Movie Review: ****Jurassic Park (1993)

This is an intriguing movie.  My grandson is into dinosaur movies.  I don't think this was the right one.  The beginning of this movie is all cute, but the Tyrannosaurus Rex gets lose, and it is no longer a kids movie.  I mean, how do you explain a man in the dinosaur mouth to your grandson.  But this movie has great action, in addition to the cute dinosaurs.  And the kids are rescued which is the important part.  Man, who ever knew dinosaurs could be so nasty.  I guess we all do, but we have never seen it.  This movie stars Sam Neill and Laura Dern as dinosaur experts, Jeff Goldblum as the probability expert, Richard Attenborough as the owner, Bob Peck as the animal hunter, Samuel Jackson as a computer tech, and Wayne Knight as the geek/bad guy who turns of the power to the fences and lets the havoc lose.

NOT RECOMMENDED FOR KIDS

Musical Movie Review: Joseph and the Technicolor Dream Coat

This is the first Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice musical to be presented publicly.  It was first presented as a 15-minute pop production, but has since been extended.  This is one of my favorite musicals.  Listening to Donnie Osmond sing "Close Every Door to Me" is enough to entertain anyone.  It is funny how Andrew Lloyd Webber puts so many different types of music into this, and makes a satirical play on all of them.  This includes French Cantina, Country, hippy go-go with a guru, rock and roll.  In addition to Osmond as Joseph, Maria Friedman portrays the narrator, Richard Attenborough as Jacob, Joan Collins as Mrs. Potiphar, Robert Torti as Pharaoh.
This presentation sets itself up as telling the story to school children, who also make the children's chorus.  The eleven brothers of Joseph do a very good job.  

Christmas Movie Review: ***^ Miracle on 34th Street (1994)

This movie has basically the same characters and relationship.  Richard Attenborough stars as Kris Kringle and Mara Wilson as Susan Walker.  Elizabeth Perkins plays Susan's mother and Dylan McDermott her boyfriend.  There are a couple of plot twists which keep this show interesting.  We are introduced to Kris Kringle who intervenes when a hired Santa Claus is inebriated.  Instead of a psychiatrist, the villain is a competitor store owner who is hoping to buy the store where Santa works.  A couple employees are trying to discredit the Santa Claus who is bringing the store back from the brink. The other interesting twist is "In God We Trust" gives the little bit the judge needs to not commit Kris.  The other is the three requests from Susan to Saint Nick and how they come to pass.  Again a classic.