Speed is a wild ride.  It is rated R as it has too mch f'ing.  It does have some memorial characters.  Annie (Sandra Bullock) is a bus passenger, who grabs the wheel when the driver is shot.  Jack Traven (Keanu Reevs) is a bomb specialist with LAPD.  Howard Payne (Dennis Hopper) is the bomber.  He ius Ex bomb squad police who retired when fingers blown off; but not happy with his severance.  Harry (Jeff Daniels) is Traven's partner.  He does not survive as a bomb explodes when they go to Payne's home.  Not all of this is realistic; especially driving the bus through town and keeping it above 50 mph.  If it goes below 50 a bomb will explode.  Lots of action and lots of peril.  

Music Review: Roberto Carlos: Grandes Exitos. (Greatest Hits) (2007)

I was not familiar with Roberto Carlos but looking him up in Wikipedia I learned he is the King of Brazilian Music.  Portuguese is his native language but this C.D. is in Spanish.  He is likely the biggest star of all time in Latin America.  None of his songs are familiar to me but I especially like the beat and the sound of "Mi Cacharrito" (Road Hog).  He got a loaner from the car repair shop and talks about how the girls loved his car which he drove around town at 10 miles and hour.  It is a very funny song and he adds sound effects like beep beep.  His C.D. is mostly love songs and this is a nice change.  This song is actually one of his earlier songs.  

Roberto Carlos if known for popularizing pop rock in Brazil.  His influence extends beyond Brazil's borders.  Other songs I liked on the C.D. are "Lady Laura," "El Gato Que Está Triste y Azul". (The Cat that is Sad and Blue), and "Amada Amante" (beloved lover). I enjoyed this set of songs.  

Movie Review: ***Hotel Rwanda (2004)

 This movie is very intense.  I am glad I saw it once, but there is too much killing and cadavers all over the place to watch it more than once.  This is about the genocide of the Tutsi population by the Hutu.  The Hutu controlled the government fighting the rebels.  The rebels succeeded in killing the president which triggered the killing.  Paul Resesabagina (Don Cheadle) manages a hotel where many Tutsi come to avoid the war.  His wife, Tatiana (Sophie Okonedo) takes up supporting the orphans who show up.  The U.N. Colonel Oliver (Nick Nolte) provides all the support he can, and in the end helps them get away to the U.N. reception area.  They keep searching for Sophie's brother and her wife who have gone missing.  They never are able to find them, but they do find their daughters at the reception center.  Joaquin Phoenix plays a t.v. reporter.

Harrison Ford Movie: **** Firewall (2006)

Jack Stanfield (Harrison Ford) works in security in a large bank.  He and his family, his wife Beth (Virginia Madsen) and kids, Sarah and Andy (Carly Schroeder and Jimmy Bennett) are held hostage by a group of thieves intent on stealing $10,000 from 10,000 richest customers.  The thieves have studied the family for some time, opening a gambling account in Jack's name and a bill of $85,000.  The thieves are very treacherous.  They are lead by Bill Cox (Paul Bettany).  Jack's coworker, Harry Romano (Robert Forster) introduced Jack and Cox.  His boss is Arlin Fiorester (Alan Arkin). His assistant is Janet Stone (Mary Lynn Rajskub). They control Jack by threatening his family.  They try to get away but fail.  Stanfield is forced to help them get the money, erase tapes and allow cox into sensitive areas.  They also set him up as a jealous husband, making his wife record that he is leaving for Romano.  Cox visits Romano and murders him using Stanfield's gun.  

However Stanfield is able to do a double cross, having taken a picture of the account numbers where the money went.  He recruits Stone to help him.  The family after the operation was being taken to a rural area for their murder.  Stanfield overwhelmed the man sent to kill him and iill hi instead.  He lets Cox know his money is gone and won't come back until he gets his family.  The family is still alive, and the dog with a gps tracking device is with them.  Consequently they are able to track them.  

This movie is very good.  The fighting at the end had me really riled up.  Very exciting.  They bad guys are easily hated.  None of them would help the family as they were all committed.  When asked why you hate us the answer is, we don't, we just don't care about you. 

Alfred Hitchcock, John Steinbeck Movie: **** Life Boat (1944)

 This is a very good movie about a group of people that make it to a life boat after a German U-boat sunk their ship.  It includes both passengers and crew, and a member of the crew that sunk them.  Connie Porter (Tallulah Bankhead) was the first on the boat, having ben put there by a crew member.  She is taking pictures for publication.  The boat is then caught by a crew member, John Kovac (John Hodiak) from the engine room who was on break when the ship was hit.  He asserts himself as captain.  Gus Smith (William Bendix) another crew member who has been shot in the leg.  Stanley "Sparks" Garrett (Hume Cronyn) is a radio operator.  Alice McKenzie (Mary Anderson) is and army nurse.  She takes to fixing Smith's leg as best she can.  Charles J. Rittenhouse (Henry Hull) arrives next.  H is a wealthy industrialist.  Joe Spencer (Canada Lee) African American steward arrives with a woman, Mrs. Higley (Heather Angel) who is clutching her baby.  Spencer explains he had to drag her along as she has tried to drown the baby and herself.  The baby dies.  She is in shell shock and very distraught.  Lastly Willi (Walter Slezak) arrives and the quickly he is German and from the U-boat which was sunk.  

There is a feeling to throw the German back, but calmer voices prevail and they keep him for now.  He is the only one with a compass which he keeps hid, but he influences them to go towards German resupply ships instead of Bermuda where they want to go.  Mrs Higley is shell shocked and after missing her baby wants to join her.  They have to tie her up, but when they are all asleep she manages to slip over the side.  

During the course of being marooned, Porter loses everything, first her camera, then her fur coat which she gives to Mrs. Higley before she goes over the side, her typewriter gets knocked over the side.  Even her bracelet which she uses to attract fish but then it gets away.  Those on the boat facer storms, thirst, hunger, nerves, the boat filling with water, not knowing which way to go, treachery and people from different backgrounds.  

