Tom Cruise Movie Review: ***^Rain Man (1988)

 This is the story of a young man, Charlie Babbitt (Tom Cruise) whose father pases away.  He could really use an inheritance because his business is not doing well, but his father cuts him out of the will for a different beneficiary.  He and his girlfriend (Valeria Golino) go to an institution looking for the beneficiary.  And his autistic brother, Raymond (Dustin Hoffman) finds them because of the classic car he did inherit.  Raymond gets in the car saying he has driven it before.

Charlie concocts a plan to take Raymond to L.A., hoping he can manipulate a better inheritance.  Charlie did not know of his brother, and the trip helps him bond.  They go through hotels and Las Vegas, but they do not fly.  Raymond is afraid of airplanes based on his knowing all the statistics about air crashes.  By the time their trip is over, Charlie appeals for a reconsideration of guardianship, not because of greed, but because of his relationship.  

More Christmas/Holiday Movies

***Kung Fu Panda Holidays (2010)  This is a made-for-tv short animated feature about the importance of family and friends for the holidays.  It concludes with those dignitaries joining the family celebration and learning something in turn.  This show includes the voice talents of all the Kung Fu Panda regulars including, Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Lucy Liu and Jackie Chan.  This is available on Netflix

***Journey Back to Christmas (2016)  In this movie a WWII nurse gets sent back in time somehow by a comet.  She helps people in the modern era remember some of the things about Christmas, like caroling.  She does meet a couple old acquaintances, who give her hope.  This movie would have been better if the plot had been more believable.  Hallmark

**** Christmas Harmony (2018)  This easily is one of my favorite in this genre because of the music.  Harmony (Kelley Jakle) returns home after a bad breakup.  She has been pursuing music, writing for someone else (her jerk boyfriend) but in returning home she reacquaints with her father (she hadn’t been home since her mother passed away) and a new man in town, Luke (Adam Mayfield).  Together they make some beautiful music, with only one momentary fly in the ointment.  These shows always have that fly someplace.  I really enjoyed this film. 

***^ Sons of Mistletoe  (2001)  This is a story about a man (George Newbern) who grew up in a boys home, and has taken over the running of the home.  However their benefactor, and landlord passes away.  Everything passes to his daughter (Roma Downey), who is more interested in getting away than continuing the family interest in the home, and the family mercantile business.  A large conglomerate from “the city” is willing to pay big bucks.  So while the young man is struggling to save the home, it seems his benefactress is sabotaging his efforts.  But what is she were to become attached to the boys? BYUtv

Movie Review: ****Hook

This is one of my favorite movies.  It is based on a continuing story, after Peter Pan (Robin Williams) has grown up.  He married Wendy's daughter Moira (Caroline Goodall) It starts with Peter Banning neglecting his children because he is too involved in business.  He misses his son's baseball game, and most of his daughter's play.  They travel to England to visit Grandma Wendy (Maggie Smith) and present a special award to the lady who adopted the lost boys.  Somehow Hook (Dustin Hoffman) is not satisfied with the way things have gone, and leaks through to London, where he steals Peter Pan's children.  This sets up a series of events in which Tinker Bell (Julia Roberts) must first remind Peter of who he is, teach him how to fly, and restore his confidence.  This will give Hook the satisfaction of battling a worthy opponent.  Peter must rescue his children.  In the meantime, Hook sets out to win Peter's children over to him, so he could take the parental role.  This almost works.  One of the cute scenes is where the pirates are playing baseball, and Jack, Pan's son, (Charlie Korsmo) hits a home run.  Hook says that's my boy, and Pan is left in the dark as his boy is losing his loyalty.  But it is when Pan gets his happy thought that the show reveals its theme.  His happy thought is his children.  That is what makes it so he can fly again.  John Williams wrote the music for the movie, including the theme sone, "When You're All Alone"

When you're all alone
far away from home
there's a gift the angel sent
when you're alone.

Everyday must end
but the night's our friend
angels always send a star
when you're alone.

At night when I'm alone
I lie awake and wonder,
Which of them belongs to me,
which one I wonder?

And any star I choose
watches over me
so I know I'm not alone
when I'm here on my own

Isn't that a wonder?
When you're alone
you're not alone
not really alone.

The stars are all my friends
till the night time ends
so I know I'm not alone
when I'm here on my own

Isn't that a wonder?
When you're alone
you're not alone
not really alone.

Pan's daughter Maggie, (Amber Scott) does a beautiful job with the song.  

Peter Pan starts out shaky in his relationship with the lost boys, but this develops and is one of the highlights of the movie.  Rufio (Dante Basco) plays a great modern rufian.

Movie Review: ***Kung Fu Panda II.

Movie Review: ***Kung Fu Panda II.  I don't remember being very impressed with the first Kung Fu, but this is a case of me liking the sequel more than the original.  I was actually entertained.  There was a good deal of character development, and explaining where the Panda came from and to be raised by a goose.  There was action throughout, and my only complaint is maybe there was too much going on.  The peacock was so rotten, he made a good bad guy.  Bad to the end.  I really like the way the Panda took the fire being shot at them, and throwing it back at the shooters.  Such is the Kung Fu way.  The relationship between the panda and his adoptive father was very nice.  Tony really enjoyed this movie, and he could relate to the Panda being raised by an adoptive father.