At the Movies: **** The End of Oak Street (2026)

 A very exciting movie and a bit too graphic a couple of times.  A suburban dinosaur romp, with the dinosaurs winning for the most part.   Denise and Greg Platt (Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor) and their kids Audrey and Brian (Maisy Stella and Christian Convery wake up one morning and their neighborhood is infested with dinosaurs.  Denise and Gregg were having their problems with communication, but an event like this will solve that.  They see friends and neighbors eaten or killed and left for later.  They pick up another party in their struggle, Jeannette (Jordan Alexa Davis).  Her parents did not make it.

Plenty of tension and action.  The dinosaurs are having a hey-day.  But the dog manages to survive. Even though they had to throw in an "F" word towards the end people clapped for this movie.  I enjoyed the philosophical and theological questions brought up during the movie.  Do you believe in God?  Is this the end?  And discussion of pessimism vs optimism.  

Ewan McGregor Movie: ****^ Big Fish (2003)

 The Big Fish is fantasy, or is it?  It is a good story about tall tales and what is truth and what is not.  Ed Bloom (Perry Walston age 10, Ewan McGregor young, Albert Finney old) has quite a history.  And he tells it over and over.  His son, Will (Billy Crudup) does not believe most of what he says and is frustrated with the telling.  He talks of meeting a giant, Karl (Matthew McGrory) when he leaves town, of wandering into a town which is off the map and includes a poet, Norther Winslow (Steve Byscemi) and a witch, Jenny (Helena Bonham Carter older and younger, Hailey Anne Nelson age 8), of being forced to work for a circus to get information about the girl he saw and loves.  The ringmaster is Amos (Danny DeVito).  When he finally gets information about his love, Sandra (Jessica Lange older, Alison Lohman younger) is already engaged.  Her intended, Don Price (David Denman) beats him up, but because he told her Sandra he would not fight back, he takes the beating.  Sandra decides Price is not the guy for her, and waits for Ed to heal to marry him.  He has been drafted an goes to war.  He tells of meeting Siamese twins, Ping and Jing (Ada and Arlene Tai) and they agree to help him escape from North Korea for fame.  They become part of the circus.  Ed becomes a traveling salesman and is away from home alot.  Will decides to check out his father's stories.  He goes to the town of Spectre and meets Jenny who explains how Ed saved the town.  It was in decay and for sell and Ed bought it and restored it.  Ed was not unfaithful to his wife.  

Ed has a stroke and is in the hospital.  Will visits him.  He is beginning to understand a bit better by his father's story telling.  He tells his father of a story of their escape, and gong to the river where when he is put in the river he becomes a big catfish.  Ed no knows his son understands and passes away.  At the funeral the people from the stories attend.  They were not as grandiose as in the stories, but they were real.  

This is a delightful story about imagination and love.

Tom Hanks Movie Review: ****Angels and Demons (2009)

 This is a sequel to The Davinci Code with Tom Hanks again as Robert Langdon.  In this movie you are unsure who are the good guys and who the bad until the very end.  It appears the Illuminati are seeking revenge on the Catholic church.  They have kidnapped four cardinals with the intent to murder them every hour until they do their ultimate deed of blowing up the Vatican.  They have stolen antimatter to make this possible.  This brings in the scientist Vittoria Vetra (Ayelet Zurer) who is trying to recover the lost antimatter and disarm it if possible.  It is a time of change as the Pope has died, and the cardinals are in conclave.  In the meantime Camerlengo Patrick McKenna (Ewan McGregor) is in charge of the Vatican.  They follow the clues to each of the first three cardinal locations, but always a bit late.  The fourth they are able to save.  

The bomb is set to go off, but Camerlengo flies in in a helicopter up above the populace in St. Peters Square.  It explodes and he returns to earth in a parachute.  The Cardinals want to reward him for his heroism, and call him to the conclave, where everything turns on its head.

I enj9yed this movie more than Da Vinci Code.  It is again directed by Ron Howard. 

