Billy Crystal Movie Review: ****Forget Paris (1995)

 Entertaining love story about Mickey (Billy Crystal) and Ellen (Debra Winger) as told by their friends as they wait for them to show up for the engagement party of Andy (Joe Mantenga) and Liz (Cynthia Stevenson).  They had an intense opening relationship; but interrupted by his having to go back to work as an NBA official.  But then they come together, and the officiating schedule keeps getting in the way.  Many NBA players do cameos which is fun.  Kareem Abdul Jabar, Charles Barkley, Isaiah Thomas, David Robinson, Bill Laimbeer, and Reggie Miller.  She works as an airline liaison in Paris.  She quit her job to move in with him, but for sometime neither are happy, they separate.  The relationship seems to effect the coming engagement plans of the other couple as the story is told, until they work pass that.  Now why are Mickey and Ellen late to the party?  Are they together or not?

Marvel Movie Review: Fantastic Four: ****Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007)

 This movie is very fun, with the Silver Surfer (Laurence Fishburne) appearing from outer space and wreaking havoc on earth citizens, and making large holes in the earth.  Turns out this is for another entity which is coming, the devourer of worlds/ Galuctus.  Earth is earmarked for destruction.  The surfer causes havoc amongst the Fantastic Four,  Mr. Fantastic/Steve Richards, Sue Storm/ Invisible Woman, Johnny Storm/ Human Torch and the Thing/ Ben Grimm (Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans and Michael Chiklis) as they keep changing abilities with each other.  And then Dr. Doom/ Victor Von Doom (Julian McMahon) comes back into the picture as team lead.  It does not go well, as Dr. Doom uses the efforts of Fantastic Four to steal the surf board, from which point he goes nuts with killing people.  They realize the Surfer with his surf board is the only way to save the earth, so basically they have to defeat Dr. Doom.  

Music Review: James Taylor: Sweet Baby James

James Taylor: Sweet Baby James, Country Road Music, Inc., Warner Brothers, 1970. 

James Taylor is a singer and song writer.  This effort was his second album.  It reached number three on the billboard charts, and the song Fire and Rain also reached number three.  It was nominated for album of the year in the grammies.  Fire and Rain is a song that goes over and over again in my mind, especially the chorus, "I've seen fire and I've seen rain,  I've seen sunny days that I though would never end, I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend, But I always thought I'd see you again."  It is one of my favorite songs.  It is very much biographical for James Taylor, describing he friend who passed away by suicide, and then his struggles with addiction.  I love that he could open up this way in a song.

DC Movie Review: ****Batman and Robin (1997)

 Batman becomes a team in the movie, which is much better than the predecessor, Batman Forever.  Batman (George Clooney) is joined by Robin (Chris O'Donnell) and Batgirl (Alicia Silverstone.). However on the other side we by Mr. Freeze (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Poison Ivy (Uma Thurman.) In this film we also have Alfred (Michael Gough) who is sick and dying.

Mr. Freeze is trying to get large diamonds and using a freeze gone to get his way.  He needs diamonds to perfect a cure for his wife who he has frozen until he finds a cure.  Dr. Isley wants to save the planet by exploited plant science but Bruce Wayne rejects her idea saying people are more important.  She becomes a poisonous plant through a failed experiment and a boss who tried to kill her.  Her sidekick is Bane (Jeep Swenson) who is genetically enhanced muscle.  

Poison Ivy kills Mr. Freezes wife and blames it on Batman.  In so doing she convinces Mr. Freeze to get revenge by freezing the world; he starts with Gotham.  Meantime Poison Ivy is set to stop Batman and Robin.  She lures Robin in with a smell she produces, and attempts her poison kiss, but they were on to her and have a lip guard.  Even so her plant self with vines is more than a match for Batman and Robin.  It is Batgirl who saves the day.  Poison Ivy's lures and smells don't get to her.  

Very intense moment as the three battle Mr. Freeze and his ice gun.  When they convince him that his wife is not dead, but Poison Ivy tried to kill her, Mr. Freeze gives them a treatment for Alfred. 

