At the Movies: ***** Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025)

 This movie is a return to a proven formula.  This is the third installment, each with similar plots and themes, capitalism vs spirituality.  The Na'vi people represent the spiritual while the off worlders represent the industrial complex which is willing to do anything for a buck.  However some protest which leads to one scientist rescuing Jake when he is to be shot.  Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neyteri (Zoe Saldaña) are protecting his family, which becomes harder and harder.  Colonel Quaritch (Stephen Lang) is still determine to get Sully for perceived wrongs.  And there is another enemy, a Na'vi group called the Ash lead by Varang (Oona Chaplin).  They are sort of an atheistic group that does not believe in the spiritual powers.  Other members of the Sully family include: Lo'ak (Britain Dalton) and his brother who passed away, Neteyam (Jamie Flatters), Kiri (Sigourney Weaver) who has special attachment to the god mother, Eywa, Spider (Jake Champion) who is an adoptive son, actually a human and the son of Quaritch, and Tuk (Trinity Jo-Li Bliss), the youngest.

With so many people after them it is just a matter of time before it catches up with them.  It eventually does and Sully gives himself up for the safety of the others.  There are two keys, Lo'ak standing up for the outcast whale, and convincing the other whales it is time to become violent with the harvesting of whales by the humans.  The huans hope to kill them all and get the special substance in them.  There is also Kiri and her connection to Eywa.  Only with the help of Eywa can they overcome the humans and the Ash.  

This movie is excellent.  Plenty of drama and plenty of action.

Music Review: The Mamas & the Papas: Greatest Hits

The Mamas & the Papas: Greatest Hits, MCA Records, 1998.

This  C.D. includes the favorite Mamas and the Papas songs.  This includes: "Monday, Monday," California Dreamin,'" "Go Where You Wanna Go," "Dancing in the Street," "Dedicated to the One I Love," "Words of Love," 'Creeque Alley," "I Saw Her Again Last Night," and

 "Dream a Little Dream of Me."  Creeque Alley is an autobigraphical look at how there musical group got together.  "Everybody's getting fat except Mama Cass."

As a group the Mamas and the Papas were short lived, 1965 to 1965 with a brief reunion in 1971.  They were John and Michelle Phillips, husband and wife (John wrote most of their songs), Cass Elliot and Denny Doherty.   

Mamas and the Papas has a unique sound which is very pleasing to listen to.  

Music Review: Time Pieces: The Best of Eric Clapton

 Time Pieces: The Best of Eric Clapton, RSO Records, 1982.

This album reached 101 in the U.S.  Overall it has sold over 13.5 albums worldwide. This album has my favorite Eric Clapton song, "Wonderful Tonight" which was released in 1977 for the album Slowhand.  I can't stop singing this song in. my head, "It's late in the evening, she wonders what clothes to wear.  She puts on her makeup and brushes her long blonde hair.  And then she asks me, Do I look alright?  And I tell her, you look wonderful tonight."  Those lines and the voice and guitar are heaven.  

She covers a reggae number by Bob Marley, "I shot the Sherif," but adds more rock and roll to it.  He does the Bob Dylan number, "Knockin' on Heaven's Door."  Of course he does Layla, but has a harder rock feel than usual.  He helped write this when he was with Derek and the Dominoes."  He does another Clapton number, "Let it Grow."

This album is very enjoyable, especially "Wonderful Tonight."

Music Review: Celine Dion: Lets Talk About Love

 Celine Dion: Lets Talk About Love, Sony Music, 1997.

This is Celine Dion at her best.  It includes her signature song, "My Heart Will Go On" from "Titanic."  This at the time was the highest grossing singe from a female artist.  It is really beautiful.  Her wistful and emotional singing in this song makes it one of the greatest.  

She collaborates with the Bee Gees and they sing backup for their song, "Immortality."  This is another classic moment.  She also sings a Carole King song, "The Reason."  She sings a duet with Barbra Streisand, "Tell Him."  This is another special moment.  They sing well together.  Dion nicely covers the song, "When I Need You."  She sings a duet with Luciano Pavarotti, "I Hate You Then I Love You.  The duet version is very nice.  "You make me laugh then you make me cry."

Marvel Animated Movie Review: *** Ultimate Avengers: The Movie (2006)

 This animated movie review is similar to "The Avengers" (2012).  However some the the characters fighting the aliens are different.  Bruce Banner (Michael Massee) is in charge of an experiment to replicate the serum that mad Captain America.  They find the Captain (Justin Gross) frozen in the Arctic and bring him back to life.  Nick Fury (Andre Ware) is trying to assemble the Avengers.  Among others he asks Iron Man (Marc Worden), Janet Pym/The Wasp (Grey DeLisle), Black Widow (Olivia D'abo) Giant-Man/ Hank Pym (Nolan North), and Thor (David Boat).  Dr Betty Ross (Nan McNamara) helps Bruce Banner.  They were once partners but Banner is too unstable.  

