Tom Hanks Movie Review: **^ Asteroid City (2023)

 This movie is very confusing to me.  Mostly it is about a family driving home to the father-in-laws residence where they plan to live for a while after the mother has passed away. Augie Steenbeck (Jason Schwartzman) has not yet told his children even though she died three weeks ago.  He is carrying her ashes in a Tupperware dish.  He is traveling with his son Woodrow (Jake Ryan) and three daughters, Andromeda, Pandora and Cassiopeia (Ella, Gracie and Willan Ferris). Those three ad some good humor as they can be vicious.  When they get to Asteroid City the car blows out.  Steenbeck contacts his father-in-law (Tom Hanks) and he agrees to come and get them.  In the meantime Midge Campbell (Scarlett Johansson) who is a movie star and her daughter, Dinah (Grace Harris) arrive in Asteroid City.  As does a bus load of people and many more coming for the annual Asteroid Day celebration.  The ceremony for Astroid Day is conducted by General Gibson (Jeffrey Wright).  And at the ceremonies they are visited by a space alien.  Consequently the town is put on quarantine, including the visitors.  The government tries to keep the story locked down,  The story deals with the father and kids struggling with losing their wife and mother.  The father too also struggles with losing his daughter.

The confusing part of this movie is the format, a movie about a television programs which is airing a dramatic play.  I can't keep track of what is what, because there is also real life going on.  The movie concludes with the line, "You can't wake up, if you do't fall asleep."  Apparently meaning you have to go on, and then you can deal with the grief or issue over time.  But again this movie is very weird.

Music Review: Celtic Women, Lullaby

Lullaby is a 2010 release from Celtic Women and funded through PBS.  This is a group of ten going to bed songs featuring the light voices of the Celtic Women.  This C.D. features early performers and more recent performers.  This includes the early violinist, Mâiréad Nesbitt.  The vocalists are Chloe Agnew, Lynn Hilary, Lisa Kelly, Órla Fallon, Mêav Ní Mhaolchatha and Hayley Westerna.

The songs are classic children's songs; two from Disney, "When You Wish Upon a Star" and "Stay Awake" are from Pinocchio and Mary Poppins.  One is from Wizard of Oz, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow."  One is an Irish song, "Suantrai," which is Irish for Lullaby.  We also have two classic songs, Brahms "Lullaby" and "Hush Little Baby."  Very enjoyable.  I really like "Hush Thee My Baby."

Music Review: Mormon Tabernacle Choir: Then Sings My Soul

 Then Sings My Soul, Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Orchestra at Temple Square, Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Intellectual Reserve Inc., SLC, Utah 2006.

This is a set of 18 highly spiritual songs.  It starts with "How Great Thou Art" and doesn't let up until the last note is heard.  Several sosngs have trumpet fanfares which makes them very powerful.  This includes "Redeemer of Israel" and "High on a Mountain Top."  These songs really get the blood moving.  On a more spiritual tone are "I Know that my Redeemer Lives," "Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee" and "The Spirit of God like a Fire Is Burning."

There are plenty of songs to love in this C.D.  A couple I liked less was their version of "The Lord Is my Shepherd."  I guess I like the standard version.  I also didn't like "I Will Sing with the Spirit."  It was too soft.  

Music Review: Putumayo Presents Café Latino

 Putumayo Presents Latin Cafe, Putumayo World Music, 2013.

This is a compilation of Latino artists.  This C.D. has artists from France with exposure to Spanish musicians, Columbia, Cuba, Canada with a Mexican father, Cuban descent, Venezuela, Spain and Ecuador.

Mónica Giraldo from Columbia sings of waiting for someone to walk by.  Her song, "Por verte llegar" has a Latin beat with bluesy guitar and is very uptempo.  Amanda Martinez from Canada sings a song with a tango feel, and violin.  She sings "Alcoba Azul" with lots of passion.  "El Avion" sung by Jose Conde from the U.S. with Cuban parents, has a very catchy rhythm and accompaniment.  Sacha Nairobi plays the cuatro, a smaller guitar common in Latin American.  She sings of being frozen in time with her love.  Miquel Gil sings "L'amor es Déu en barco," Love is God in a boat.  I am not sure what that means but this song has an interesting sound, sort of like a southwest cowboy song.  He sings in Catalan.  Alex Cuba Band is from Cuba but now lives in Canada,  His song Café Havana has a definite Caribbean feel.  Soñando con Quito by Alex Alvear from Ecuador and Marta Gomez form Colombia.  She sings and he plays guitar.  Georgina Hassan is from Argentina but her song does not feel Argentine.  "A Primera Vista" (at first sight) is a Brazilian song which she sings in both Spanish and Portuguese.  This song has a very nice Jazzy sound.

Putumayo seems to produce very nice anthonogies.  I do not like this as well as Latin Lounge but it is still very nice.

Movie Review: ***^ Philomena (2013)

 This is a movie of a mother, Philomena (Judi Dench/ Sophie Kennedy Clark)  trying to find her son 50 years after he was adopted.  She is from Ireland, and was in a home run by nuns.  They sold her child to a couple from America, which is where he had gone.  She recruits a reporter, Martin Sixsmith (Steve Coogan) with the help of her daughter, Jane (Anna Maxwell Martin).  The home for the nuns was not helpful and would not tell them anything.  They said the records were burned in a fire.  Turns out the nuns burnt them while keeping the relinquishment papers.  A neighbor tells them they were selling babies for $1000 pounds each. 

She and the journalist who is pursuing the story, head to America to see if they can track him down.  They discover who he is, Michael Hess (a lawyer who served on Reagan's and Bush's staff.  He died from AIDS some years before.  Philomena is looking for some sign he thought about her.

Turns out he was looking for his, and went to the same nunnery and was told that she didn't want anything to do with her son.  The nuns knew they were both looking, but the old nun said it was their penance.  

He insisted on being buried in Ireland there at the cemetery where he was adopted.  This is so his mother could pay his respects, and she did.

This story in actuality was written by the reporter Martin Sixsmith.

In Theaters: **** The Devil Wears Prada 2 (2026)

After being let go by her newspaper, Andrea/Andy (Anne Hathaway) takes employment with her old boss in the fashion world.  She is in charge of the magazine part of the business.  However Miranda (Meryl Streep) doesn't really want her.  Andrea has to prove herself every day.  She finally does scoring an interview with Sasha (Lucy Liu), who is mega rich and doesn't give interviews.  Their is an old friend, Emily (Emily Blunt) who use to work with Andy but is now running a business.  She is a major advertiser so they must visit with her.  She has a new rich boyfriend.  Miranda's head assistant, Nigel (Stanley Tucci) would like a bigger job and more recognition.  Miranda is due for promotion, but the owner dies before it is announced.  The son takes over, and goes a different direction with downsizing, or selling.  Everything is about to change as Emily's boyfriend is planning to buy and then Emily will run things, kicking Miranda to the curb.  However in the end there is another buyer, Sasha, who will not be that active so Miranda keeps her job, and Andy moves up and all are happy.

Interesting look at the fashion world, which is not my scene.  Lady Gaga sings at the fashion show.  Miranda skips out and Nigel gets his chance.

