Movie Review: **** Zootopia 2 (2025)

 This is a fun animated movie about the animal police forc, and the too rookie police officers, Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman.). There is also the Beaver who helps them, Nibbles Maplestick (Fortune Feimster) and the snake they are trying to save, Gary De'Snake (Ke Huy Quan.). And then of course there are the bad guys, the lynx family, Pawbert Lynxley (Andy Samberg) who is sort of a bumbler, but then maybe not.  The rest of the family is much more gruesome.  

This makes for a nice story.  The rest of the police think they are crazy when they tart to defend a snake, but the movie reveals there really is a conspiracy going on.  

Music Review: The Essential James Taylor

The Essential James Taylor (2013) Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings.  The Essential James Taylor has a good compilation of James Taylor Songs.  It starts with Sweet Baby James from Taylor's second album of the same name.  It then includes songs of his albums up until 2002.  It is likely the best compilation album of James Taylor's work, but there were three previous greatest hits albums.  

I cannot get enough of "Fire and Rain" and "You've Got a Friend."  But there are many more impressive songs.  "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight," "How Sweet It Is to be Loved by You," "Shower the People" and "Your Smiling Face" are all very nice.  It seems just about everything James Taylor does turns out nice.  He even gives a different feel in "Steamroller" which also works.  

And that is the first C.D.  The second C.D. does not have as many hits but it carries itself.  "Her Town Too" is very nice.  As are the next couple songs, "Everyday" and "Only One."  "You are my only one" keeps going through my head.  I also like "You Can Close Your Eyes."  "I still love you, Close Your eyes, I don't know no love songs, I can't sing the Blues anymore.  But I can sing this song, and you can sing this song."  

Harrison Ford Movie Review: **** Morning Glory (2010)

 Mike Pomeroy (Harrison Ford) is a seasoned journalist who has considerable experience, and feels he is abov doing a morning show; so when they opportunity comes to him he balks, but agrees not because of interest but because of his contract.  Becky (Rachel McAdams) has been hired as the Morning show producer, and wants to prove herself.  Jerry Barnes (Jeff Goldblum) is her boss.  Colleen Peck (Diane Keaton) is the female anchor who has been there for sometime.  She and Pomeroy quickly develop a feud because most stories are beneath Pomeroy who she has to cover.  The movie for the most part is about the developing relationship between Beck and Pomeroy.  The show is scheduled to be cancelled, but because of many antics, and Pomeroy gong out and getting the scoop on a real story, the ratings come up and they get another year.  Becky gets a job offer from a network, and at first she things her current relationships are worth preserving.  But in the end she goes to interview.  Pomeroy does a cooking class.  This is his way of telling her that he would like her to stay, because cooking stories he always considered beneath him.  

I enjoyed this movie.  Harrison ford is actually very good in it.  Rachel McAdams also is very good.  The relationship they develop carries the movie.  

Music Review: Cher and Sunny and Cher: Greatest Hits

Cher and Sonny and Cher appears to have been released in 1998 as a compendium of their music after the death of Sonny Bono.  It includes many of there hit songs, and misses a few.  "I got You Babe" is their anthem and a concert version concluded the C.D.  I would have preferred a studio version because the concert antics got in the way of the song.  The two big hits of Cher were included, "Half-Breed" in which Cher talks about her Cherokee ancestry and "Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves" which has a very catching beat.  "Crystal Clear/Muddy Waters has a very nice message, one upon which I have reflected in my life.  It is the torrent that clears the muddy waters and sometimes in life it is the fire that heals.  "United We Stand" is also very nice with a relatable theme.  

A couple things missing.  I use to love seeing Cher sing VAMP on the Sonny and Cher show.  Also the son "The Beat Goes On" is missing.  

Movie Review: Flicka

 This is an interesting movie about a young woman and a wild horse.  The young woman loves the horse, but her father is unrelenting, that the horse is dangerous and only good for rodeo bronco.  Father finally sells the horse, but the young woman still doesn't give up.  

Based on the book by Mary O'Hara. Alison Lohman portrays the daughter and Tim McGraw her father.   

Music Review: Buddy Holly from the Original Master Tapes

This is a collection of Buddy Holly songs released in 1985.  Of course they were all recorded earlier as Buddy Holly died in 1959.  This anthology of course includes "That'll Be the Day," an early Holly hit that reached #1 on the charts.  Another successful song was "Peggy Sue" which reached #3 which is also included.  Also included are "Oh Boy," "Everyday" and Rock Around with Ollie Vee."  Buddy Holly accomplished a lot in such a young li ve.  He died the day "the music died" in a plane crash at 22.  One can only imagine how much more music he could have made.  Even so he influenced many subsequent artists including Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley and the Beatles. 

Movie Review: **** Cars 2 (2011)

 The sequel leaves Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) and McQueen (Owen Wilson) in place but adds a spy movie; Finn McMissile (Michael Caine) and Holley Shiftwell (Emily Mortimer).  They are up against a cabal of lemons who want to destroy race car driving.  Sir Miles Axlerod (Eddie Izzard) heads the bad guys as a double.  He has made a fake fuel which is suppose to be bad because he is shooting lasers at it.  He hopes to take advantage of the oil field he has discovered.  

Entertaining but not as good as the original.