Smith, really Schmidt, gets gangrene in his leg.  The German, (they discover he is the captain) indicates he has a history of being a doctor and cuts off the leg to save his life.  However over time Smith is so thirsty he starts drinking sea water.  He becomes delusional.  With the German captain encouraging him, he goes overboard to join his girl.  The others are distraught with him when they discover this, and that he has water.  That was why he got Smith to go over the edge as he had discovered this.  They finally throw the German overboard,  just before they are found by a German resupply ship.  However the ship is under attack and they are in the middle of the fight.  When the resupply ship is sunk they are set to be rescued.  Based on the book by John Steinbeck.  This is a very good Hitchcock, and is a very good study of persons under pressure as are John Steinbeck's books.

Alfred Hitchcock Movie Review: **** Suspicion (1941)

 Johnny Aysgarth (Cary Grant) is a down on his luck lady's man and gambler.  He meets Lina McLaidlaw (Joan Fontaine) on the train.  They have a nonconventional romance.  He crashes a family balls and meets her parents, General McLaidlaw (Cedric Hardwicke) and Mrs. McLaidlaw (May Whitty).  The father does not approve of Aysgarth, who is known as a womanizer.  They marry.  Getting home from their honeymoon he starts to reveal his true self.  He has bought a nice home and hired maids, with no means of support.  He expects his wife's income to pay for everything.  He is disappointed when father-in-law sends a couple chairs for a wedding present.  He sells them to get money for the race track.  He hits big at the races and buys them back. His good friend, Beaky (Nigel Bruce) visits and tells the Mrs what kind of person Aysgarth is.  He faces the necessity of getting a job.  Which he does but embezzles money.  Father-in-laws dies, but nothing except the continued income goes to the daughter, and a portrait of the general.  Aysgarth is in dire straits.  She starts a real estate business with Beaky, but decides he isn't going to work due to bad soil so backs out.  Beaky is to go to Paris to get out of the deal, but he dies while he is there.  He had a chronic reaction to brandy and someone gave him a full glass.  Lina worries this may have been her husband.  Now she is worrying her husband may do her in next.  Her husband has been asking questions about poisons.  She makes arrangements to go to her mother's.  Johnny drives her and the door flings open.  Johnny reaches over to close the door, but she thinks he is tryig to push her out.  Johnny gets the car stopped and wonders what is wrong.  She discovers her husband was in Liverpool trying to resolve his debt without success.  He was not in Paris.  Consequently he thought of taking his own life was the next best option, not murdering his wife.  They reconcile and head home together to face the music.

Music Review: Andy Williams: 16 Most Requested Songs

Andy Williams: 16 Most Requested Songs, CDS Columbia Records, 1986.

Andy Williams has a distinctive voice, and had his own TV varity show for many years.  He also regularly hosted a TV Christmas Special.  The mosgt distinctive songs in this C.D. are covers of movie themes, "Moon River," "Born Free," "Love Theme" from Romeo and Juliet, "Maria" from West Side Story amd "The Impossible Dream" from "Man of la Mancha."  Also included is "Danny Boy" and the "Hawaiian Wedding Song."

Alfred Hitchcock and James Stewart Movie: ****^ Rear Window (1955)

 L.B. Jefferies (James Stewart) is a photographic reporter but is down with a broken leg he received while working.  He has plenty of time to look at his back window at the neighbors.  His nurse Stella (Thelma Ritter) chastises him as being a window peeper.  His girlfriend, Lisa Fremont (Grace Kelly) visits and he pays more attention to the neighbors than to her.  He doesn't want the relationship to go further as he feels they are from different worlds, however she loves him.  Things get interesting when he observes a neighbor going out late night on a stormy night, and his wife disappearing after that.  He is convinced the neighbor, Lars Thorwald (Raymond Burr) has killed his wife. However he cannot convince anyone else of this.  He talks to his friend in the police, Tom Doyle (Wendell Corey) but nothing he can do without some type of evidence.  The police enquire and he tells them his wife went to France.  He is later observed going through his wife's purse, which has her rings, including the wedding ring.  But how to get anything to show the police.  Lisa decides to intervene directly.  First they get him out of the house, and then she goes in and finds the ring.  However Thorwald comes home too early and finds her.  She puts on the ring.  Jefferies calls the police saving her life, but she is taken to the police station.  

They now have some proof, but Thorwald is onto Jefferies and shows up at his apartment.  Very exciting and very tense.  

Tom Selleck TV Movie Review: **** Last Stand at Saber River (1997)

 Paul Cable (Tom Selleck) returns home from the Civil War having fought for the Confederacy.  He left the war after being wounded and knowing the war is now a lost cause.  He meets his wife, Martha (Suzy Amis) and two kids, Clare and Davis (Rachel Duncan and Haley Joel Osment) in Texas where they have been staying with her father, James Sanford (Harry Carey Jr.).  Cable learns that is third child, Mary, became ill and died three years earlier.  Quickly we learn that things are not right between the Cables; they are both much changed from the war.  They are anxious to get home--which is in Arizona.  

However in arriving home things still are not good.  Another family has been living in their house, and when they ask them to move there is a gun battle in which Martha kills a couple men when they draw on her husband.  Of course the rest of the family wants to make it even and another brother dies.  In addition there are another coupoe ranchers, Vern and Duane Kidston (Keith and David Carradine) who supported the Union.  There is an instant feud.  Lastly there is a man who has been running guns for the confederacy, Edward Janroe (David Dukes) who wants Cable to continue fighting for the cause while Cable says the war is over.  

When the papers announce the war is over, Genroe says he will tell Cable who is on his ranch.  Instead he trashes the house, and then murders Duane Kidston.  He is framing Cable as the murderer.  He wants to create a war so Cable has to kill the local Unionists.   Would have worked but Cable and Kidston talk before killing each other as Martha has a gun drawn on Kidston to save her husband's life.  Then it is obvious what has happened.

This movie is very good.  It shows Selleck when he was young, before the Magnum PI days.  It also shows a very strong woman in Martha.  She saves her husband on several times.  And at the end of the movie her heart finally melts and she and her husband reconcile.  The kids are also pretty strong, especially Clare.