In Theaters: ***** The Sheep Detectives (2026)

The Sheep Detectives is an excellent movie.  I wanted to clap and the end and did a little, but others did not.

How they can make the sheep work with humans, especially since the sheep only talk to themselves and not with people.  But in this case they are the brains as well.

George Hardy (Hugh Jackman) loves his sheep.  He would not think of butchering them, but just sells their wool.  However he has leased some land to his neighbor, Caleb Merrow (Tosin Cole) who does butcher his sheep.  Needless to say, Hardy does not like him.  Hardy also does not like the butcher, Ham Gilyard (Conleth Hill).  Hardy reads to his sheep; detective stories which they very much like, and the most clever of them, Lilly (Julia Luis Dreyfuss) seems to be able to solve the mysteries before Hardy reads the end.  

There are two newcomers in town.  One is the daughter of Hardy, who he has not seen for many years as she was adopted, Rebecca (Molly Gordon).  Hardy has been seeking reunification with her and to introduce her to his sheep.  She was adopted and the local priest, Reverend Hillcoate (Kobna Holdbrook-Smith).   The other is a reporter in town to cover a cultural event which is put together by Beth Pennock (Hong Chau).  It is pretty lame.  She has feelings for Hardy, and steals a letter to her.  

One morning Darby does not feed the sheep like usual, nor give them his medication.  The sheep find him dead.  Merrow bad been trying to get him to sell his sheep.  He discovers the body.  Officer Tim Derry (Nicholas Braun) takes over the investigation.  He is not very bright and concludes it is a heart attack.  

Other sheep who play in the story are Sebastian (Bryan Cranston) who is a mysterious ram who worked in a carnival fighting in a ring against dogs and was rescued by Hardy; the winter lamb (Tommy Birchall) who is ostracized being born at the wrong time of the year; Sir Ritchfield (Patrick Stewart) who is always regal; Mopple (Chris O'Dowd) who helps with the investigation, and accidentally gets his face covered with a cloth and knocks things over in the house during the reading of the will

Lastly also new in town is Lydia Harbottle (Emma Thompson), the lawyer for Hardy and there to read the will.  The will leaves most everything to Rebecca and she becomes the primary suspect.  It also divulges there is another brother in South Africa.  Harbottle talks to him on the phone.  

This movie is very fun with sheep doing crazy sheep things, and their coaching Derry with the investigation.  

Movie Review: **** The Aviator (2004)

Howard Hughes (Leonardo DiCaprio) is really messed up.  At times he is able to control his mental illness, but his demons seem to come out again.  He is a genius and a money making machine; but sometimes genius gets him in trouble.  He also has drive.  He supplies planes for TWA, but eventually buys TWA.  He orers some new long distance planes, and wants to use them for flights to Europe, but the owner of Pan Am, Juan Trippe (Alec Baldwin) has the contract and a monopoly, and a senator, Senator Ralph Owen Brewster (Alan Alda) in his back pocket.  When he is brought before a senate hearing for misuse of public funds on airplane projects, he calls it the way he sees it, and informs the committee Trippe and Brewster work together and it appears the senator is influenced by Trippe due to money and donation.  Hughes in the end gets to move into Europe.  Managing his business affairs was Noah Dietrich (John C. Reilly).

Hughes is also a womanizer with a fling with Katherine Hepburn (Cate Blanchett) and a desire for Ava Gardner (Kate Beckinsale).  

Hughes was also a test pilot, and crashed a couple of planes, the second of which almost killed him and left him with PTSD and burn scars.

Very good biographical sketch of Howard Hughes.

Music Review: The Doors: The Best of the Doors, 1985

 There are several best of the Doors C.D.s.  This is the 1985 version with 2 c.d.s  The Doors establish a pleasing beat with repetitive guitars, and then generally add the vocal melody on top of that.  It works well for most songs, but sometimes the back music is too repetitive.  

Most of their music I could live without, but there afre a few numbers that are very nice.  This would include, "Light My Fire," "Break on Through," "Hello, I Love You" and "Riders on the Storm" which is my favorite.  It is a very long song and goes on several tangents, but always comes back to "riders on the storm."

Movie Review: **** Labor Day with Kate Winslet (2013)

 Labor Day is a movie that lets you know love can be found in the strangest of locations.  Adele (Kate Winslet) has been abandoned by her husband, Gerald (Clark Gregg).  Adele is left depressed but still cares for her son, Henry (Gattlin Griffith and portrayed as an adult by Tobey Maguire who also narrates).  Another man enters the picture in the person of Frank (Josh Brolin) escaped prisoner who was convicted of murder.  He convinces Adele and Henry to take him home.  He says just for the weekend, but by the time the weekend is over they decide to all take off to Canada.  Adele gets her money from the bank to pay for the trip.  This and Gerald leaving father a note, and telling the girlfriend he is leaving leads several people to know what is gong on.  Adele loves Frank, as the sirens come to the house he ties Adele and Henry up so they can say they were kidnapped.  Franks gets 25 more years, 10 for escape and 15 for kidnap.  Adele tells the prosecuting attorney they were not kidnapped, but he cautions then she would be charged with aiding.  

Henry takes up baking.  He was taught by Frank while he was there for a short time.  He also likes baseball, as given confidence by Frank.  However when father wants his son she does not object.  Frank makes contact after seeing Henry with his pie in a magazine.  He mentions seeing Adele when he is released.  That is what happens, and the love story finally finds a home.

I was in tears at this point.  The movie built to that climax very well.  

Music Review: Andrea Bocelli: Cieli Di Toscana (Tuscan Skies)

 Andrea Bocelli is more than a singer, he is a gift.  This C.D. is recorded in Italian and even though I don't understand what is being said, I enjoy the music, the high tenor notes and the times he holds a note out for longer than seems humanly possible.  

This album was released in 2001 and became the highest selling album in the world that year.  It sold millions of copies in the first weeks after it was released.  It was #11 on the U.S. billboard 200 and #1 on the US classics billboard.

Movie Review: ***^ The Super Mario Brothers Movie (2023)

 Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) are plumbers in Brooklyn.  They get sucked through a pipe to mushroom land.  They go separate routes.  Mario meets Toad (Keegan-Michael Key) who takes him to Princess Peach's (Anya Taylor-Joy) castle.  Luigi ends up in the dark kingdom which is under Bowser's (Jack Black) control.  Bowser has threatened Princess Peach that she must marry him or he will destroy her kingdom.  Mario and the princess team up to rescue Luigi and confront Bowser.  They recruit Donkey Kong (Seth Rogen) and his army to help.  They are taking a short cut, but Bowser expects this and ambushes them.  The rainbow road is partially destroyed and Kong and Mario fall into the ocean and are swallowed by an eel.  They escape and get to Peach's castle during the wedding ceremony between Peach and Bowser.  The wedding thwarted Bowser launches a rocket against the mushroom kingdom.  Mario diverts it into a pipe where it explodes and sucks Bowser and everyone to Brooklyn.  Bowser is terrorizing Brooklyn until Marion and Luigi use invincibility stars to defeat Bowser and his minions.  Peach uses a blue mushroom to shrink Bowser who is captured in a bottle.