This movie was better than I thought it was going to be.  There was a corny line from Mr. Freeze towards the first, but the character grew on him.  

DC Movie Review: *** Batman Forever (1995)

 I like most of everything in this movie, excdept for the character of Riddler (John Carry).  He is so over the top it ruins the rest of the film.  Two Face (Tommy Lee Jones) is much better.  Batman (Val Kilmer) does a very good job, and Robin (Chris O'Donnell) also does a very good job.  Dr. Chase Meridian (Nicole Kidman) also does well as Batman/ Bruce Wayne's love interest.  The Riddler discovers that Bruce Wayne and Batman are one and the same, resulting in much anguish as he and Two Face and their gang attack the house and are able to take Robin and Meridian prisoner.  Which one will Batman save, his new partner or his new love. If not for John Carry I would have enjoyed this movie more.

At the Movies: Movie Review: ***^Anaconda (2025)

 A sort of a remake of the Anaconda movie of 1997 with Ice Cube and Jennifer Lopez with cameo roles.  Four childhood friends decide to rekindle their passions of youth, and make an Anaconda movie.  Ronald (Paul Rudd) recruits his friends to travel to the Amazon to make a movie, telling them he has the right to Anaconda, their favorite movie as youth.  He recruits his best friend, Doug (Jack Black) and old crush, Claire (Thandiwe Newton) and Kenny (Steve Zahn) to run the camera and technical stuff.  They are on their way to Brazil where they meet snake handler, Santiago (Selton Mello) who is obsessed with his snake.  However Ana Almeida (Daniela Melchior) high jacks their boat, with them on it and recording their movie on the way.  

There is a really creepy scene with the snake.  Santiago holds it in Ronald's face, an he reacts, and kills the snake.  Santiago leaves the boat to find a new snake; the new snake gets him instead however.  Now the snake has a taste for people and is after them.  Worse yet, Ana is a smuggler of gold.  Of course the snake gets her.  And in truth Ronald does not own the rights to Anaconda, as those who do, show up making their own movie.  But that doesn't last long as the anaconda destroys their set and is after them as well.  It doesn't discriminate.  Amidst the chaos our four are trying to get away, but Doug gets devoured by the snake, and somehow spit up hole.  He appears dead.  They rap him in a pig so as to create a diversion and they can get away.  They put a squirrel in his mouth.  However he is not dead and the snake is boring down on him.  He runs, eventually the snake gets the pig and not him.

This movie has some funny parts.  The characters run away a lot and seem to run in a funny manner.  The four rekindle their relationship and form a stronger bond.  And Doug gets to make the wedding video for Claire and Ronald.  

DC Movie Review: ****Batman Returns (1992)

 Michael Keaton returns as Batmas, and this time has a different nemesis, Penguin (Danny DeVito, but also has a second nemesis/ally Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer.). But the evil behind everything is the money man, Max Shreck (Christopher Walken.)  In a way Shreck creates Catwoman as he kills her, throws her out of a building, but she keeps coming back.  She puts off her meek secretary person and becomes the Catwoman.  Michael Gough plays the butler, Alfred. Penguin is mad at the world, and has been living in the sewers since his parents threw him there when he was a baby.  His hands were deformed.  He finally decides to come out of the sewer, and with some manipulation is on the verge of becoming mayor.  After he controlled Batman's Batmobile, and tried to frame him for murder and being a general bad guy, Batman turns the switch as he recorded the Penguin and plays back his audio when he is making a speech seeking the mayorship.  Penguin had said some mean things to Batman about the citizens of Gotham.  Penguin had planned to have his penguins blow up Gotham, but again Batman hijacks his frequency of control and congrols them himself.  The come down on the Penguin's lair and destroy it.  

The relationship between Batman and Catwoman is interesting, as it is a love hate relationship.  As people they like eachothr,  but as Batman and Catwoman they always fight.  They are allies towards the end, after she had allied with Penguin, but found him too ruthless.  

Movie is directed by Tim Burton.  It is a fun ride, with interesting backgrounds for Catwoman and Penguin.  Batman stops Penguin and Catwoman gets her revenge on Shreck, and he doesn't have nine lives.