Movie Review: ***^ Premonition (2007)

 Now this is a movie based on confusion.  Linda Hanson (Sandra Bullock) is informed by a police officer that her husband, Jim Hanson (Julian McMahon) has passed away in a car accident.  But then when she wakes the next morning he is alive.  And then his funeral comes, and she is not willing to accept that he is dead, so she insists on seeing him in the casket, to discover he was decapitated.  But then he is alive again the next day.  She ends up being hauled away to a mental hospital, but then he is alive again.  She begins to realize she is not living her days in order.  She figures what day she is at, and on what day her husband dies.  The only one who understands her "premonition" is a minister.  Her daughter, Megan (Shyann McClure) shows up with cuts and scars one day.  But later she lives the day of her running through a glass window.  She has another daughter, Bridgette (Courtney Taylor Burness).  She discovers that her husband was a flirt, Claire (Amber Valletta) which he hopes becomes more.  She gets to the point of reconciling with her husband and talking to him about things; before it is too late.  She also has a very opinionated mother who takes care of the kids frequently.  Joanne (Kate Nelligan) is worried about her daughter and arranges for her to go into a mental hospital.  Linda's good friend Annie (Nia Long) is also involved in this.  She even goes to where her husband is going to crash.  He leaves early for work on the day of the crash, and she misses the chance to keep him home, wo she follows.  She finally gets him on the phone, after he told the flirt it was a no go.  She asks hi to turn around, and in doing so a truck crashes with his vehicle.  We see her several months later, and she is now pregnant with their third child.

Music Review: The Turtles: 20 Greatest Hitsl

 The Turtles: 20 Greatest Hits, Rhino Records, 1984.

The Turtles have a unique sound, but they must not have4 had very many hit songs because some of these are rather painful.  Only a couple r4cogizable songs, "It Ain't Me Babe" a cover of a Bob Dhlan song, and "Happy Together."  This is their only number one hit.  It is very recognizable and a fun song.  Another top scoring song was "She'd Rather Be With Me."  I also like Elenore.  

Miniseries TV Movie Review: **** The Sacketts (1979)

Three brothers head west for their individual reasons, Tell, Orrin and Tyrel Sackett (Sam Elliott, Tom Selleck and Jeff Osterhage).   Orrin and Tyrel get in the cattle business while Tell seeks gold.  Tell accuses a gambler of cheating and the gambler draws on him and kills him, Wes Bigelow (James Gammon).  Consequently the Bigelow brothers, Ira, Benson and Jack (Jack Elam, Gene Evans and Slim Pickens) are all after Tell.  Tell has a partner, Cap (Ben Johnson) who was on a cattle drive with Orrin and Tyrel.  They find gold, and find a young woman, Ange Kerry (Wendy Rastattar) who has been living in the mine for a couple years since her father died.  

After the cattle drive Orrin and Tyrel go after abandoned cattle in the mountains with a former lawyer, gunslinger Tom Sunday (Glen Ford).  The are near Santa Fe where there is a young woman (Ana Alisia) who attracts Tyrel, and another golden haired woman who attracts Orrin.  Her father is Jonathan Pritts (John Vernon) who hopes to control Santa Fe now that it is part of the United States.  He hires gunmen to assert his claim.  The Mexicans are being bullied.  They decide to hold an election for sheriff hoping they can assert their rights instead of being bullied by Pritts.  Orrin and Sunday run, and when Orrin wins Sunday becomes bitter.  He eventually decides to kill Orrin, and Tyrel has to stop him.  Pritts attempts to hire a murder and this is divulged and he is arrested.

In the meantime the Bigelows and their hired men have Tell, Cap and the girl cornered in their mine.  The girl gets away on a horse of the Bigelows, head to town and sends telegram to the brothers in Santa Fe. The Bigelows did not catch up with Orrin, and decided to wait for him in town.   Consequently we have a big gun battle to end the show.  This is a Louis L'Amour book and he is the narrator.  

Movie Review: ****American Violet (2008)

 Movies about racial injustice can get me so angry.  This is about a drug raid and a young woman caught up in it.  The drug raid was conducted by an all white police force against all Blacks.  It was possible because at the time on person accusing you subjected you to arrest.  In this case one person was coerced to name many more.  In fact the police gave this person a yes or no list and hinted at who he should accuse.  It was common at this time for everyone to take a plea deal.  This is what was expected.  Otherwise, as with this woman, you are separated from your kids and your life.  In this case Dee Roberts (Nicole Beharie) is accused but cannot afford the high bail.

The ACLU intervenes and sue the county for discriminatory practices.  All the cases are thrown out, and eventually they get to the county attorney as his racist attitudes come out.  However he does win reelection.  David Cohen (Tim Blake Nelson) is ACLU attorney.  A local attorney, Sam Conroy (Will Patton), works with him, as does Byron Hill (Malcolm Barrett).  Hill, who is African American, interviews the county attorney Calvin Beckett (Michael O'Keefe).  This is a catalyst to the racism coming out.  They had also interviewed his daughter and ex wife who pointed towards this racism.   

As a result of this case, laws were changed in Texas to not allow persecutions based on one accuser.  Based on the true life case of Regina Kelly.  

TV Movie Review: **** Temple Grandin (2010)

 This movie is based on an actual person with autism, Temple Grandin (Claire Danes).  She is able to see patterns others do not see, while at the same time having issues with over sensory stimulation.  She has a geometric mind, and sees thinks in pictures.  She would visit her aunt (Catherine O'Hara) and uncle in summer who had a cattle farm.  She watched them serving the cows and noticed they would calm down when in the lock.  She used this treatment on herself and found it worked when she was riled up.  Her mother (Julia Ormond) through the years was very good with her, even when the said she should be institutionalized.  She finally gets her into a boarding school where they had horses.  She found a mentor in Dr. Carlock (David Strathairn).  She graduates and attend college.  Her first years if hard.  She develops a device to do the same service as the cattle stall.  However the school does not accept it, including her roommate.  The school throws it out and will not let her have the device.  However the next year she returns her roommate is blind, Alice (Melissa Farman).  Together they support each other.  Alice sees the world through sound, and Grandin through images.  She has no issues with the device, and Grandin does research on the device to prove that it is helpful.  She graduates and gives a speech at graduation.  After graduation she works with animals, particularly cattle.  She can tell by their moos how they are doing.  She notices they walk in circles.  She develops devices for the cattle for doing the dip where cows walk through water to get medicine for tics and such.  She becomes a correspondent for a cattle grower's magazine.  She is now a professor in Colorado.  

Temple Grandin is a very interesting character.  

