Tom Selleck Movie Review: *****Quigley Down Under (1990)

 This is a movie I often come back to when I want to be entertained.  It is very well done.  It stars Tom Selleck as Matthew Quiqley, who has been hired from the West to help Elliott Marston (Alan Rickman) kill the aborigines from a long distance.  It also stars Laura San Giacomo as Crazy Cora, who has been sent to Australia by her husband after her baby dies.  

Quigley demonstrates his prowess with his long range rifle, but after he gets there and hears what he is suppose to do he rejects the idea.  This bodes poorly for him as he is captured and beaten and then he and Cora are taken to the desert where it is assumed the desert will kill them.  However Quigley has just enough strength and wit to get them out of the situation.  However they are then in desert away from everything.  It is only with the rescue of the aborigines they live.  They then become defenders of the aborigine as Marston sends men to get rid of them.  This includes shooting, and driving them off a cliff.  Finally Quigley has had enough and heads to the Marston's ranch estate to put an end to this needless killing.  

Movie Review: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

This movie is delightful.  We are introduced to three new characters, all friends of the father of Harry Potter, Professor Lupin (David Thewlis), who is actually a werewolf, Sirius Black (Gary Oldman), escaped from Azkaban Prison, and Peter Pettigrew (Timothy Spall), who was the fourth corner of the friendship.  Peter is actually Ron's rat for most of the movie.  While Sirius is blamed for betraying Harry's parents, it is actually Peter who did this.  There is actually a fourth character, Buckbeat, the Hippogriff.  Hagrid, who is now teaching magical creatures introduces the class to hippogriffs, who are wild and proud creatures.  Draco Malfoy runs afoul of the hippogriff, and is injured.  As a result the hippogriff is ordered to be set down.  This is the only Harry Potter movie directed by Alfonso Cuarón.  It may have been me, but it seemed the terrain was different than other harry Potter movies.  Hagrid's home was down quite a hill.  However the action is just as intense, and the plot twists are fun.  This movie also showed less of the Quidditch play than some of the others.  However harry gets his new broom at the end of the movie.
We are also presented Dementor's in this movie--faceless soul suckers who guard the Prison of Azkaban and are invited to guard the entrances to Hogwarts.  Sometimes they get out of bound, and harry keeps fainting when he is close to them.  However Lupin teaches him the Patronus spell, which he finally master by the end of the story.

Movie Review: ****Robin Hood (1991)

This movie starts with Robin of Locksley, (Kevin Costner), returning to England after the crusades, grateful to have escaped with his live, and bringing with him a Moorish friend, Azeem (Morgan Freeman), who has a debt to pay to Locksley, and has vowed to save his life in return for his life having been saved.  However England has changed, with the absence of King Richard (Sean Connery).  The Sheriff of Nottingham (Alan Rickman) is plotting to become king.  He is helped by a witch, who is actually his mother (Geraldine McEwan).  After finding his own lands in ruin, and his father executed, he seeks refuge at the home of Marian Dubois (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio), who of course greets him poorly.  Robin eventually falls in with the thieves of the forest, and takes them on a mission of revenge against Nottingham.  However he has bit off more than he can chew, and with the Celts as hired mercenaries they are overwhelmed and many taken prisoner and scheduled to be hung.  That is what sets up the doom of the sheriff, as Robin will not let this happen.  Seven men take on his forces, and with the people rising up, win the day.  Great adventure, and terrific scene with Robin and Azeem being catapulted over the wall.  Perhaps the best thing about this movie, is the song sung with the credits, with several lines slipping in during the show:

"(Everything I Do) I Do It For You"

Look into my eyes – you will see
What you mean to me.
Search your heart, search your soul
And when you find me there you'll search no more.

Don't tell me it's not worth tryin' for.
You can't tell me it's not worth dyin' for.
You know it's true:
Everything I do, I do it for you.

Look into your heart – you will find
There's nothin' there to hide.
Take me as I am, take my life.
I would give it all, I would sacrifice.

Don't tell me it's not worth fightin' for
I can't help it, there's nothin' I want more
You know it's true:
Everything I do, I do it for you, oh, yeah.

There's no love like your love
And no other could give more love.
There's nowhere unless you're there
All the time, all the way, yeah.