This is the first animated feature to gross over $1 billion.  There must be many, many Mario players who were immediate fans.  The movie follows the game fairly well.  The movie is a project from Nintendo and Illumination.  

At the Movies: ***^ Animal Farm (2025)

 Animal Farm is an animated version of the story from George Orwell.  On the day the farm is being repossessed and all the animals are being sent to the slaughter house, not the laughter house the animals decide to rebel.  The kick all the humans out, and start to work for themselves.  Snowball (Laverne Cox) is the pig with enough knowledge to determine the evil intent of the farmers.  While Napoleon (Seth Rogen) is his rival in power and leadership.  Lucky (Gaten Matarazzo) is a friend of both, and caught in the middle.  Boxer (Woody Harrelson) is a horse that is old but hard working.  Frieda Pilkington (Glen Close) is a billionaire bank owner who envies the farm and will do anything to get it.  Her team insists the animals pay for the mortgage, $1000 monthly.  The have a. big sell and make the money plus some.  Snowball sees a chance to improve themselves with a water wheel to generate electricity.  Napoleon uses his efforts to turn the rest of the animals against her, and they kick her out.  He keeps changing the rules intent on keeping humans out.  Napoleon manipulates the water wheel to kick Snowball out, thus he is the sole power.  He makes agreements with Pilkington to get a fancy car, starts walking on two legs, and sets the pigs above the other animals.  He then has the animals complete the wheel for electricity, but goes further to have Pilkington build a dam for even more power.

It finally all catches up with him and everything comes tumbelimg down.  This movie wasn't as could as I had hoped.  It is from Angel Studios.  

There are a couple of themes.  One is to stand up for what you know is right, instead of accepting another person's view.  Another is that capitalism has its faults; but lastly that communists are greedy and so that system will always have its corruption and will never work.

T.V. Series Review: Magnum P.I. (1980-1988)

 Thomas Magnum (Tom Selleck) is based in Hawaii where he works as a private investigator.  He has several good friends who help him in his business, which involves one difficult case after another.  There is one episode where Selleck is stuck under a WWII airplane.  He begins talking to a spider; and in so doing he solves the case he is working on, if he could only get away.  He stays in the home of Jonathan Quayle Higgins (John Hillerman).  Theodore TC Calvin (Roger E Mosley) is a friend who owns a helicopter business, and often uses it to help Magnum's spy business.  Orville Richard Wright (Larry Manetti) has connections with the mob, and other contacts helpful to Magnum.  This was a very entertaining show for Sheri and I when we were first married.  We watched it religiously.  It introduced us to the acting skills of Tom Selleck who for some time is one of my favorite actors.  

Alfred Hitchcock Movie Review: ****^ Torn Curtain (1966)

 This is a very good spy movie from Alfred Hitchcock starring Julie Andrews and Paul Newman as an engaged couple, Dr. Sarah Sherman and Professor Michael Armstrong.  Not only are they engaged but Sherman has been working as Armstrong's assistant.  Sherman starts acting strangely.  He defects to East Germany, saying the United States has stopped funding for his missile project.  In truth he is fishing for information from an East German scientist, Professor Heinrich Gerhardt (Hansjörg Felmy) who appears to have resolved an issue that has stymied Armstrong.  He just needs to convince Gerhardt that he has already resolved the issue and get him to share what he knows.  He leaves for East Berlin having told his fiance he was off elsewhere.  However she discovers his plans and follows him to East Berlin, where he announces he is defecting to East Germany.

Everything that could go wrong goes wrong.  Hitchcock the master director makes a great scene where Armstrong and a spy kill an East German security man who was coming onto Professor Armstrong.  This interfers with upcoming meeting between Armstrong and Gerhardt as the communists want to limit contact until they have studied Armstrong more thoroughly.  However he does have access to the assistant.  At first she does not want to cooperate but does after Armstrong tells her what he is doing, he is not a traitor.  This gets Gerhardt excited, and he takes Armstrong aside and to his secret office, where he is able to trick Gerhardt into revealing his research.  Armstrong takes it to memory as Gerhardt writes it down.  About this time the police are onto Armstrong after they find the agent's body.  However he runs away as Gerhardt realizes he has given his secrets away without getting anything in return.

Then comes the trip out of East Germany with many tense scenes, starting then leaving town in a bus, not a regular bus but following the same line as a regular bus.  There are certain anti communists who help.  They get a bit behind schedule, and eventually the police are onto them, so everyone scatters and they leave the bus behind.  They eventually make it to meet with handlers in a theater, where they are smuggled inside costume baskets onto a boat.  

Very tense and exciting movie and highly recommended.

Movie Review: *** Last of the Dogmen (1995)

 The premise of this movie is a band of Cheyenne Dog warriors have been existing, isolated in the woods of Colorado.  An anthropologist (Barbara Hershey) and a bounty hunter (Tom Berenger) find them, but then they have to keep their existence from all others.  In pursuit of this the bounty hunter has to steal some penicillin to treat a Cheyenne boy.  In doing so he is discovered.  They create a posse to follow him, and come close to creating a war with the dog warriors, but the two and one of the Dogmen (Steve Reevis) they are able to keep their existence a secret.  Our two heroes begin to fall in love, but the anthropologist decides to stay with the Dogmen.

Book Review: The Memory Coat

The Memory Coat by Elvira Woodruff, illustrated by Michael Dooling, Scholastic Press, New York, 1999.

Thisis a sstory about a family that is forced to leave Russia because they are Jewish (very much like Fiddler on the Roof).  A nephew, whose parents passed away and who had an old thread bare and well worn coat.  The family suggested replacing it, but he refused.  The coat reminded him of his mother, especially the wool lining on the inside of the coat.

They family traveled far and finally arrived at Aellis Island.  If they did not pass the inspection the family could be sent back, or separated and only some sent back.  Waiting for the inspection, he fell against his cousin and scratched his eye on a basket.  When the inspector saw the eye he rejected him and wrote a letter on his coat.  However his cousin had an idea.  They turned the coat wrong wide out with the nice wool showing.  He got in a line for a new inspection--and passed.  

C.D. Review: Doris Day: Hooray for Hollywood Vol II

 Doris Day's Hooray for Hollywood is a two C.D. set with each C.D. released a few months apart.  Vol II was released in January of 1959.  It features Day's clear voice singing show tunes from Broadway and accompanied by the Frank De Vol and his orchestra.  De Vol also arranged the songs.  This includes music from of the the great composers such as Irving Berlin, Ira and George Gershwin, Oscar Hammerstein II and Richard Rodgers.  She sings from several different musics, many of them old and forgotten and others still remembered.  The most recognized song is "It Might As Well be Spring" from State Fair.  "Three Coins from a Fountain" is also very memorable.  The majority of the musicals are from the 1930s.

It is an enjoyable arrangment of songs, but most obscure to me.  

Movie Review: **** Killers (2010)

 When you go on vacation to France, make sure you fall in love with the right person is the theme of this movie.  Jen (Katherine Heigl) travels to Paris with her parents, Mr. and Mrs Kornfeldt (Tom Selleck and Catherine O'Hara after a relationship break up.  She meets Spencer (Ashton Kutcher) who is a spy and assassin.  As he meets her he is also carrying out a job as assassin and blows up a helicopter.  Being in love he gets out of the business and they marry.  However Jen's father is always a bit wary of him.  