Music Review: Frankie Valli and the 4 Seasons: Greatest Hits Vol 2 (1991)

 I did not care for this C.D. a great deal as kit was of their second tier of songs.  Even so there were a few songs I really enjoy.  "Rag Doll," "Working My Way Back to You," "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You," "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" and "My Eyes Adored You" to name a few.  I l like their music for the Frankie Valli falsetto.  However, in a couple songs this was handled by others of the 4 Seasons as they were trying to differentiate from Frankie Valli's solo career.  He did sing lead on "Let's Hang On."  "We've got a lot of love between us so let's hang on."  

Tom Hanks Movie Review: **^ Asteroid City (2023)

 This movie is very confusing to me.  Mostly it is about a family driving home to the father-in-laws residence where they plan to live for a while after the mother has passed away. Augie Steenbeck (Jason Schwartzman) has not yet told his children even though she died three weeks ago.  He is carrying her ashes in a Tupperware dish.  He is traveling with his son Woodrow (Jake Ryan) and three daughters, Andromeda, Pandora and Cassiopeia (Ella, Gracie and Willan Ferris). Those three ad some good humor as they can be vicious.  When they get to Asteroid City the car blows out.  Steenbeck contacts his father-in-law (Tom Hanks) and he agrees to come and get them.  In the meantime Midge Campbell (Scarlett Johansson) who is a movie star and her daughter, Dinah (Grace Harris) arrive in Asteroid City.  As does a bus load of people and many more coming for the annual Asteroid Day celebration.  The ceremony for Astroid Day is conducted by General Gibson (Jeffrey Wright).  And at the ceremonies they are visited by a space alien.  Consequently the town is put on quarantine, including the visitors.  The government tries to keep the story locked down,  The story deals with the father and kids struggling with losing their wife and mother.  The father too also struggles with losing his daughter.

The confusing part of this movie is the format, a movie about a television programs which is airing a dramatic play.  I can't keep track of what is what, because there is also real life going on.  The movie concludes with the line, "You can't wake up, if you do't fall asleep."  Apparently meaning you have to go on, and then you can deal with the grief or issue over time.  But again this movie is very weird.

Music Review: Celtic Women, Lullaby

Lullaby is a 2010 release from Celtic Women and funded through PBS.  This is a group of ten going to bed songs featuring the light voices of the Celtic Women.  This C.D. features early performers and more recent performers.  This includes the early violinist, Mâiréad Nesbitt.  The vocalists are Chloe Agnew, Lynn Hilary, Lisa Kelly, Órla Fallon, Mêav Ní Mhaolchatha and Hayley Westerna.

The songs are classic children's songs; two from Disney, "When You Wish Upon a Star" and "Stay Awake" are from Pinocchio and Mary Poppins.  One is from Wizard of Oz, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow."  One is an Irish song, "Suantrai," which is Irish for Lullaby.  We also have two classic songs, Brahms "Lullaby" and "Hush Little Baby."  Very enjoyable.  I really like "Hush Thee My Baby."

Music Review: Mormon Tabernacle Choir: Then Sings My Soul

 Then Sings My Soul, Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Orchestra at Temple Square, Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Intellectual Reserve Inc., SLC, Utah 2006.

This is a set of 18 highly spiritual songs.  It starts with "How Great Thou Art" and doesn't let up until the last note is heard.  Several sosngs have trumpet fanfares which makes them very powerful.  This includes "Redeemer of Israel" and "High on a Mountain Top."  These songs really get the blood moving.  On a more spiritual tone are "I Know that my Redeemer Lives," "Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee" and "The Spirit of God like a Fire Is Burning."

There are plenty of songs to love in this C.D.  A couple I liked less was their version of "The Lord Is my Shepherd."  I guess I like the standard version.  I also didn't like "I Will Sing with the Spirit."  It was too soft.  

Music Review: Putumayo Presents Café Latino

 Putumayo Presents Latin Cafe, Putumayo World Music, 2013.

This is a compilation of Latino artists.  This C.D. has artists from France with exposure to Spanish musicians, Columbia, Cuba, Canada with a Mexican father, Cuban descent, Venezuela, Spain and Ecuador.

Mónica Giraldo from Columbia sings of waiting for someone to walk by.  Her song, "Por verte llegar" has a Latin beat with bluesy guitar and is very uptempo.  Amanda Martinez from Canada sings a song with a tango feel, and violin.  She sings "Alcoba Azul" with lots of passion.  "El Avion" sung by Jose Conde from the U.S. with Cuban parents, has a very catchy rhythm and accompaniment.  Sacha Nairobi plays the cuatro, a smaller guitar common in Latin American.  She sings of being frozen in time with her love.  Miquel Gil sings "L'amor es Déu en barco," Love is God in a boat.  I am not sure what that means but this song has an interesting sound, sort of like a southwest cowboy song.  He sings in Catalan.  Alex Cuba Band is from Cuba but now lives in Canada,  His song Café Havana has a definite Caribbean feel.  Soñando con Quito by Alex Alvear from Ecuador and Marta Gomez form Colombia.  She sings and he plays guitar.  Georgina Hassan is from Argentina but her song does not feel Argentine.  "A Primera Vista" (at first sight) is a Brazilian song which she sings in both Spanish and Portuguese.  This song has a very nice Jazzy sound.

Putumayo seems to produce very nice anthonogies.  I do not like this as well as Latin Lounge but it is still very nice.

Movie Review: ***^ Philomena (2013)

 This is a movie of a mother, Philomena (Judi Dench/ Sophie Kennedy Clark)  trying to find her son 50 years after he was adopted.  She is from Ireland, and was in a home run by nuns.  They sold her child to a couple from America, which is where he had gone.  She recruits a reporter, Martin Sixsmith (Steve Coogan) with the help of her daughter, Jane (Anna Maxwell Martin).  The home for the nuns was not helpful and would not tell them anything.  They said the records were burned in a fire.  Turns out the nuns burnt them while keeping the relinquishment papers.  A neighbor tells them they were selling babies for $1000 pounds each. 

She and the journalist who is pursuing the story, head to America to see if they can track him down.  They discover who he is, Michael Hess (a lawyer who served on Reagan's and Bush's staff.  He died from AIDS some years before.  Philomena is looking for some sign he thought about her.

Turns out he was looking for his, and went to the same nunnery and was told that she didn't want anything to do with her son.  The nuns knew they were both looking, but the old nun said it was their penance.  

He insisted on being buried in Ireland there at the cemetery where he was adopted.  This is so his mother could pay his respects, and she did.

This story in actuality was written by the reporter Martin Sixsmith.

