Tom Hanks Movie: ****^ Apollo 13 (1995)

 The Apollo mission that did not make it to the moon, and almost got the three astronauts killed.  Directed by Ron Howard, based on the true story.  Three men are preparing to go to the moon, Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks), Fred Haise (Bill Paxton) and Ken Mattingly (Gary Sinise).  A couple days before the journey, Mattingly was replaced by Jack Swigert (Kevin Bacon) for fear that Mattingly may have contracted the measles and would become ill in space.  All goes well, until there is an explosion on the ship.

This movie does a very good job of showing the reactions of the families when their spouses/ fathers are in danger.  These include wives Marilyn Lovell (Kathleen Quinlan) and Mary Haise (Tracy Reiner) It also does a good job of showing the many team members in Houston.  This includes the acting talents of Ed Harris, Clint Howard (Ron Howard's brother) and Marc McClure.  The cast also includes Ron's mother, Jean Speegle Howard as Lovell's mother.

The problem solving that went into getting these three home, including the scene of putting a round peg into a square hole was very good.  This was to filter the carbon dioxide and they came up with something that worked.

Very well done, and even with knowing the outcome you wanted to heer with the people of mision control agt the end.

Tom Hanks Movie Review: ****^Inferno (2016)

 This is the third of the Da Vinci Code series.  This movie does not deal with the Catholic Church, but with a over population fanatic Zobrist (Ben Foster) who is intent on releasing a virus and thereby reducing the human population.  Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) feel he has been in an accident and consequently has lost his memory of the last few days.  He runs away with the doctor (Felicity Jones) when it appears someone is trying to kill him.  And they begin to re-piece his memories and are looking for the device to disarm it.  Langdon is involved because of his knowledge of Dante's Inferno.  Zobrist has killed himself and left clues for his love to find the device.  These he put into a drawing of hell according to Dantes, but with subtle changes.  His mind is muddled, but they keep making progress.  

The film keeps switching in trm of who do you trust?  This film points out that Langdon did have a love interest in the person of Elizabeth Sinsky (Sidse Babett Knudsen) but their carers took them separate ways and she works for the World Health Organization and he at a university.  They end up together at the end of the movie talking of the many people who thought they were saving the world by killing half the people. 

These movies keep getting better as they go.  Again directed by Ron Howard.

Tom Hanks Movie Review: ****Angels and Demons (2009)

 This is a sequel to The Davinci Code with Tom Hanks again as Robert Langdon.  In this movie you are unsure who are the good guys and who the bad until the very end.  It appears the Illuminati are seeking revenge on the Catholic church.  They have kidnapped four cardinals with the intent to murder them every hour until they do their ultimate deed of blowing up the Vatican.  They have stolen antimatter to make this possible.  This brings in the scientist Vittoria Vetra (Ayelet Zurer) who is trying to recover the lost antimatter and disarm it if possible.  It is a time of change as the Pope has died, and the cardinals are in conclave.  In the meantime Camerlengo Patrick McKenna (Ewan McGregor) is in charge of the Vatican.  They follow the clues to each of the first three cardinal locations, but always a bit late.  The fourth they are able to save.  

The bomb is set to go off, but Camerlengo flies in in a helicopter up above the populace in St. Peters Square.  It explodes and he returns to earth in a parachute.  The Cardinals want to reward him for his heroism, and call him to the conclave, where everything turns on its head.

I enj9yed this movie more than Da Vinci Code.  It is again directed by Ron Howard. 

Tom Hanks Movie Review: ****Splash (1984)

 This is the movie that launched the career of Tom Hanks.  Hanks portrays Allen Bauer and John Candy portrays his older brother, Freddy Bauer.  Together they run a vegetable distributor in New York.  The movie presents us this first, and Allen's messed up love life.  He decides to take a break to Cape Cod, where his family had a happy vacation.  But through a series of bad luck, he ends up capsized, and the boat hits him in the head.