Three years later Spencer's old boss, Holbrook (Martin Mull) contacts him insisting he return to work.  This contact leads to a hit being put upon his life, and many of his neighbors and coworkers turn out to be in the same busines and seek the $10 million that has been put upon his head.  This leads to his wife discovering about his former business.  On top of this that she believes she is pregnant and they need a test to determine for sure.  

They fight off each attack.  They get to the home of Holbrook, and discover he is dead.  They wonder who could have done that.  When they are back home the father and the husband pull guns on each other.  Turns out he too is an agent and was the person who put out the contract.  He was the target three years earlier, but he wasn't on the helicopter.  Holbrook had turned bad and was trying to manipulate things so the father-in-law who not reveal him.  However the father-in-law was vigilant and when he saw mail from Holbrook assumed Spencer was back in the game.  With news of the pregnancy, the crisis is adverted.

Fun story, although I do not like they idea of killing for a living.

At the Movies: ***The Gardener (2026)

 Sabena (Radha Mitchell) is the heiress of the Sabena Cosmetics line.  A large corporation wants to buy, and she refuses.  She has health issues and has surgery for cancer.  While she is healing she she feels she is lead to a mountain property by a bird.  She retreats to the mountain cabin with a dilapidated garden.  A mysterious neighbor says he is a gardener (Walter Miller) and takes the task of restoring the garden, not always according to her instructions.  He often gives her advice, telling her to look forward and not back.  She finally consents to selling the business, and makes out a will leaving her estate in the city to her domestics.  She goes to see the gardener and finds no one has lived in his cabin for some time, while she visited him in the cabin just a few weeks ago.  The garden continues to bloom.  She inherits his cat and dog.

I think the story was interesting but very confusing.  

At the Movies: **** Michael (2026)

 This is a movie about Michael Jackson the singer and humanitarian.  The music are original works by Michael Jackson and his brothers.  Michael was a prodigy from a very young age, with tremendous talent, a good singer and dancer, and a very controlling and abusive father who insisted on perfection.  

The Jackson 5 became very successful with their pop rock and dancing.  They sang "ABC" and "I'll Be There."  The movie focuses very much on the conflict between Michael and his father as his father promotes the family, and Michael his solo career.  Michael had great success with his solo career with his album "Thriller."  Michael wanted to go on a solo tour to promote his album, but his father insisted on a family tour.  During rehearsal, due to pyrotechnics Michael's hair was lit on fire.  This resulted in a lengthy hospital stay, but he returned to the tour.  At their final performance he announced it was their last concert together.  His father's plans for an international tour were thwarted.  

Michael Jackson is played by his nephew, Jafaar Jackson; Juliano Valdi plays the young Michael; Father Joseph is portrayed by Colman Domingo; Mother Katherine Jackson is played by Nia Long; The others of The Jackson 5 are Jermaine played by Jayden Harville/Jamal Henderson, Marlon Jackson by Jaylen Lyndon Hunter/Tre' Horton, Tito Jackson by Judah Edwards/Rhyan Hill and Jackie Jackson by Nathaniel Logan McIntyre/Joseph David-Jones; Latoya Jackson is portrayed by Amaya Mendoza/Jessica Sula.  

Others who helped Michael Jackson in his career included Gladys Knight (Liv Symone); Bill Bray (KeiLyn Durrel Jones) personal security; Quincy Jones (Kendrick Sampson) music producer; And John Branca (MIles Teller) as his personal lawyer.

Interesting things about Michael Jackson from the movie: He often visited children in the hospital, he also collected animals, monkey giraffe, llama, snake etc.  He longed for friendship and collected toys and games.  His relationship with his mother was better than with his father.  They would watch old movies together.  

 

Musical Movie Review: **** Jersey Boys (2014)

 Jersey Boys is a film based on the musical of the same name.  It is directed and produced by Clint Eastwood.  It tells the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.  John Lloyd Young portrays Franki Valli.  Tommy DeVito (Vincent Piazza) and his brother Nick (Johnny Cannizzaro) and a friend Nick Massi (Michael Lomenda) have a trio singing at local clubs.  Sometimes Valli would sing a song or two with them.  As a group the attempt to steal a safe, and get caught.  Tommy goes to prison for six months.  However Valli gets off thanks in art to mobster Gyp DeCarlo (Christopher Walken) who has taken an interest in him.  When Tommy gets out of prison they start their group, The Four Lovers.  They have a hard time getting traction, but are signed to sing back up for others.  

They change their name to the Four Seasons.  Nicky DeVito leaves the group and they are joined by Bob Gaudio (Erich Bergen) who is a song writer.  The convince their producer to record the song "Sherry," which becomes a hit.  The follow with "Big Girls Don't Cry" and "Walk Like a Man."  All is going well until they discover the owe $150,000 plus to the mob.  Tommy has been borrowing money to keep the group going.  Tommy leaves the group, but they have to continue laying to pay off the debts, which they finally do.  

Franki Valli has issues at home with his daughter who runs off with an older man.  Valli intervenes, and promises to be more involved with his daughter.  However she dies from an overdose.  Valli seems to walk away from performing, but Guadio encourages him to go solo.  He resists but eventually records the song Guadio wrote for him, "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You."  20 years later they get back together for induction into the rock and roll hall of fame.  They sing together after many years, and long for the days they sang as a quartet under a street lamp.

I enjoyed this movie.  The music is terrific.  The story is not as well done as the music.

Movie Review: ***^ The Last of Sheila (1973)

 The Last of Sheila script was written by Stephen Sondheim and Anthony Perkins.  It starts as a bunch of friends having a week long party aboard a yaht, but turns into a murder mystery.  The host is Clinton Greene (James Coburn), a movie producer.  The guests include Alice Wood (Raquel Welch) and her manager husband, Anthony (Ian McShane); screenwriter Tom Parkman (Richard Benjamin) and his wife Lee (Joan Hackett); Christine (Dyan Cannon) who is a talent agent; and director Phillip Dexter (James Mason).  A year earlier at a similar party, Greene's wife was killed by a hit and run driver.  He has devised a game in her honor in which he divulges secrets of members of the party.  This gets him killed on the second night.  He had distributed cards with a secret to be revealed to each of the party, "You are a shoplifter, you are a homosexual, you are an ex-convict, you are an informer, you are a little child molester, you are a hit and run driver."  But it turns our one of the company had changed his card from "you are an alcoholic" to "you are a hit and run driver,"  Lee admits she was the hit and run driver.  She had been drinking.  She also admits to killing Greene.  She ends up dead from apparent suicide the next day, having cut her wrists.  

The case is apparently resolved, but to Dexter something does not seem right.  Greene had said the slues were available without leaving the boat.  He notices a picture taken the first day.  each person is below a letter of the boat name, Sheila.  Except the card, hit and run driver does not match.  That person is under the A, for alcoholic.   He presents his information to Parkman, accusing him of changing the card, and being responsible for the two murders.  He had framed his wife for the murder of Greene, as he was already dead when she accidently struck him.  He admits to doing it as he was unhappy in marriage and was to inherit her $5,000,000.  Christine overheard this, and she and Dexter agree to keep quiet if he uses the inheritance to fund their next picture.  

