The Christmas Season has begun, and this is my first Christmas movie. It was entertaining. Sort of a combination of Nutcracker (with less dancing) and Babes in Toyland. Clara's (Mackenzie Foy)mother has passed away, and this is their first Christmas without here. Clara has been especially set back and is hard on her father (Matthew Macfadyen). Drosselmeyer is played by Morgan Freeman, who as Godfather introduces Clara to a kingdom discovered by her mother. There she meets the Nutcracker (Jayden Fowara-Knight), who is a guard of a bridge to the kingdom. This kingdom is torn with four realms. Clara first visits what appears to be an evil realm, ruled by Mother Ginger (Helen Mirren). She appears at war with the other kingdoms, especially Sugar Plum (Keira Knightly). A key is needed to save the kingdom, which fits an expanding machine, and Clara's small ornament. She is disappointed when she discovers only a music box in her ornamental ball. However the key also opens the machinery, and Sugar Plum is not who she seems to be. With the key she begins manufacturing tin soldiers to control the kingdom. And Clara found the key for her and has only made things worse.
Keira Knightly as Sugar Plum is so sugary it is disgusting. The music of Tchaikovsky is played in bits through out.
Monday, November 5, 2018
Book Review: Charlie Bone and the Shadow
Charlie Bone and the Shadow: Children of the Red King Book 7
by Jenny Nimmo, Orchard Books, New York, 2008.
The adventure continues, but now with a sinister note. Charlie's aunts put a picture in the house to entice Charlie, and he is sucked to the Kingdom of the Shadow (Count Harken) with his neighbor's dog. There he discovers his ancestor who has been imprisoned. He is able to rescue the ancestor, and eventually the dog. However, the real target for the picture is Billy. Charlie is unable to rescue him, and he becomes a play mate to the children of the Shadow.
The adventure continues, but now with a sinister note. Charlie's aunts put a picture in the house to entice Charlie, and he is sucked to the Kingdom of the Shadow (Count Harken) with his neighbor's dog. There he discovers his ancestor who has been imprisoned. He is able to rescue the ancestor, and eventually the dog. However, the real target for the picture is Billy. Charlie is unable to rescue him, and he becomes a play mate to the children of the Shadow.
Thursday, November 1, 2018
Movie Review: ***Gnome Alone (2017)
Now available through Instant Netflix
This again is a story about true friendship. Chloë (Becky G.) moves to her a new neighborhood with her mother. They move frequently. Chloë's new neighbor introduces himself, Liam (Josh Peck) but he is a bit nerdy. Instead she wants to become friends with the popular crowd, and actually loans a sparkly gem she found in her attic. Turns out this is important to the gnome inhabitants who are defending the home against aliens from another realm. The stone keeps them away. In this case the gnomes are the good guys, defending earth against the every hungry aliens. Chloë's friend goes ahead a loses the gem, and Chloë can't get it back. Liam is sucked into the other world, and Chloë goes to bring him back. Sometimes friendship is more important than popularity.
This really has a strange plot, but the friendship stuff is nice and well presented. I watched this with the grandkids.
This again is a story about true friendship. Chloë (Becky G.) moves to her a new neighborhood with her mother. They move frequently. Chloë's new neighbor introduces himself, Liam (Josh Peck) but he is a bit nerdy. Instead she wants to become friends with the popular crowd, and actually loans a sparkly gem she found in her attic. Turns out this is important to the gnome inhabitants who are defending the home against aliens from another realm. The stone keeps them away. In this case the gnomes are the good guys, defending earth against the every hungry aliens. Chloë's friend goes ahead a loses the gem, and Chloë can't get it back. Liam is sucked into the other world, and Chloë goes to bring him back. Sometimes friendship is more important than popularity.
This really has a strange plot, but the friendship stuff is nice and well presented. I watched this with the grandkids.
Movie Review: **^Goosebumps II, Haunted Halloween (2018)
This is the sequel which is appropriately named "Haunted Halloween" because everything Halloween is haunted and comes to life. But before we get there, Sarah (Madison Iseman) is in charge of her brother for the weekend. Her brother, Sonny (Jeremy Ray Taylor) and his friend, Sam (Caleel Harris) have started a rummage company. The get their first job and inadvertently open an R.L. Stine (Jack Black) book releasing the mannequin, Slappy. Slappy insists on being part of a family with a Mommy (Wendi McClendon-Covey) a and siblings, all of the Halloween characters. The unleashing of the monsters is terrible. This movie gets distorted by too many monsters going every which way. In the end it is credited to a weather anomaly, but pretty gruesome until they can get them all back in the book, and finish the story of one of Stine's first manuscripts.
Movie Review: ***Goosebumps (2015)
This is a classic retellng of R. L. Stines's (Jack Black) Goodebumps stories with the monsters coming to life and preying on a town. This is after Slappy, a mannequin is set loose and he then lets all the other monsters lose. Zach (Dylan Minnette) a neighbor and Hannah (Odeya Rush) Stine's daughter, help in recapturing all the monsters. They can only do this by typing a new story, on the original typewriter, which happens to be at a school where there is a prom dance taking place. Lots of monsters, maybe even too many.
Movie Review: ****^Monsters, Inc. (2001)
When two monsters befriend a child, who is suppose to be toxic to monsters but in fact is not; things get all turned around. The monsters use doors to visit children, and harvest their screams as the monster world is powered by human emotion. This movie deals with the power of friendship, and that sometimes there are better ways to get what you need. Voice talents include John Goodman as Sulllivan and Billy Crystal as Mike. The little girl, Boo is portrayed by Mary Gibbs.
Sunday, October 21, 2018
Book review: Charlie Bone and the Beast
Charlie Bone and the Beast: Children of the Red King Book 6 by Jenny Nimmo, Orchard Books, New York, 2007.
Charlie Bones adventures continue in this fascinating book. His father was discovered in the previous book, but already his mother and father are off on a second honeymoon. This leaves Charlie with his Uncle. At the same time his evil aunt marries, and takes control of a stepson that knows how to animate objects, and there happens to be many stone objects around town. But the most interesting thing they learn is that people are looking for a secret will, which would leave the old castle to Charlie and his family. Asa, the boy who was with the evil side, and turned at the end of the last book, has been confined in the dark, making him a perpetual beat. Charlie and Billy determine to rescue him. This story continues to be very exciting.
Charlie Bones adventures continue in this fascinating book. His father was discovered in the previous book, but already his mother and father are off on a second honeymoon. This leaves Charlie with his Uncle. At the same time his evil aunt marries, and takes control of a stepson that knows how to animate objects, and there happens to be many stone objects around town. But the most interesting thing they learn is that people are looking for a secret will, which would leave the old castle to Charlie and his family. Asa, the boy who was with the evil side, and turned at the end of the last book, has been confined in the dark, making him a perpetual beat. Charlie and Billy determine to rescue him. This story continues to be very exciting.
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