Look into your heart, baby...
Oh, you can't tell me it's not worth tryin' for.
I can't help it, there's nothin' I want more.

Yeah, I would fight for you, I'd lie for you,
Walk the wire for you, yeah, I'd die for you.

You know it's true:
Everything I do, oh, I do it for you.

Movie Review: ****Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)

Here is another fantastic view of the Harry Potter world.  In this film we are introduced to Harry Potters ability to speak to a snake.  As a result, Harry wonders if he should have been in Slythirin House.  It also makes him a prime suspect when the Chamber of Secrets is opened; and children start disappearing.  The good thing about this is they are only frozen and not killed, because they see the Basilisk (giant snake) directly it would kill them, but reflected it only freezes them.  Even Hermione meets this fate.  We are also introduced to Ginny Weasley (Bonnie Wright) in this episode, ton's younger sister, who is used by Draco's father to introduce the journal of Lord Voldemort.  When people start getting frozen, Hagrid is accused, because of his relationship with a giant spider, who in the end is not the cause.  Harry travels t the spider's lair to learn more, and barely escapes in a mystical car.
This film resolves when Harry confronts the beast in the Chamber.  When he is about to be killed, the Phoenix and the hat bring to Harry's aid the sword of Gryfindor.  Harry destroys the evil journal with a tooth from the Basilisk.
This movie also introduces us to house elves.  Doby shows up at Harry Potter's home, and does all he can to prevent Harry Potter from returning to school.  He is the house elf of the Draco family and knows of the plot to open the Chamber of Secrets.  Hermione takes it as her quest to free the house elves.

Movie Review: Galaxy Quest

This movie is made on a very outlandish premise, but it actually works, and is very enjoyable.  What if an alien race had been watching your old space television episodes, and had seen your exploits, and heroics, as shown in the t.v. series?   And this race of people were in bad need of heroes and rescuing?  And they had built a ship to all the specifications mentioned in the show?  Even if they were stupid?  And all they needed were the people from those ships to captain and pilot the vessel.  And they had the means to travel over large distances and come and get you?  Of course the would do so.  And would you actually be the hero you had portrayed in the t.v. episodes?  Or would you just be an old has been who goes around to old sci-fi conventions were you mingle with all the nerds?
Tim Allen stars as the Captain.  Other crew members are Gwen DeMarco (Sijourney Weaver), Alexander Dane (Alan Rickman) and Fred Kwan (Tony Shalhoub).

Movie Review: ****^Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

This is a great continuation of the Harry Potter story.  This year Dumbledore is back at Hogwarts, and they have the task to figure out how to kill Voldemort.  Part of this plan is totally unexpected.  Dumbledore, is intent on discovering how they can defeat Dumbledore.  To do this he must review the memories of Professor Horace Slughorn (Jim Broadbent) (prior potions teacher who has agreed to come back to teach) with regards to a conversation with Tom Riddle (Voldemort).  This conversation had to do with Horcruxes, and how you could put your soul into a physical object, and thereby assure your own immortality.  This could be done by murdering someone.  They discover that Voldemort did this several times, and thus there are many Horcruxes around, which must be destroyed.

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince:

Draco Malfoy also received a special mission from Voldemort, and Snape is brought into this agreement with a spell he cannot brake, to assist Draco.  Dumbledore and Harry meet regularly to review memories of Voldemort in the pensieve.  Harry Potter does very well in school thanks to a book owned by "The Half Blood Prince" which he has found.  This gives keys to making potions and casting curses.  

Dumbledore and Harry visit a cave, where they feel they will find a Horcrux.  This experience leaves Dumbledore in a weakened state, he had to drink a poison to get to the Horcrux, but they do discover what they think is the Horcrux.  As they get back to Hogwarts, Draco has let death eaters into the school.  He faces Dumbledore, but is not able to kill him, but Snape does kill him.

The last scene is Harry chasing Snape.  He uses a curse from the book, and Snape says, don't use my own curses on me.

I enjoy all the Harry Potter movies.  This movie is no exception.  There is plenty of action.  The movies keep getting a bit darker as we go along, and the murder of Dumbledore was not expected.