In Theaters: **** The Devil Wears Prada 2 (2026)

After being let go by her newspaper, Andrea/Andy (Anne Hathaway) takes employment with her old boss in the fashion world.  She is in charge of the magazine part of the business.  However Miranda (Meryl Streep) doesn't really want her.  Andrea has to prove herself every day.  She finally does scoring an interview with Sasha (Lucy Liu), who is mega rich and doesn't give interviews.  Their is an old friend, Emily (Emily Blunt) who use to work with Andy but is now running a business.  She is a major advertiser so they must visit with her.  She has a new rich boyfriend.  Miranda's head assistant, Nigel (Stanley Tucci) would like a bigger job and more recognition.  Miranda is due for promotion, but the owner dies before it is announced.  The son takes over, and goes a different direction with downsizing, or selling.  Everything is about to change as Emily's boyfriend is planning to buy and then Emily will run things, kicking Miranda to the curb.  However in the end there is another buyer, Sasha, who will not be that active so Miranda keeps her job, and Andy moves up and all are happy.

Interesting look at the fashion world, which is not my scene.  Lady Gaga sings at the fashion show.  Miranda skips out and Nigel gets his chance.

In Theaters: ***** The Sheep Detectives (2026)

The Sheep Detectives is an excellent movie.  I wanted to clap and the end and did a little, but others did not.

How they can make the sheep work with humans, especially since the sheep only talk to themselves and not with people.  But in this case they are the brains as well.

George Hardy (Hugh Jackman) loves his sheep.  He would not think of butchering them, but just sells their wool.  However he has leased some land to his neighbor, Caleb Merrow (Tosin Cole) who does butcher his sheep.  Needless to say, Hardy does not like him.  Hardy also does not like the butcher, Ham Gilyard (Conleth Hill).  Hardy reads to his sheep; detective stories which they very much like, and the most clever of them, Lilly (Julia Luis Dreyfuss) seems to be able to solve the mysteries before Hardy reads the end.  

There are two newcomers in town.  One is the daughter of Hardy, who he has not seen for many years as she was adopted, Rebecca (Molly Gordon).  Hardy has been seeking reunification with her and to introduce her to his sheep.  She was adopted and the local priest, Reverend Hillcoate (Kobna Holdbrook-Smith).   The other is a reporter in town to cover a cultural event which is put together by Beth Pennock (Hong Chau).  It is pretty lame.  She has feelings for Hardy, and steals a letter to her.  

One morning Darby does not feed the sheep like usual, nor give them his medication.  The sheep find him dead.  Merrow bad been trying to get him to sell his sheep.  He discovers the body.  Officer Tim Derry (Nicholas Braun) takes over the investigation.  He is not very bright and concludes it is a heart attack.  

Other sheep who play in the story are Sebastian (Bryan Cranston) who is a mysterious ram who worked in a carnival fighting in a ring against dogs and was rescued by Hardy; the winter lamb (Tommy Birchall) who is ostracized being born at the wrong time of the year; Sir Ritchfield (Patrick Stewart) who is always regal; Mopple (Chris O'Dowd) who helps with the investigation, and accidentally gets his face covered with a cloth and knocks things over in the house during the reading of the will

Lastly also new in town is Lydia Harbottle (Emma Thompson), the lawyer for Hardy and there to read the will.  The will leaves most everything to Rebecca and she becomes the primary suspect.  It also divulges there is another brother in South Africa.  Harbottle talks to him on the phone.  

This movie is very fun with sheep doing crazy sheep things, and their coaching Derry with the investigation.  

Movie Review: **** The Aviator (2004)

Howard Hughes (Leonardo DiCaprio) is really messed up.  At times he is able to control his mental illness, but his demons seem to come out again.  He is a genius and a money making machine; but sometimes genius gets him in trouble.  He also has drive.  He supplies planes for TWA, but eventually buys TWA.  He orers some new long distance planes, and wants to use them for flights to Europe, but the owner of Pan Am, Juan Trippe (Alec Baldwin) has the contract and a monopoly, and a senator, Senator Ralph Owen Brewster (Alan Alda) in his back pocket.  When he is brought before a senate hearing for misuse of public funds on airplane projects, he calls it the way he sees it, and informs the committee Trippe and Brewster work together and it appears the senator is influenced by Trippe due to money and donation.  Hughes in the end gets to move into Europe.  Managing his business affairs was Noah Dietrich (John C. Reilly).

Hughes is also a womanizer with a fling with Katherine Hepburn (Cate Blanchett) and a desire for Ava Gardner (Kate Beckinsale).  

Hughes was also a test pilot, and crashed a couple of planes, the second of which almost killed him and left him with PTSD and burn scars.

Very good biographical sketch of Howard Hughes.

Music Review: The Doors: The Best of the Doors, 1985

 There are several best of the Doors C.D.s.  This is the 1985 version with 2 c.d.s  The Doors establish a pleasing beat with repetitive guitars, and then generally add the vocal melody on top of that.  It works well for most songs, but sometimes the back music is too repetitive.  

Most of their music I could live without, but there afre a few numbers that are very nice.  This would include, "Light My Fire," "Break on Through," "Hello, I Love You" and "Riders on the Storm" which is my favorite.  It is a very long song and goes on several tangents, but always comes back to "riders on the storm."

Movie Review: **** Labor Day with Kate Winslet (2013)

 Labor Day is a movie that lets you know love can be found in the strangest of locations.  Adele (Kate Winslet) has been abandoned by her husband, Gerald (Clark Gregg).  Adele is left depressed but still cares for her son, Henry (Gattlin Griffith and portrayed as an adult by Tobey Maguire who also narrates).  Another man enters the picture in the person of Frank (Josh Brolin) escaped prisoner who was convicted of murder.  He convinces Adele and Henry to take him home.  He says just for the weekend, but by the time the weekend is over they decide to all take off to Canada.  Adele gets her money from the bank to pay for the trip.  This and Gerald leaving father a note, and telling the girlfriend he is leaving leads several people to know what is gong on.  Adele loves Frank, as the sirens come to the house he ties Adele and Henry up so they can say they were kidnapped.  Franks gets 25 more years, 10 for escape and 15 for kidnap.  Adele tells the prosecuting attorney they were not kidnapped, but he cautions then she would be charged with aiding.  