Animated Movie Review: ****Robots (2005)

 A movie about what happens when profit is your bottom line rather than helping people.  Madame Gasket (Jim Broadbent) is intent on melting all the old bots so as to make a money.  Her son, Rachet (Greg Kinnear) has become head of the Robot factory, Bigweld Enterprises taking over for the inventor Bigweld, (Mel Brooks).  Rachet is evil and arrogant and takes pride in sending robots to the scrap heap which his mother runs.  They are going to be so rich; until Rodney Copperbottom (Ewan McGregor) and his friends arrive.   Rodney is intent on seeing Bigweld to share his inventions.  However Bigweld has been put to pasture playing with dominoes.  So Rodney decides to take on Gasket and Rachet with his friends.  Sometimes you need some good friend to stick to your dream.  Halle Berry portrays Cappy, a business executive who sees merit in Rodney's ideas.  Robin Williams plays Fender, Rodney's friend, and discovers the real motive of Gasket and Rachet.  Robin uses his voice talents to bring the character to life.  And Amanda Bynes portrays Piper who is Fender's sister.  She and Cappy play a big part in defeating the robots of Rachet.

fun show showing us a different world, very human like but robots.

Movie Review: ***^ Jack the Giant Slayer (2013)

 Jack (Nicholas Hoult) is a farm boy, who saves a monk by trading his horse for magic beans.  However his uncle throws the beans out, disappointed in him.  One of them grows, and the others Jack recovers.  The princess, Princess Isabelle (Eleanor Tomlinson) who is not looking forward to her arranged marriage, and is seeking adventures, happens upon Jack when she sees his light.  She ends up going to the giant kingdom in Jack's house as it grows on the top of the bean stalk.  Jack fell down and is discovered at the bottom of the bean stalk by the king (Ian McShane) the next day.  

Jack becomes part of the group sent to rescue the princess.  The group includes Roderick (Stanley Tucci) who is the princess' intended.  It also includes Elmont (Ewan McGregor) a loyal captain of the guard.  When they encounter the giants, things do not go well for those seeking the princess.  Roderick does several treacherous things which eliminate some of the guards.  However when the giants are upon him, he removes a crown from his bag, placing it on his head, and claims to be the king of the giants.  He proposes leading them to earth to conquer first the kingdom of the princess, but then all the kingdoms.  Feast tonight (on the captured men) and war tomorrow.  

Roderick discovers Jack is the person with the beans and takes them from him; but doesn't get one.  Roderick's treachery becomes known to the company of men, as well as his desires to help the giants conquer the kingdom.  Jack is the only one nt captured, and helps them escape after killing the cook who was preparing Elmont for dinner.  They also are able to kill another giant, using bees and a sudden drop off.   Elmont is going back to get the crown from Roderick, and Jack and the princess escape down the bean stalk.  When the king sees proof of giants--the giant who fell--he order the bean stalk chopped down, even with his daughter on the other side.  Ghe ride the bean stalk to the ground and are able to land not dead.  This thwarted the giants as they have no way down.  However the betrayed roderick, seeking to get the crown from him.  Elmont and Roderick fight, resulting in Roderick's death, but the giants snatch the body before Elmont can get the crown.  One of the giants is king, but they cannot get down as the stalk is chopped.

However the discover Rodericks beans, and quickly use them to create a bridge to earth.  

There is enough action and enough romance in this movie to make it enjoyable.  It is rated PG13.  It is currently available on Netflix.  

TV Review: Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi

 Obi Wan Kenobi is available through Disney+.  It stars Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan and Hayden Christensen as Darth Vader.  Darth Vader has spent the last ten years brewing his hate for and searching for Obi-Wan Kenobi.  Obi-Wan has spent the same ten years feeling sorry for himself because of the way things turned out in Revenge of the Sith.  He says the Jedi are finished and he has buried his light saber in the sand and works as a meat packer.  He does keep an eye on Luke Skywalker.  However, when he is finally called back into service by Senator Bail Organa (Jimmy Smits) as Leia Organ (Vivien Lyra Blair) has been kidnapped.  We see Obi-Wan make a transition from hiding, to returning to be a Jedi.  At first he is overwhelmed by Darth Vader, but he grows and becomes more powerful in the force.  Leia is wise beyond her years (ten).  Another party involved in this scenario is is Inquisitor Reva, Third Sister (Moses Ingram). She is hoping to lure Darth Vader into a position where she can kill him.  She was a youngling at the Jedi temple when Darth Vader attacked.  She was able to run away.  