Movie Review: ****^Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

This movie is made perfect by the appearance of Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton) who is the "teacher" of the dark arts.  Actually she is a plant of the ministry who is to keep an eye on Hogwarts, and make sure that news of Voldemort's return is considered to be nothing more than a lie.  Because they are not able to really learn at school, they set up a special class, Dumbledore's Army, and hold class in the room of requirements.  This organization mirrors the Order of the Phoenix, an organization among the adult wizard world which is set up to protect against Voldemort.  In the meantime Hagrid has been among the giants, and shares a half brother who he has brought back with him, and who is living in the wood.  This half brother is a full blood giant, and more wild.  When Umbridge breaks up the gang, and discovers their name, Dumbledore is forced out of the school, but instead of going quietly, he flies off with the help of his phoenix.  However the school is left unprotected, in Umbridge's care.  Voldemort uses an ability to invade Harry's mind, and lets him know that Sirius in danger (this is not true, but a vision put in Harry's brain by Voldemort.)  Umbridge intervenes before they are able to go to the rescue.  She is intent on breaking the group and incriminating Dumbledore.  For this reason Hermione is able to lead her on a wild goose chase, where the giant and the centaurs are able to take care of Umbridge.
The group takes off to the rescue, and find themselves in the ministry, where prophecies are kept.  Voldemort is intent on having the Harry Potter prophesy.  Harry is able to recover this, but as it is a trap, death eaters are waiting for them.  The Order of the Phoenix comes to the rescue, but in the struggle Sirius dies.  Also in the struggle Dumbledore battles Voldemort in the Ministry, and his existence can no longer be denied. 
This movie keeps up the tension of the series.  It is very well done.  It continues the fight of good against evil. 

Movie Review: ****^Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

I am seen all the Harry Potter movies, but this is only the second review as I have just gotten done watching this again.  These are movies that you watch over and over.  "The Goblet of Fire" is the fourth in the series.  This is the movie were Voldemort comes back.  I liked this movie because I recognized The Doctor as (David Tennant) as Barty Crouch.  The new teacher for defense of the dark arts is Alastor Moody (Brendan Gleeson).  This is a dual role.  The plot is Voldemort wants to come back from being a glob in which he was left.  However the conditions must be just right.  He plants a spy in the Tri Wizard Cup games with the goal of getting Harry Potter to him, so he can set up those conditions.  Voldemort is evil, as are those who surround him.  Barty Crouch is just bad, and Voldemort has this snake that talks, it is just bad.  Harry has dreams of this evil plot, but doesn't figure out what is happening until it is too late.
Lots of action this version, and lots of relationship strife between our three leads, Harry, Hermione and Ron.   Too many top rank actors to list them all, but this show is a good time, and lead us to further adventures.

Movie Review: *****Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

First we loved the books, then the movies. This movie presents us with an imaginary world inside out regular world.  In this world there are sorcerers and sorceresses, and they live side by side regular folk without the regular folk knowing they are there. 

Harry(Daniel Radcliffe), although he has a destiny in this world, has been raised by his “regular” or “muggle” aunt and uncle.  They have not treated him kindly, spoiling their own boy while making harry live under the stairs.  Into this world is thrust a plethora of letters, inviting Harry to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft.  His aunt and uncle try to keep him from this fate, even escaping to an island in the sea.  To this island comes Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane), on his flying motorcycle.  I love the part where he knocks down the door and then says, “Sorry about that.”  One of my favorite lines from the movie.  Harry is on his way to the witchcraft school, and he learns he has a special place in the witch’s world. 

He is a first year, and put into the house of Gryffindor.  Two friends he met on the train are also placed in this house, Hermione (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint).  The head of their house is Professor McGonagall (Maggie Smith).  The headmaster of Slytherin House is Professor Snape (Alan Rickman).  Snape holds a bit of contempt for Harry, and Harry always misinterprets his intentions.  At school there is a mystery.  Someone let a troll into the house.  It was luck no one was killed.  However Hermione and the others determine someone is looking for the Sorcerer’s Stone, which will make someone immortal.  As they make this discovery, it falls on them to prevent the robbery of the stone.  They have to go through all the charms protecting the stone, following someone who has gone this way before them.  That someone turns out to be the professor of defense against the magical arts, Professor Quirrel (Ian Hart) who has been inhabited by the dark magician who must not be named.  The confrontation between Harry and Voldemort, he who must not be named, is classic.  It is a struggle between good and evil, and this movie is very tense to the end.  Richard Harris portray Professor Albus Dumbledore.