Henry takes up baking.  He was taught by Frank while he was there for a short time.  He also likes baseball, as given confidence by Frank.  However when father wants his son she does not object.  Frank makes contact after seeing Henry with his pie in a magazine.  He mentions seeing Adele when he is released.  That is what happens, and the love story finally finds a home.

I was in tears at this point.  The movie built to that climax very well.  

Music Review: Andrea Bocelli: Cieli Di Toscana (Tuscan Skies)

 Andrea Bocelli is more than a singer, he is a gift.  This C.D. is recorded in Italian and even though I don't understand what is being said, I enjoy the music, the high tenor notes and the times he holds a note out for longer than seems humanly possible.  

This album was released in 2001 and became the highest selling album in the world that year.  It sold millions of copies in the first weeks after it was released.  It was #11 on the U.S. billboard 200 and #1 on the US classics billboard.

Movie Review: ***^ The Super Mario Brothers Movie (2023)

 Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) are plumbers in Brooklyn.  They get sucked through a pipe to mushroom land.  They go separate routes.  Mario meets Toad (Keegan-Michael Key) who takes him to Princess Peach's (Anya Taylor-Joy) castle.  Luigi ends up in the dark kingdom which is under Bowser's (Jack Black) control.  Bowser has threatened Princess Peach that she must marry him or he will destroy her kingdom.  Mario and the princess team up to rescue Luigi and confront Bowser.  They recruit Donkey Kong (Seth Rogen) and his army to help.  They are taking a short cut, but Bowser expects this and ambushes them.  The rainbow road is partially destroyed and Kong and Mario fall into the ocean and are swallowed by an eel.  They escape and get to Peach's castle during the wedding ceremony between Peach and Bowser.  The wedding thwarted Bowser launches a rocket against the mushroom kingdom.  Mario diverts it into a pipe where it explodes and sucks Bowser and everyone to Brooklyn.  Bowser is terrorizing Brooklyn until Marion and Luigi use invincibility stars to defeat Bowser and his minions.  Peach uses a blue mushroom to shrink Bowser who is captured in a bottle.

This is the first animated feature to gross over $1 billion.  There must be many, many Mario players who were immediate fans.  The movie follows the game fairly well.  The movie is a project from Nintendo and Illumination.  

At the Movies: ***^ Animal Farm (2025)

 Animal Farm is an animated version of the story from George Orwell.  On the day the farm is being repossessed and all the animals are being sent to the slaughter house, not the laughter house the animals decide to rebel.  The kick all the humans out, and start to work for themselves.  Snowball (Laverne Cox) is the pig with enough knowledge to determine the evil intent of the farmers.  While Napoleon (Seth Rogen) is his rival in power and leadership.  Lucky (Gaten Matarazzo) is a friend of both, and caught in the middle.  Boxer (Woody Harrelson) is a horse that is old but hard working.  Frieda Pilkington (Glen Close) is a billionaire bank owner who envies the farm and will do anything to get it.  Her team insists the animals pay for the mortgage, $1000 monthly.  The have a. big sell and make the money plus some.  Snowball sees a chance to improve themselves with a water wheel to generate electricity.  Napoleon uses his efforts to turn the rest of the animals against her, and they kick her out.  He keeps changing the rules intent on keeping humans out.  Napoleon manipulates the water wheel to kick Snowball out, thus he is the sole power.  He makes agreements with Pilkington to get a fancy car, starts walking on two legs, and sets the pigs above the other animals.  He then has the animals complete the wheel for electricity, but goes further to have Pilkington build a dam for even more power.

It finally all catches up with him and everything comes tumbelimg down.  This movie wasn't as could as I had hoped.  It is from Angel Studios.  

There are a couple of themes.  One is to stand up for what you know is right, instead of accepting another person's view.  Another is that capitalism has its faults; but lastly that communists are greedy and so that system will always have its corruption and will never work.

T.V. Series Review: Magnum P.I. (1980-1988)

 Thomas Magnum (Tom Selleck) is based in Hawaii where he works as a private investigator.  He has several good friends who help him in his business, which involves one difficult case after another.  There is one episode where Selleck is stuck under a WWII airplane.  He begins talking to a spider; and in so doing he solves the case he is working on, if he could only get away.  He stays in the home of Jonathan Quayle Higgins (John Hillerman).  Theodore TC Calvin (Roger E Mosley) is a friend who owns a helicopter business, and often uses it to help Magnum's spy business.  Orville Richard Wright (Larry Manetti) has connections with the mob, and other contacts helpful to Magnum.  This was a very entertaining show for Sheri and I when we were first married.  We watched it religiously.  It introduced us to the acting skills of Tom Selleck who for some time is one of my favorite actors.  

Alfred Hitchcock Movie Review: ****^ Torn Curtain (1966)

 This is a very good spy movie from Alfred Hitchcock starring Julie Andrews and Paul Newman as an engaged couple, Dr. Sarah Sherman and Professor Michael Armstrong.  Not only are they engaged but Sherman has been working as Armstrong's assistant.  Sherman starts acting strangely.  He defects to East Germany, saying the United States has stopped funding for his missile project.  In truth he is fishing for information from an East German scientist, Professor Heinrich Gerhardt (Hansjörg Felmy) who appears to have resolved an issue that has stymied Armstrong.  He just needs to convince Gerhardt that he has already resolved the issue and get him to share what he knows.  He leaves for East Berlin having told his fiance he was off elsewhere.  However she discovers his plans and follows him to East Berlin, where he announces he is defecting to East Germany.

Everything that could go wrong goes wrong.  Hitchcock the master director makes a great scene where Armstrong and a spy kill an East German security man who was coming onto Professor Armstrong.  This interfers with upcoming meeting between Armstrong and Gerhardt as the communists want to limit contact until they have studied Armstrong more thoroughly.  However he does have access to the assistant.  At first she does not want to cooperate but does after Armstrong tells her what he is doing, he is not a traitor.  This gets Gerhardt excited, and he takes Armstrong aside and to his secret office, where he is able to trick Gerhardt into revealing his research.  Armstrong takes it to memory as Gerhardt writes it down.  About this time the police are onto Armstrong after they find the agent's body.  However he runs away as Gerhardt realizes he has given his secrets away without getting anything in return.