This mini series worked better when I watched it all the way through rather than a weekly episode.  I enjoyed the character of Leia, precocious and running into danger.  Obi-Wan has always been a favorite.  And Darth Vader, who says himself that he killed Anakin Skywalker. 

Lots of neat light saber battles in this show; and also the use of fire and rocks in the battles.  Great fun.

Movie Review: ****Disney's Christopher Robin (2018)

Disney Christopher Robin

This is a fun family movie.  It is nothing like the historical biopsy Goodbye Christopher Robin, but instead uses animated and live characters to tell a delightful story, as Pooh and friends come back into the life of Christopher Robin (Ewan McGregor), after he has become a Heffalump.  However in the end, he is reminded of what is important, and turns the Heffalump label onto his boss, who had Christopher Robin work when he was scheduled for holiday so the boss could take credit while playing golf.  Very entertaining.  I think the really hit the personalities of the Pooh characters.  
Hayley Atwell portrays Robin's wife and Bronte Carmichael his daughter.

Movie Review: ****Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith (2005)

  In this movie the whole unierse descends into chaos.  The emperor AKA Darth Sidious, (Ian McDiarmid) thrives on chaos.  He uses his influence over Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) to bring about his transformation into a powerful Sith Lord.  Anakin does unspeakable things, including the murder of children and women, the Sand People in the last movie, and the younglings in training at the Jedi temple in this movie.  He also dispenses with Count Dooku.  Sidious gives Anakin bad dreams about the demise of his wife, Padme (Natalie Portman) in childbirth.  Anakin is determined not to let her die, and is willing to delve into the dark side to save her.  He is also part of the demise of Mace Windu (Samuel Jackson) who had Sidious, until Anakin intervened.  In the end, the clones turn on the Jedi, as Sidious had planned.  Yoda (Frank Oz) and Sidious meet in a great battle.  At the same time, Obi Wan (Ewan McGregor) faces Anakin in an epoch battle.  Anakin’s action do just the opposite of what he intended; he injures her instead of saving her.  The Jedi go into hiding, and the universe falls into the control of the Galactic Empire. 

I still don’t like the character of Anakin Skywalker, who is dead as Darth Vader emerges.  However I love Yoda, and Mace Windu.  And the line where Kenobi informs Anakin that he has the high ground, that further battle is pointless. 

Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones

This movie starts with an impressive explosion, and it doesn't let go.  There are the cloners, and Jenga Fett (Temuera Morrison) as the bounty hunter and gene supply for the clones.  Obi Wan (Ewan McGregor) continues in his roll of training Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen).  the most complex roll is that of Anakin, and I don't know if anyone could pull this off 100 percent, but Anakin has to go from a little boy, to Darth Vader in three easy steps.  Sometimes he comes off as a whining spoiled brat.  Padme (Natalie Portman) puts up with his antics, and in fact falls in love with him.  The wed secretly to end this episode.  Count Dooku (Christopher Lee) is here again.  He is leading the separatist, under the direction of Lord Sidious/Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid).  He is such a manipulator, and in fact the Clone Army, which saves the empire, is just that, a big manipulation.  However the Clones are able to save our heroes from certain death at the hands of the drone army.  There is a cameo part of the owner of a cantina.  He is such a fascinating characters.  "Cloners!" is a line so well given.  I don't know if this character was computer generated or not but it was voiced by Ronald Falk.  After Dooku defeats Anakin and Obi Wan, we get to see Yoda in action with his light saber.  It is fun to see him bouncing around.  Story is again provided by George Lucas.