This movie is very entertaining.  He has a very good cast.  However the story was a bit confusing with the murderer not being the murderer.  There is a book based on the movie, but I noticed it is very expensive as a collector's item.

Movie Review: **** The Proposal (2009)

 In this movie Sandra Bullock plays the boss, Margaret Tate, and Ryan Reynolds the executive secretary, Andrew Paxton.  Tate has been holding him back not wanting to lose his skills and his hard work.  He has been there for three years.  However when immigration shows up, (Tate is from Canada) Tate hatches a scheme to marry Paxton.  He goes along, but he was scheduled to be in Alaska for the 90th birthday of his grandmother (Betty White), so they travel to meet his parents.  For her side she has no family.

Tate gets caught up in the idea of having family again.  And they bit by bit start to create a romance.  However when it comes time for the actual wedding, Tate admits what she has done, and is headed back to New York where she will be deported.  Paxton tries to catch the plane before she leaves but fails to do so, and has to travel to New York to propose.  She has gone from the mean boss to someone who is finally real.

Pretty fun movie.  Paxton's family has a large estate in remote Alaska.  At one point an eagle catches the dog.  Tate throws her phone and the eagle drops the dog, but makes off with her phone.  She will be out of touch with work. 

 

Music Review: Putumayo Presents: Latin Lounge (2005)

 The latin rhythms get in your blood with this C.D.  It presents several artists.  Paola Fortuni sings to the moon in "Reflejo de Luna".  You can feel the tango beat.  Stefano Micarelli is on guitar and together they call themselves Alacran.  Natalia Clavier also sins over a tango sound in Simple.  "I just limit myself to my simple song."  Very nice voice.  Another song includes tango accordion, Caminhos de Cuba, sung in Portuguese.  Luiz de Aquina is from Brazil.  Ondine Darcyl sings "Besa Me Mucho".  Her voice has a mystrious quality that is very pleasing.  She is from Buenos Aires.  We get a different beat and rhythm in Folía which is song by Wagner Pá and his band Brazuca Matraca.  The ukulele comes through created a very different sound.  Federico Aubele is also from Argentina and plays guitar for "Esta Noche" while Gabriela Maiaru provides vocals, "Tonight I will sing for you again."  It again has a tango feel.  In "Dame tu querer" we get a Colunbian based song.  Sidestepper is a group put together by Richard Blair.  This song is actually vocalized by Cuban Ronald Infante.

I have very much enjoyed the lating beats and rhythms.  It seems to get in the blood.  

Short Film Movie Review: **** Aningaaq (2013)

 This short films shows the other side of a radio call made in the movie Gravity.  Dr. Stone (Sandra Bullock) places a call for help from space.  She connects with an Inuit fisherman, Aningaaq (Orto Ignatiussen).  They do not speak the same language, but they make a a human connection.  Stone is sure her situation is hopeless and she is going to die today.  The other astronauts with have all died.  They connect over the sounds of the dogs, who don't bark but howl.  They also connect over the cry of a baby.  Aningaaq is preoccupied with having to put his old, sick dog down, and Stone with her own death.  They both benefit from support, but the connection doesn't last, and the last we hear is the report of the rifle as it takes the life of the dog.

Very well done.  Film is by Jonás Cuarón, the son of the director Alfonso Cuarón of Gravity.  Jonás helped write the movie Gravity with his father.  

Movie Review: **^ Hancock (2008)

 Hancock (Will Smith) is a super hero, at least he has super powers, but it seems everything turns out wrong for him and he causes lots of damage when he does his heroing.  However he finds a friend, Ray (Jason Bateman) who takes him on as a case of reconditioning.  But it is his wife that is Hancock's mate.  

Hancock woke up at the doctor some years ago not knowing who he was, just that he has special powers.  However he is drawn to Ray's wife, Mary (Charlize Theron).  Only Mary also has powers.  Mary was with Hancock, but left him because if they are together they start to lose their powers.  And that happens again.  They lose their powers and are vulnerable to attack.   

Hancock thwarted Red's (Eddie Marsan) bank robbery.  He is brewing for revenge.  He recruits some thugs and where their powers are weakened they are in real danger.

This is in the lower teir of super hero movies, but in the end it turns out.

Movie Review: *** The Lady in the Van (2015)

 The Lady in the Van has Maggie Smith portraying, Mary or Margaret who is on the run from the law, and goes off grid and parks her van in a driveway, for 15 years.  She lives in the van and takes advantage of the restroom in the home of Alan Bennett (Alex Jennings) who is torn between empathy and taking advantage by writing her story.  He is a playwright.  He often does one person shows talking about his mother.  He is wanting to add a new show about the homeless lady.  Jennings actually plays this character twice, the generous man and the take advantage man.  We often see him talking to himself.  Smith does a great job of portraying the cantankerous old lady who lives in the van, and often grumbles.  But then there is Mr. Bennett who actually cares for her.  She has a brother (Jim Broadbent) who visits on occasion.  It isn't until after she has died that we learn why she is living in the van and she has changed her name.  She is actually a pianist who has played with the symphony.   

Movie Review: **** Men In Black II (2002)

 Men in Black are back with more of the same; but of course with some twists.  Serleena (Lara Flynn Boyle) has been looking for the Light of Zartha, thinking it will give her power to destroy the Zarthians.  She has been looking for it for 25 years, and finally decides it is on earth.  Kay (Tommy Lee Jones) was involved in hiding it.  Jay (Will Smith) realizes that they need Kay's memories, and so they retrieve him and Jeebs (Tony Shalhoub) help them with this, and gets his head blown off for his troubles (it grows back).  Jay meets and falls for Laura Vasquez (Rosario Dawson).  He witnessed a murder of her boss, who in fact is an alien and helped keep the light safe.  In the end they take her with them to keep her safe.  Serleena takes over the agency with her many tentacles, and Kay and Jay escape to fight another day.  

It takes both of them to overcome Serleena, which they barely do.  Turns out Laura is the light, and she has to leave to avoid blowing up the planet.  She returns to her own kind.  Kay had something for her mother who was murdered by Serleena.  Could she be Kay's daughter?

Fun ride again

Music Review: LeAnn Rimes: Greatest Hits

LeAnn Rimes: Greatest Hits, Curb Records, 2003.

LeAnn Rimes can sure sing.  This C.D. is mostly of music written by others.  Only two songs where Rimes was listed as a writer, "This Love" and "Life Goes On."  She is really good at covers.  She sings "O Holy Night" and "Unchained Melody" which would fit in this category.  She sings "Written in the Stars" with Elton John.  She sings another duet, "Last Thing on my Mind" with Ronan Keating.  There are no show stopper songs, except for "Unchained Melody."  She does a very good job her.  She also does well with "O Holy Night" which was a promo for her upcoming Christmas album.  