Then comes the trip out of East Germany with many tense scenes, starting then leaving town in a bus, not a regular bus but following the same line as a regular bus.  There are certain anti communists who help.  They get a bit behind schedule, and eventually the police are onto them, so everyone scatters and they leave the bus behind.  They eventually make it to meet with handlers in a theater, where they are smuggled inside costume baskets onto a boat.  

Very tense and exciting movie and highly recommended.

Movie Review: *** Last of the Dogmen (1995)

 The premise of this movie is a band of Cheyenne Dog warriors have been existing, isolated in the woods of Colorado.  An anthropologist (Barbara Hershey) and a bounty hunter (Tom Berenger) find them, but then they have to keep their existence from all others.  In pursuit of this the bounty hunter has to steal some penicillin to treat a Cheyenne boy.  In doing so he is discovered.  They create a posse to follow him, and come close to creating a war with the dog warriors, but the two and one of the Dogmen (Steve Reevis) they are able to keep their existence a secret.  Our two heroes begin to fall in love, but the anthropologist decides to stay with the Dogmen.

Book Review: The Memory Coat

The Memory Coat by Elvira Woodruff, illustrated by Michael Dooling, Scholastic Press, New York, 1999.

Thisis a sstory about a family that is forced to leave Russia because they are Jewish (very much like Fiddler on the Roof).  A nephew, whose parents passed away and who had an old thread bare and well worn coat.  The family suggested replacing it, but he refused.  The coat reminded him of his mother, especially the wool lining on the inside of the coat.

They family traveled far and finally arrived at Aellis Island.  If they did not pass the inspection the family could be sent back, or separated and only some sent back.  Waiting for the inspection, he fell against his cousin and scratched his eye on a basket.  When the inspector saw the eye he rejected him and wrote a letter on his coat.  However his cousin had an idea.  They turned the coat wrong wide out with the nice wool showing.  He got in a line for a new inspection--and passed.  

C.D. Review: Doris Day: Hooray for Hollywood Vol II

 Doris Day's Hooray for Hollywood is a two C.D. set with each C.D. released a few months apart.  Vol II was released in January of 1959.  It features Day's clear voice singing show tunes from Broadway and accompanied by the Frank De Vol and his orchestra.  De Vol also arranged the songs.  This includes music from of the the great composers such as Irving Berlin, Ira and George Gershwin, Oscar Hammerstein II and Richard Rodgers.  She sings from several different musics, many of them old and forgotten and others still remembered.  The most recognized song is "It Might As Well be Spring" from State Fair.  "Three Coins from a Fountain" is also very memorable.  The majority of the musicals are from the 1930s.

It is an enjoyable arrangment of songs, but most obscure to me.  

Movie Review: **** Killers (2010)

 When you go on vacation to France, make sure you fall in love with the right person is the theme of this movie.  Jen (Katherine Heigl) travels to Paris with her parents, Mr. and Mrs Kornfeldt (Tom Selleck and Catherine O'Hara after a relationship break up.  She meets Spencer (Ashton Kutcher) who is a spy and assassin.  As he meets her he is also carrying out a job as assassin and blows up a helicopter.  Being in love he gets out of the business and they marry.  However Jen's father is always a bit wary of him.  

Three years later Spencer's old boss, Holbrook (Martin Mull) contacts him insisting he return to work.  This contact leads to a hit being put upon his life, and many of his neighbors and coworkers turn out to be in the same busines and seek the $10 million that has been put upon his head.  This leads to his wife discovering about his former business.  On top of this that she believes she is pregnant and they need a test to determine for sure.  

They fight off each attack.  They get to the home of Holbrook, and discover he is dead.  They wonder who could have done that.  When they are back home the father and the husband pull guns on each other.  Turns out he too is an agent and was the person who put out the contract.  He was the target three years earlier, but he wasn't on the helicopter.  Holbrook had turned bad and was trying to manipulate things so the father-in-law who not reveal him.  However the father-in-law was vigilant and when he saw mail from Holbrook assumed Spencer was back in the game.  With news of the pregnancy, the crisis is adverted.

Fun story, although I do not like they idea of killing for a living.

At the Movies: ***The Gardener (2026)

 Sabena (Radha Mitchell) is the heiress of the Sabena Cosmetics line.  A large corporation wants to buy, and she refuses.  She has health issues and has surgery for cancer.  While she is healing she she feels she is lead to a mountain property by a bird.  She retreats to the mountain cabin with a dilapidated garden.  A mysterious neighbor says he is a gardener (Walter Miller) and takes the task of restoring the garden, not always according to her instructions.  He often gives her advice, telling her to look forward and not back.  She finally consents to selling the business, and makes out a will leaving her estate in the city to her domestics.  She goes to see the gardener and finds no one has lived in his cabin for some time, while she visited him in the cabin just a few weeks ago.  The garden continues to bloom.  She inherits his cat and dog.

I think the story was interesting but very confusing.  

At the Movies: **** Michael (2026)

 This is a movie about Michael Jackson the singer and humanitarian.  The music are original works by Michael Jackson and his brothers.  Michael was a prodigy from a very young age, with tremendous talent, a good singer and dancer, and a very controlling and abusive father who insisted on perfection.  

The Jackson 5 became very successful with their pop rock and dancing.  They sang "ABC" and "I'll Be There."  The movie focuses very much on the conflict between Michael and his father as his father promotes the family, and Michael his solo career.  Michael had great success with his solo career with his album "Thriller."  Michael wanted to go on a solo tour to promote his album, but his father insisted on a family tour.  During rehearsal, due to pyrotechnics Michael's hair was lit on fire.  This resulted in a lengthy hospital stay, but he returned to the tour.  At their final performance he announced it was their last concert together.  His father's plans for an international tour were thwarted.  

Michael Jackson is played by his nephew, Jafaar Jackson; Juliano Valdi plays the young Michael; Father Joseph is portrayed by Colman Domingo; Mother Katherine Jackson is played by Nia Long; The others of The Jackson 5 are Jermaine played by Jayden Harville/Jamal Henderson, Marlon Jackson by Jaylen Lyndon Hunter/Tre' Horton, Tito Jackson by Judah Edwards/Rhyan Hill and Jackie Jackson by Nathaniel Logan McIntyre/Joseph David-Jones; Latoya Jackson is portrayed by Amaya Mendoza/Jessica Sula.  

Others who helped Michael Jackson in his career included Gladys Knight (Liv Symone); Bill Bray (KeiLyn Durrel Jones) personal security; Quincy Jones (Kendrick Sampson) music producer; And John Branca (MIles Teller) as his personal lawyer.