The aliens are very formidable, but the team finally comes together.  And Banner takes the super serum, releasing The Hulk, trying to improve his control.  It doesn't work but he helps destroy the aliens.  He then begins attacking the avengers, until they are able to administer his medicine he had been neglecting.  

Not as exciting as "The Aengers" but entertaining.  

Peter, Paul and Mary: In Concert

 Peter, Paul and Mary: In Concert, Warner Brothers Records, 1964.

Peter, Paul and Mary are a popular folk trio who in addition to writing some of their own music also covered Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, Hedy Miles and others.  Peter Yarrow sings tenor and plays guitar, Paul Stookey is baritone and also plays guitar.  Mary Travers sings alto.  Together they make a very nice sound. and they were very popular in the 60s as part of the folk movement.

This album is of concert performances, but not one continuous concert.  They took recordings of several different concerts and put them together.  They start with a Bob Dylan son, The Times They Are a Changin'.  Later they sing another Bb Dylan, one of my favorite songs, Blowin' in the Wind, a classic. 

How many roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man?
How many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand?
Yes, and how many times must the cannonballs fly
Before they're forever banned?

The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind

Yes, and how many years must a mountain exist
Before it is washed to the sea?
Yes, and how many years can some people exist
Before they're allowed to be free?
Yes, and how many times can a man turn his head
And pretend that he just doesn't see?

The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind

Yes, and how many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky?
Yes, and how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?
Yes, and how many deaths will it take 'til he knows
That too many people have died?

The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind

They have some fun with Car Car and Puff the Magic Dragon.  

They end the two album set with anther 60s song, If I Had a Hammer.  

This album includes several comedy sketches, most bt Paul.  I didn't really get them and would have rather had more music.  

Harry Potter/ Fantastic Beasts Movies Summaries

*****  Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone  (2001) Introduces Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), Hermione (Emma Watson), and Ron (Rupert Grint) who become fast friends.

**** Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. (2002) Harry Potter discovers he can talk to snakes, which is not necessarily good. 

****^ Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Askaban  (2004) In this movie Harry discovers he has a God-father, Sirius Black (Gary Oldman) who did not betray his parents,  That was another friend, Peter Pettigrew (Timothy Spall).  He also forms and ally with a werewolf, Remus Lupin (David Thewlis) another friend of his father's.  

****^ Hatty Potter and the Goblet of Fire  (2005) In this movie Potter wins the goblet, but really loses.  The co-winner, Cedric Diggory (Robert Pattinson) is murdered by Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes.). Barty Crouch (David Tenant) has snuck into school taking the place of Alastor Moody (Brendan Gleeson) using poly juice potion.

****^ Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) Harry Potter takes over the teaching of defense against the dar arts, as the Minister's woman with the job, Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton) refuses to teach but enjoys more torturing children.  Sirius Black is killed in this episode by Bellatrix Lestrange (Helena Bonham Carter.) 

****^ Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (2009) Harry Potter discovers a journal belonging to Severus Snape (Alan Rickman) and without becomes very good at Potions.  He learns of Horcruxes from Albus Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) and has to retrieve a memory of Professor Horace Slughorn (Jim Broadbent) who taught Voldemost of horcruxes man years ago.  Voldemort uses Draco (Tom Felton) to kill Dumbledore, but Snape does it in the end.

****^ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows: Part 1 (2010). So begins the journey to destroy Voldemost once and for all.  Harry visits Luna Lovegood (Evanna Lynch) in his search for horcruxes.  Dobby (Toby Jones) ends up dead.

****^ Happy Potter and the Half Blood Prince: Part 2 (2011) This movie leads to a big battle at Hogwarts between the dark forces of Voldemort and the rest of the school.  Both sides do not escape unscathed.  But Harry and Ginny Weasley (Bonnie Wright) and Hermione and Ron are together as friends in the end.

***** Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016) Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) who is a student of magical creatures loses a few of them in New York.  Porpentina (Katherine Watterson) starts off his govermental agent but they form an attraction, as does her sister, Queenie (Alison Sudl) with regular guy Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler.) Grinelwald (Johnny Depp) was behind mayhem in New York for which Scamander was blamed.  Grindelwald was caught.

***** Fantastic Beasts: Crimes of Grindelwald (2018) Scamander is caught into the fray after Grindelwald escapes and starts amassing his army.  Magical laws do not allow Queenie and Kowalski to be together, so Queenie joins Grindelwald.

 Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022) Much intrigue and magical manipulation to get to Grindelwald as he is seeking the highest international magical office.  Dumbledore (Jude Law) is greatly involved. Mads Mikkelsen portrays Grindelwald.