Sandra Bullock Movie Review: **** Gravity (2013)

 When everything goes wrong that possible can go wrong on a space mission, this is the movie.  This movie is very intense, as the space craft is subject to a massive space debris collision.  The ship is torn apart, and so our two surviving astronauts must space walk to a space station, with depleting oxygen.  One (George Clooney) gives himself up to get the other (Sandra Bullock) to the station.  It is not in much better shape.  She boards a vehicle to get away, but it gets caught on wires and a chute.  She finally gets free, but discovers no gas.  When things are desperate she reaches out and talks with an Inuit.  Even though she can't communicate she gets hope from a baby crying, and from the dogs howling.  She is ready to give up, but with the help of the ghost of Clooney, she burns the gas reserved for breaking to get free.  She is headed for the Chinese space station.  She gets there but the debris also gets there.  She pretty much falls to earth.

This movie is very tense as lives are in danger through out.  It does show the need for connection and the will to survive.  The special effects are great.  I do not know how they replica zero gravity and the spinning and everything.  I would recommend it to others.  

Movie Review: ***Men In Black (1997)

 Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith star as the Men in Black, a team of super secret agents who fight crime amongst aliens who come to our planet from other worlds.  The bad thing is there is a bug who has come to find the galaxy which is on Orion's belt.  Turns out Orion is a cat, and the belt is his colar.  World's will kill for the galaxy.  This is a comedy action movie which has a very good premise; and who knows who might actually be an alien.  I enjoyed it.  Linda Fiorentino stars as a morgue doctor and future recruit.  Rip Torn stars as the boss.  Vincent D'onofrio stars as the bug.  Bugs are killing machines.  

Opera Review: Blue Beard's Castle.

My grand daughter and I saw the opera at the Holland Center.  Blue Beard's Castle was written by Béla Bartók with the libretto by Béla Balász, with just two singers, and the Bard who introduced the opera.  Is the story without or within?   The original was written in Hungarian.  This is probably what they were singing, or German.  The words showed up above the singers in English as they sang.  Ryan McKinney sang baritone the Duke and Michelle DeYoung soprano the wife.  Her hair reminded my of the character the Bride of Frankenstein.  The orchestra was conducted by Lidiya Yankovskaya.  The light projections were provided by David Murakami.  This is a collaboration with Opera Omaha.

What a story.  The story is very macabre.  The couple, Blue Beard and Judith elope and he brings her home for the first time.  The castle is dark.  She insists on opening the house to let in more light.  She opens one room at a time.  The first is the dungeon and torture room.  You see this through the use of lighting.  Then you see the instruments of torture are covered with blood.  The second room is the armory with many weapons.  Again they are covered with blood (shown by dripping blood on the screen and red light.)  The third room is the treasury with gold and jewels.  Then again the blood.  The fourth room is the garden.  The projectionists showed this in black and white, then also going to blood.  The house is becoming lighter, but the new wife insists on opening all the doors.  The husband keeps asking her not to open them all.  

The fifth door is the husbands many kingdoms.  In this case the lights are on the audience, looking far off because his lands and kingdoms are vast.  But again everything turns red.  The sixth door is water, which are actually tears.  Then we come to the seventh door.  The husband says don't open it.  It is the room with all the former wives.  Did he kill his former lives or are they living in the room.  The husband sings of the morning, noontime and evening wives.  She is the night time wife he met at 12 a.m.  The opera ends with  darkness taking over.  

The story has me thinking.  Is the story without or within?  I think it is both.  It is without, but we interpret the story within and each come to our individual conclusions.  The lighting was  ery eerie.  As thins got darker they but a light on the conductor and her shadow flashed upon the wall.  It was. very effective.

The venue did not allow pictures, so I stole a couple from Facebook from the Omaha Symphony.

singers

conductor

Music Review: The Mormon Tabernacle Choir Sings Hymns of Faith

 The Mormon Tabernacle Choir Sings Hymns of Faith, Bonneville Communications, 1991

This is a very nice collection of songs for a Sunday, or just a spiritual lift.  It includes gospel favorites as well as LDS favorites.  "How Great Thou Art" is very well done.  As are "The Lord Is my Shepherd," "Abide with Me" and "Abide with Me; "Tis Eventide."  Those represent some of my favorites.  However on the LDS side of music this includes more of my favorites, "Come, Come Ye Saints," "The Morning Breaks," "The Spirit of God" and "Come, Come Ye Saints." Also the popular words written by Bruce R. McConkie and set to music by John Longhurst, "I Believe in Christ."  This is great Sabbath music.

Sandra Bullock Movie Review: ****Miss Congeniality (2000)

This is a very funny movie with enough action to keep it very interesting.  Gracie Hart (Sandra Bullock) is an FBI agent who goes undercover at the Miss USA pageant as a bomb threat has been made.  Her partner is running the operation, agent Matthews (Benjamin Bratt). Victor Melling (Michael Caine) is brought in to make Gracie seem plausible as a contestant.  The pageant hosts are Kathy Morningside (Candice Bergen) and Stan Fields (William Shatner).   Miss Rhode Island (Heather Burns) plays prominently as Gracie's friend and is very funny.  What would be your ideal date?  "April 25th because its not too cold and not too hot."  That really cracks me up.  I like the personalities of the characters.  Bullock is very fun, as are the contestants.  I very much recommend this movie.  The fight over the crown at the end is pretty funny as well.

Sandra Bullock Movies

Sandra Bullock has been in movies for sometime.  I really enjoy seeing her in the movies.  This list contains her movies that are not rated "R".  Some years she was in three or four movies, a testament to her maketability as an actress and the characters she builds.  

Love Potion #9 (1992)

The Thing Called Love (1993)

Wrestling Ernest Hemingway (1993)

Speed (1994)

**** The Net (1995) When your identiy is stolen by the internet

**** While You were Sleeping. (1995). Love story

Love and War (1996)

Speed 2 (1997)

 ***^ Hope Floats (1998)

**** Pratical Magic (1998). A good Halloween movie about siblings who are witches

The Prince of Egypt (1998). Animated story of Moses

Forces of Nature (1999)

28 Days (2000)

**** The Lakehouse (2000) Love story with Keanu Reeves and a time shift of two years, and a dog.

**** Miss Congeniality (2000)

Lisa Picard Is Famous (2000)

Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood (2002)

2 Weeks Notice (2002)

Miss Congeniality 2 (2005)

Premonition (2007)

**** The Proposal (2009)

All About Steve (2009)

***^ Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (2011). 9/11 movie

**** Gravity (2013)

****^ Aningaaq (2013)

****^ The Blind Side (2014) Very good football movie

*^ Minions (2015) Animated feature I didn't care for

*** Bird in a Cage (2018). Netflix scifi movie

Oceans's 8 (2018)

The Lost City (2022)

Movie Review: National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets (2007)

 The gang is back with another adventure, but this time they also have to disprove that their ancestor was involved in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.  So Ben Gates (Nicholas Cage) involves his ex (Diane Kruger), his parents (Jon Voight and Helen Mirren) and his partner (Justin Bartha).  Their rival (Ed Harris) is using the groups knowledge to get what he wants.  The clues lead them to Europe, France and London, and then back to the White House.  It even leads to their kidnapping the president to get to the book; the book of government secrets passed down from president to president.  There are two people going for this treasure, the big lost city of gold.  They get there at the same time.  They eventually find it under Mount Rushmore.  

Fun ride.  