Movie Review: *^Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Sweeney Todd has every thing you want to love a musical, talented performers, beautiful music an interesting story.  It just goes too far for me to recommend it.  I just don't get off on blood gushing out of someone's carotid artery.  In fact it makes me rather nauseous.  I really like Johnny Depp as the barber, Henlena Bonham Carter as the meat pie maker, and Alan Rickman as the judge.  For great theater, the scene between the judge and barber is just delicious.  "Pretty Women" is just beautiful.  "No one's going to harm you" is also well done.  I also love "Johanna."  One warning in watching the song on You Tube.  One version the barber sings as he slices throats.  Much better to watch the young lover (Jamie Campbell Bower) version as he sings to Johanna (Jayne Wisener).  This story ends like all good tragedies, with lots of death, of course there is plenty of death through out this movie.
So my analysis, beautiful music but too bloody to be palatable.  Do not get the movie, but listen to the songs, or watch them on You Tube but be careful.

Movie Review: Sense and Sensibility ****^(1995) ***(2008)

This of course is based on a Jane Austen book.  Last night I had an enjoyable time watching the Columbia pictures Sense and Sensibility (1995) via instant Netflix.  This last week I also watched the newer Masterpiece Theater version (2009) from home delivery Netflix.  Miranda pointed out that the original version has five actors from the Harry Potter movies--Snape, Professor Trelawney, Madame Pomfrey, Dolores Umbridge and Cornelius Fudge.  On the other hand the new version only has Mr. Weasley.  On that score alone, I recommend the 1995 version.  The characters are fun, and the acting is superb.  The new version, although entertaining, just lacks the same character.  It tries to add sensuality, especially in the first scene, but it really doesn't fit.

So for the 1995 version, which had me in stitches.  Remember, this movie was made at the start of many of these careers.  Turns out Dolores Umbridge is married to Dr. House, who has the attitude you would expect Dr. House to have.  His sarcasm and wit is just as biting as in his future work.  I found it pleasing that Dolores was getting her pay back, after all she put Harry through.  It was fun to view this way.  In addition, Professor Trelawney loves Hugh Grant, And Snape loves Kate Winslett.  What could be funner than that?  The highlight of this movie is when Elinor (Emma Thompson) discovers that Edward (Hugh Grant) is not married.  She breaks into tears in front of  him.  It is a moving scene, and the humor of her collapse adds to it greatly.  I thoroughly enjoyed myself.   This moving kept me entertained from start to finish.   Mrs. Jennings and Sir John do an excellent job of teasing and needling the girls, and they make the movie fun while not taking itself too seriously.

So I heartily recommend the 1995 version, and don't recommend quite so much the 2009 version.

Movie Reviews: ****^Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows part 2

I think everyone has seen Harry Potter.  I saw it in 3-D in Logan while we were there.  Sheri had already seen the movie, but said she preferred the extra dimension.

The story was intense, as it was suppose to be, and the battle was entertaining.  I have only a couple minor complaints.  I wish they could have focused more on the battle, and a little less on Harry.  Of course I guess the story was Harry.  My only other complaint, is the epilogue left me hollow somehow.  I think I would have liked to have seen more characters like Melville and Luna.  Other than the three, the only character I recognized was Draco.
With this movie, the series is now complete, and our heroes have finished Hogwarts.  Harry Potter has been a joy for our family throughout.  I remember bringing home four or five copies at a time when a new book came out.  Nobody wanted to wait.  I also remember Thanksgiving weekends seeing the movie when it came out, one in San Diego with cousins.  It has been a fun ride.

Movie Review: ****^Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I

What is not to like about a Harry Potter movie.  The only thing keeping me fro giving this movie the full four stars is the  movie deals too much with the visions of Ron Weasley.  This had to do with the horcrux they were carrying.  It is part of the plot but it could have been doe in a less compromising way.

The snake was extremely scary, and I jumped out of my seat.  This was very well done.

The presentation of the Lovegood residence was very good, and the explanation of the Deathly Hallows.

This movie ended very sad.   It divides the book into two parts.  There was someone in the back of the theater crying uncontrollably.  Her friends were telling her to shut-up.  I had tears in my eyes.  I don't blame her for being emotional.