Movie Review: Star Wars: Episode 1: The Phantom Menace

In my opinion, the prequel trilogy is not near as good as the three originally made.  That being said, The Phantom Menace has lots going for it.  In this series, we are introduced to a whole new cast of characters,  The holdouts are Darth Sidious/Senator Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid), Obi Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and Anakin Skywalker; later Darth Vader (Jake Lloyd) as a boy; and then Yoda (Frank Oz) in a smaller roll.  Two Jedi, Obi Wan and his master, Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neesom) head to a planet to help with negotiations, and land in the middle of a droid army invasion.  Queen Amidala (Natalie Portman) is able to escape with the Jedi.  They end up stranded on Tatooine, the Luke Skywalker planet.  Her they meet Anakin and his mother Shmi (Pernilla August).  they are both slaves.  However Anakin has a skill which leads to his freedom, and the Jedi being able to repair their ship.  This is a racing sport, unlike any we have seen, as big chariots, pulled by two engines each, race around the sand dunes.  This race is very dangerous.  To this cast of characters, we add Darth Maul (Ray Park), a Sith Lord.  He challenges the Jedi on a couple of occasions, and Tatooine, and then back on Naboo.  There are two people that live on Naboo.  Queen Amidala only represents half.  In the ocean lives another sentient culture, and it is only with their aide, that the people of Naboo can defeat the droids.  Both peoples must overcome pride to except help from the other.  Jar Jar Binks (Ahmed Best) befriends the Jedi, but is not on good terms with his own people due to his clumsiness.  All tis leads to a classic battle involving Anakin, the Jedi against Darth Maul, and the people of Naboo against the droid army. 
This is a very creative film.  Especially with the sand  racers.  Star Wars keeps introducing us to new worlds and situations, and is always a good ride. 

Movie Review: ****^ Beauty and the Beast (2017)

This is a classic made even more so by this version.  Emma Watson as Belle does well, and Dan Stevens as the beast, with his booming bass voice is stupendous.  I don't like that they cut the songs of Gaston (Luke Evans) for the most part.  Josh Gad played LeFou, and Kevin Kline plays Belle's father Maurice.  Of the animated characters Ewan McGregor plays Lumiere, Ian McKellan portrays Cogsworth and Emma Thompson, Mrs. Potts.  the part of the film that had me in tears was as Mrs. Potts sang the classic song "Beauty and the Beast."  As the couple danced and Emma Thompson sang, it is one of those Disney moments to cherish.  It seems there is at least one such moment in all the Disney musicals.  Also of note is Audra McDonald as Madame Garderobe.  At the beginning of the movie, she intones a beautiful song.  She is turned into the wardrobe.  there are four original songs in the movie.  Consequently the additional songs from the musical were left out.  Alan Menken returned to write the additional music.
This is a must see.  It seems they left out some of the Gaston stuff I would have liked to have seen.  I think they didn't want his character to be lovable at all.  In fact when he fell at the end of the movie, a child said "Ha ha" and people laughed.  And yes, Emma Watson was beautiful as Belle.  She had the touch of pizazz that this character needs.

Movie Review: ****The Impossible (2012)

This movie shows a young family with parents (Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor) and three boys, as they are swept from their pool where they are vacationing in Thailand, by the tsunami of 2004.  Talk about your crazy scenes.  They follow the mother as she is swept away, and under the water, and poked with a branch in her chest, and her leg is also wounded.  She is being swept away with one of her sons as they try to keep close to each other, and they eventually come to a halt.  Her oldest son, Lucas (Tom Holland) does manage to stay with her.
The movie also shows the struggle of her husband, trying to locate her.  Somehow the two younger boys have survived and are with him.  However he puts them on a rescue truck as he is intent on continuing to search for his wife.  Consequently they are separated.  Mother and oldest son, in their wanderings, rescue a small boy, who eventually is found by his family.  However mother and son become separated in the hospital, as son is helping others, and mother taken to surgery without his knowing where she has gone. 
Just as you are about ready to give up on this family ever getting back together, the impossible happens.  The reunion of the three boys with their father is very dramatic, and then with mother who is in hospital with her wounds.
This is one crazy story based on actual events.  One can only imagine the devestation as a result of this natural disaster.