In Theaters: **** Project Hail Mary (2026)

This movie is based on the book of the same name.  The book was written by Andy Weir.  It is about a high school science teacher (Ryan Gosling) who is sent to space.  He is the only survivor of the three man crew.  His sleep condition has caused amnesia, but he is much further into space than he realizes on a desperate journey to see if they can figure out why the sun is dying and how to fix it.  

The movie starts very cerebral, and I felt very slow.  However when he meets an alien things pick up greatly.  This is Rocky (voiced by James Ortiz).  Turns out the movie is more about the relationship between the teacher and the alien than it is about the sun.  Sandra Hüller plays the project leader who forced the school teacher to go on the journey.

Very intriguing plot after it got going.  The theme of living with others who are different was also very good.  There is an interesting twist in the end which I won't give away.

Movie Review: ***^ The Great Escaper (2023)

 This movie is a portrayal of an older couple, Bernard and Irene Jordan (Michael Caine and Glenda Jackson), who live in a nursing home together.  The story is based on the true story of Bernard Jackson, 90 years old, leaving the nursing home to attend the 70 year anniversary of D-day in France in June 2014.  The telling of the story brings back many memories, good ones and traumatic ones.  It is also about growing old together.  

I think the movie told its story well.  Especially good was the relationship of the old couple.

In Theaters: ***^ The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (2026)

 This is a movie more enjoyable to kids than adults.  It is very much like playing the game, at least in terms of the music and some of the graphics.  However it does add a plot.  Rosalina, Prince of the Star land (Brie Larsen) is captured by Bowser's son (Benny Safdie).  His goal is to free his father so they can rule the universe together.  She appeals to her long forgotten younger sister, Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy for help, and she turns to Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day).  They want to use Rosalina's star power to power their doomsday weapon.  This movie is about sisterly love, as well as brotherly love.  And finally father an son love.  However it is when Bowser (Jack Black) realizes his circle includes his friends too that things begin to change.

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.   

At the Movies: I Can Only Imagine 2 (2026)

 This movie focuses on a couple of families, and a couple of songs.  It is about the musical group Mercy Me.  The families are first Tim and Hilary Timmons (Milo Ventimiglia and Arielle Kibbel), Tim is the opening act for the band Mercy Me, and he has cancer.  He wants to write a song that makes a difference.  The second family is Bart and Shannon Millard (John Michael Finley and Sophie Skelton).  Bart is lead singer for Mercy Me.  His son Sam (Sammy Dell) has diabetes.  He comes on the trip with his dad, and starts performing with Tim.  Sam doesn't take care of his sugar numbers and has a relapse, and does Tim with his cancer.  Bart starts taking seriously Tim's desire to write a song and asking Bart to finish it.  

The two songs are very similar and both based on the hymn "It Is Well with my Soul."  The first song is "Make it Well."  The second song is the new song written by Tim and Bart, which they sing for the first time at a concert.  Sam sings, and Tim is in the audience having gotten out of the hospital.  "Even If" proclaims you will be my God even if things do not go right.  

I enjoyed this show of faith.  The music is great as is the message.  Tim does not succumb to his cancer and he and his wife now have four kids.  Sam and Bart continued their careers and sometimes sing together.  

John Wayne Movie Review: El Dorado

 Cole Thornton (John Wayne) is a gun slinger.  He is recruited by Bart Jason (Ed Asner) to help him run off the McDonald ranching family.  John Wayne decides to refuse as he would be going against the sheriff, and old friend, J.P. Harrah (Robert Mitchum.)  However even so he ends up killing the son of the ranchers, (as a reaction to being shot at) and the sister, Joey McDonald (Michele Carey) puts a bullet in him.  The bullet is against his spine and needs a better doctor for removal. 

John Wayne leaves, and hooks up with Minnesota (James Caan) who is good with a knife and not so good with a gun.  The hear that Jason has hired a different gun slinger, Nelse McLeod (Christopher George) and that Harrah has gone to drink over girl issues.  Minnesota and Thornton decide to go back and help.  They helpp rehabilitate Harrah, and take on the Jason men.  Thornton is bothered by the bullet which causes paralysis attacks.  Harrah is shot in the leg.  They are joined by the deputy, Bull (Arthur Hunnicutt.). Jason has kidnapped a McDonald and forcing the father to sign over his water rights.  And our heroes are set for the final confrontation.

Very fun movie.  Similar to Rio Bravo where the deputy is the drunk and Wayne is the sheriff,  In this the sheriff is the drunk and Wayne the deputy.  Maudie (Charlene Holt) provides the female love interest and does a good job.

Omaha Symphony: Stravinsky's Firebird

The guest conductor for this concert was Christopher Allen and the guest violinist was Francisco Fullana. The orchestra first play the overture for Die Fledermaus.  Fullana only played for the first half of the concert, until intermission.  He played with the orchestra Samuel Barber Concerto for violin and orchestra, Op 14.  The violin was bouncing all over the place so it was very fun.  Just before intermission Fullana and the first chair violinist performed a duet which was also very good.  

After intermission the orchestra layed a short piece,  Starburst.  They then played Stravinsky's Firebird.  I really enjoyed firebird.  I guess Stravinky is Russian.  This music told the story of a dark wizard who was holding many people captive as statues.  It was only with the help of the Firebird that they were set free.  A counter charm forced the dark knight to do whatever the hero wanted until he relented to set the people free.  He never relented but eventually he died as did his minions and the people were free.  

This concert was very enjoyable.  The only boring piece, almost put me to sleep, was Starburst which only lasted a couple minutes.  

At the Movies: EPiC Elvis Presley in Concert

 This is a documentary of Elvis Presley with never before seen footage.  It focuses on the Las Vegas concerts but also gives insight to Elvis' youth and his music career based on recorded tapes that were found.  Elvis sings a wide range of music, including several covers of others.  The music is fantastic, the covers and the originals.  Songs include: "In the Ghetto," Can't Help Falling in Love," "That's All Right," Hound Dog," "Polk Salad Annie," "Always on my Mind," "Burning Love," "Are You Lonesome Tonight," "How Great Thou Art," "Bridge Over Troubled Water," "You've Lost that Loving Feeling," "Walk a Mile in my Shoes" and "Suspicious Minds."  I really enjoyed the "Polk Salad Annie" as Elvis danced as only he can.  The conversion was also very good into the thoughts of Elvis with regards to his love of music, all kinds.  He refused to answer a question about politics saying he is an entertainer.  He also talked of how he did not enjoy his acting career feeling directors did not let him really act, but just play a caricature.  I loved this documentary.  Directed by Baz Luhrmann.  

DC Movie Review: ****^ The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

 Batman (Christian Bale) has been retired for eight years, and has become a recluse mourning the death of Rachel Dawes.  The city has been doing well, having locked up 2000 criminals based on the Dent laws.  But there is evil brewing beneath the surface.  Batman's old nemesis, the League of Shadows is returning.  Not Ta's Al Ghul, but those who think like him are filtrating the city and government.  Bane (Tom Hardy) in particular is the essence of evil.  He breaks people's necks, or rips out their trachea with his bare hands.  