Interesting things about Michael Jackson from the movie: He often visited children in the hospital, he also collected animals, monkey giraffe, llama, snake etc.  He longed for friendship and collected toys and games.  His relationship with his mother was better than with his father.  They would watch old movies together.  

 

Musical Movie Review: **** Jersey Boys (2014)

 Jersey Boys is a film based on the musical of the same name.  It is directed and produced by Clint Eastwood.  It tells the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.  John Lloyd Young portrays Franki Valli.  Tommy DeVito (Vincent Piazza) and his brother Nick (Johnny Cannizzaro) and a friend Nick Massi (Michael Lomenda) have a trio singing at local clubs.  Sometimes Valli would sing a song or two with them.  As a group the attempt to steal a safe, and get caught.  Tommy goes to prison for six months.  However Valli gets off thanks in art to mobster Gyp DeCarlo (Christopher Walken) who has taken an interest in him.  When Tommy gets out of prison they start their group, The Four Lovers.  They have a hard time getting traction, but are signed to sing back up for others.  

They change their name to the Four Seasons.  Nicky DeVito leaves the group and they are joined by Bob Gaudio (Erich Bergen) who is a song writer.  The convince their producer to record the song "Sherry," which becomes a hit.  The follow with "Big Girls Don't Cry" and "Walk Like a Man."  All is going well until they discover the owe $150,000 plus to the mob.  Tommy has been borrowing money to keep the group going.  Tommy leaves the group, but they have to continue laying to pay off the debts, which they finally do.  

Franki Valli has issues at home with his daughter who runs off with an older man.  Valli intervenes, and promises to be more involved with his daughter.  However she dies from an overdose.  Valli seems to walk away from performing, but Guadio encourages him to go solo.  He resists but eventually records the song Guadio wrote for him, "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You."  20 years later they get back together for induction into the rock and roll hall of fame.  They sing together after many years, and long for the days they sang as a quartet under a street lamp.

I enjoyed this movie.  The music is terrific.  The story is not as well done as the music.

Movie Review: ***^ The Last of Sheila (1973)

 The Last of Sheila script was written by Stephen Sondheim and Anthony Perkins.  It starts as a bunch of friends having a week long party aboard a yaht, but turns into a murder mystery.  The host is Clinton Greene (James Coburn), a movie producer.  The guests include Alice Wood (Raquel Welch) and her manager husband, Anthony (Ian McShane); screenwriter Tom Parkman (Richard Benjamin) and his wife Lee (Joan Hackett); Christine (Dyan Cannon) who is a talent agent; and director Phillip Dexter (James Mason).  A year earlier at a similar party, Greene's wife was killed by a hit and run driver.  He has devised a game in her honor in which he divulges secrets of members of the party.  This gets him killed on the second night.  He had distributed cards with a secret to be revealed to each of the party, "You are a shoplifter, you are a homosexual, you are an ex-convict, you are an informer, you are a little child molester, you are a hit and run driver."  But it turns our one of the company had changed his card from "you are an alcoholic" to "you are a hit and run driver,"  Lee admits she was the hit and run driver.  She had been drinking.  She also admits to killing Greene.  She ends up dead from apparent suicide the next day, having cut her wrists.  

The case is apparently resolved, but to Dexter something does not seem right.  Greene had said the slues were available without leaving the boat.  He notices a picture taken the first day.  each person is below a letter of the boat name, Sheila.  Except the card, hit and run driver does not match.  That person is under the A, for alcoholic.   He presents his information to Parkman, accusing him of changing the card, and being responsible for the two murders.  He had framed his wife for the murder of Greene, as he was already dead when she accidently struck him.  He admits to doing it as he was unhappy in marriage and was to inherit her $5,000,000.  Christine overheard this, and she and Dexter agree to keep quiet if he uses the inheritance to fund their next picture.  

This movie is very entertaining.  He has a very good cast.  However the story was a bit confusing with the murderer not being the murderer.  There is a book based on the movie, but I noticed it is very expensive as a collector's item.

Movie Review: **** The Proposal (2009)

 In this movie Sandra Bullock plays the boss, Margaret Tate, and Ryan Reynolds the executive secretary, Andrew Paxton.  Tate has been holding him back not wanting to lose his skills and his hard work.  He has been there for three years.  However when immigration shows up, (Tate is from Canada) Tate hatches a scheme to marry Paxton.  He goes along, but he was scheduled to be in Alaska for the 90th birthday of his grandmother (Betty White), so they travel to meet his parents.  For her side she has no family.

Tate gets caught up in the idea of having family again.  And they bit by bit start to create a romance.  However when it comes time for the actual wedding, Tate admits what she has done, and is headed back to New York where she will be deported.  Paxton tries to catch the plane before she leaves but fails to do so, and has to travel to New York to propose.  She has gone from the mean boss to someone who is finally real.

Pretty fun movie.  Paxton's family has a large estate in remote Alaska.  At one point an eagle catches the dog.  Tate throws her phone and the eagle drops the dog, but makes off with her phone.  She will be out of touch with work. 

 

Music Review: Putumayo Presents: Latin Lounge (2005)

 The latin rhythms get in your blood with this C.D.  It presents several artists.  Paola Fortuni sings to the moon in "Reflejo de Luna".  You can feel the tango beat.  Stefano Micarelli is on guitar and together they call themselves Alacran.  Natalia Clavier also sins over a tango sound in Simple.  "I just limit myself to my simple song."  Very nice voice.  Another song includes tango accordion, Caminhos de Cuba, sung in Portuguese.  Luiz de Aquina is from Brazil.  Ondine Darcyl sings "Besa Me Mucho".  Her voice has a mystrious quality that is very pleasing.  She is from Buenos Aires.  We get a different beat and rhythm in Folía which is song by Wagner Pá and his band Brazuca Matraca.  The ukulele comes through created a very different sound.  Federico Aubele is also from Argentina and plays guitar for "Esta Noche" while Gabriela Maiaru provides vocals, "Tonight I will sing for you again."  It again has a tango feel.  In "Dame tu querer" we get a Colunbian based song.  Sidestepper is a group put together by Richard Blair.  This song is actually vocalized by Cuban Ronald Infante.

I have very much enjoyed the lating beats and rhythms.  It seems to get in the blood.