Commissioner Gordon's (Gary Oldman's) wife has left him, but he continues to protect the reputation of Harvey Dent, and lets Batman take the blame for his crimes.  John Daggett (Ben Mendelsohn) wants to take over Wayne Enterprises and kick Bruce Wayne out.  Cat Woman/ Selina (Anne Hathaway) steals Wayne's finger prints, and sell them to Bane.  They attack a stock market bank, and using the fingerprints are able to wipe Wayne out of money, and Daggett gets his wish, but Bane ends up killing him.  Bane has bigger goals.  

Gordon is kidnapped by Bane's men, but escapes with the help of new police man, John Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt).  However Gordon is hospitalized from the trauma.  Alfred (Michael Caine) leaves, hoping he can keep Batman from becoming involved again as Batman.  Batman is older and Bane will certainly kill him.  Batman does confront Bane, and Bane beats him in a fight, injuring Batman's back.  Bane keeps him alive but puts him in an Asian prison.  Meantime he takes over Gotham, using explosives so as to isolate it on Gotham island, trapping the police under ground, liberating all the prisoners who are set up as mob rule.  He comes upon nuclear material from Wayne Enterprises, and having kidnapped a scientist to make it into a bomb.  They hold kangaroo courts presided by Jonathan Crane (Cillian Murphy) in which the put wealthy people to death.

Batman is in the Asian prison for five months, giving his body time to heal.  He is finally able to climb out of the prison.  He finds that a child of Ta's Al Ghoul was also in the prison and escaped.  The child was helped by a protector.  Batman assumes the child is Bane.

Batman returns to Gotham, and takes on Bane with a different result.  He is able to knock his breathing mask which causes great pain.  However just as he is on the point of victory, an ally, Miranda stabs him in the back, literally.  She worked for Wayne Enterprises but turns out to the Talia Al Ghul (Marion Cotillard), daughter of Ta's Al Ghul.  Bane is the protector.  Talia attempt to detonate the bomb but fails as the signal is blacked by Gordon at the bomb.  Thali takes off to go to the bomb.  Catwoman kills Bane with the bat cycle.  The chase Talia, and finally catch her, but the bomb is going to detonate.  Batman takes the bomb in a bat plane out into the ocean where it explodes, ending the threat and Batman.  Batman had said the remote for the plane was not working, but they later discover it was working.

This movie as very good.  I liked it better as the evil characters played their parts well and were truly evil.  Blake is set up to be Robin as he finds the bat cave. 

Movie Review: ****^ Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

 This is a fun expose of the two bandits, Butch Cassidy (Paul Newman) and the Sundance Kid (Robert Redford).  It includes the son, "Raindrops keep falling on my head."  I is a really good view at the relationships.  The outlaws are forced to leave because of the intense pressure placed on them by the railroad company detectives seeking their death.  They move to Bolivia with Etta Place (Katherine Ross).  They go back into the business with some success robbing banks.   Bur they hear the detective from America has come to track them down, so they stop all criminal activity.  However working as guards they have to kill more then at being criminals.  Etta returns to America, and Butch and Sundance face and army.  That is where the show ends because of all the controversy of whether they returned to America or not and are buried in Bolivia.  

I really enjoy this history and this movie is fun.  

Movie Review: ***^ The Dark Knight (2008)

 In the Dark Knight Batman (Christian Bale) gets darker; as does his nemesis Joker (Heath Ledger).  The Joker is without scruples.  He kills even those who for him or with him.  As such he takes over the crime syndicate in Gotham.  He does behave in conventional ways, and this throws Batman off.  Also the district attorney, Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) is being aggressive going after organized crime.  The assistant is Bruce Wayne's interest, Rachel (Maggie Gyllenhaal).  Joker is very good at getting what he wants.  He takes on the task of killing Batman.  He fails to do this but he does turn turn Dent.  He kidnaps he and his fiancé, Batman's friend Rachel.  He forces Batman to save one of them, and Rachel is killed.  Dent is left as Two-face.  Two-face ends up dead and Batman takes the blame so the people can have a hero in Dent, and the laws against organized crime go into effect.  At the end of this movie Batman becomes the Dark Knight and goes into hiding.

The Joker is really devious and evil, and always seems to be a step ahead.  Hedger plays him very dark.  Michael Cane continues as Alfred the butler and support Wayne and Batman.  Gary Oldman continues as commissioner Gordon.  It is Batman and the commissioner who decide the perception has to be that Batman is evil and Dent is a hero.  Joker had messed with Gordon and his family, kidnapping them.

Musical Movie Review: **** Calamity Jane (1953)

 Calamity Jane (Doris Day) is a western woman who dresses in men's clothing.  She is the guard of the stage, and exaggerates how many Native Americans she has killed.  She rescues Lieutenant Gilmartin (Philip Carey) when he is captured by Indians.  She has a crush on him.  Wild Bill Hickok (Howard Keel) has a thing for Calamity Jane, but would like her to wear woman clothes.  Calamity goes to Chicago to recruit and actress, but gets the wrong woman.  She comes back with the maid, Katie Brown (Allyn Ann McLerie) rather than the actress; but Brown she does the best she can.  Calamity and Brown move in together, and Calamity get jealous when Brown and Gilmartin kiss.  She is so upset she tells Brown she must leave.  But Gilmartin really likes Brown.  Hickok finally proposes to Calamity, and everything ends happy.  

The voices of Howard Keel (baritone) and Doris Day are excellent and their singing really carries the musical.  I especially like the song "The Black Hills of Dakota."  They both sing with lots of energy.  "I Can Do Without You" is also very fun.  

John Wayne Movie Review: ****The Searchers (1956)

 This is a very good movie, and the racism of the lead character spills out all over the movie.  I think this was the point.  Uncle Ethan Evans (John Wayne) has returned home three years after the Civil War ended.  He is caught up in rescuing his nieces who are taken by Comanche.  Their brother, Martin Pawley (Jeffrey Hunter) goes with him but he is not a blood brother, but adopted and has Cherokee blood, which Uncle Ethan doesn't let him forget it.  Pawley has a girlfriend, Laurie (Vera Miles).  Early on they find the older sister murdered.  However the search for Deborah (Natalie Wood and Lana Wood), the younger sister goes on for many years.  Pawley is worried Uncle Evan will kill her as she has been amongst the Indians too long and will be an Indian.  The learn Cicatriz, or Scar (Henry Brandon) has her, but make little progress in finding him.  The first time they come upon Debbie Uncle Ethan does want to kill her, and Pawley intervenes.  However the second time there is a major operation and Cicatriz is killed.  However when Uncle Evan gets to the niece, now about 15 he says lets go home, and it is both he and the niece going home as Uncle Ethan lets go of some of his hate.  

The party would come home from time to time.  On one of these occasions they enter the wedding of Laurie and Charlie McCorrey (Ken Curtis, later Festus).  Laurie had grown tired of waiting and McCorrey had worn her down.  McCorrey and Pawley fight, and there is no wedding.  It is after this fight we hear that Cicatriz is in the area.  Another interesting character is Moss Harper (Hank Worden).  People thinks he is crazy, but it is he who was able to discover the whereabouts of Cicatriz.  Sisters Natalie Wood and Lana Wood portray Debbie, Lana the young Debbie and Natalie the older Debbie.  

I enjoyed this movie.  You have to remember Uncle Ethan's racism is his character form seeing death in the Civil War and fighting against the Native Americans.