He is rescued by a mermaid (Bo Derek) who puts him ashore and waits until he wakes so Allen sees her.  She finds his wallet in the ocean, and decides to visit him in New York.  She arrives on Liberty Island naked.  But she has Allen's wallet, and he is contacted and comes to collect her; which starts a lorid love affair.  She has a seven day vacation as a human, but after that she can only stay if she becomes human forever.  Allen is unaware of her mermaid qualities, just that she is different.  She decides to accept his proposal of marriage, meaning she will give up being a mermaid.

However enters Walter Kornbluth (Eugene Levy) who is determined to expose her, and prove to the world that his theories on mermaids are real--they do exist.  After a couple failures where he sprays water on innocent women trying to turn them to mermaids, he finally does expose her.  She is taken away for scientific experiments.  He is also taken due to their interaction.  However when he proves to have no abilities he is let go.  Allen is lost, but his brother reminds him that love is love and is very rare.  Allen needs to save her.  They recruit Kornbluth for the attempt, and pretending to be Swedish scientists they make the attempt.

The ending is different than you might think.  This show is very cute and introduces Tom Hanks to the world.  Ron Howard directed.  Even with Candy's character being a bit loud, and even Tom Hanks giving Allen the same quality at times, I enjoyed this show.  Bo Derek, being a model, does well in an acting roll.  

John Wayne Movie Review: ****^The Shootist (1976)

 In this movie John Wayne plays a gun man, J.B. Books who is at the end of his days due to cancer.  His doctor (James Stewart) gives him something for pain, but lets him know the end is near.  He comes to town and takes room and board from Bond Rogers (Lauren Becall).  Her son is an impressionable teen, Gillom Rogers (Ron Howard) who is greatly influenced by the thought of being a gun fighter.  Books is looking for a way out rather than a slow agonizing death.  He finds that in three shady characters in town (Richard Boone, Hugh O'Brian and Bill McKinney, and invites them to meet him at the bar for a final gunfight.  

The theme of this movie seems to convince Gillom that the life of a gunfighter is not all heroics and glamour.  There is good in being a regular person.  

This movie is John Wayne's last.  He died of cancer in 1979. 

Movie Review: ***^Da Vinci Code (2006)

 This movie plays on themes of conspiracy within the Catholic Church.  A murder is committed at the first and Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks), a specialist in symbols, is recruited to help in the investigation.  He is drawn into a plot to find the holy grail, and thereby prove that Jesus was not divine butt mortal and sired an heir through Mary Magdalene.  Sophie Neceu is his side kick who recruits him.  Sir Leigh Teabing financed the murderer.  Captain Bezu with with the police.  Silas is the assassin who also likes to beat himself in self penance; and Bishop Manuel works with him.  Directed by Ron Howard.

written by Dan Brown.  He must have had some vendetta against the Catholic Church.  Of course none of this is proved in the end.  This movie is a bit difficult to follow.  Even after it seemed to end it kept going.

• 

  Tom Hanks

  Robert Langdon
• 

  Audrey Tautou

  Sophie Neveu
• 

  Ian McKellen

  Sir Leigh Teabing
• 

  Jean Reno

  Captain Bezu Fache
• 

  Paul Bettany

  Silas
• 

  Alfred Molina

  Bishop Manuel Aringarosa

Moviw Review: ****American Graffiti (1973)

 This movie was written and directed by George Lucas.  This movie is ripe with future stars.  Richard Dreyfuss portrays Curt, who is suppose to fly to college in the east the next morning, but is wondering if he should go.  Ron Howard portrays Steve, who is planning to attend college with Curt.  Cindy Williams plays Laurie, his girlfriend.  She is torn about Steve's leaving and when he says they should date others it is even worse, and starts an argument that lasts through the night.  Paul Le Mat portrays John, who is the number one street racer.  Charles Martin Smith plays Terry "the toad" who is a bit of a nerd driving a moped.  However Steve gives him his wheels while he goes to school, and through the car he meets Debbie (Candy Clark) who is a bit of a rebel and wants Terry to get some hard alcohol.  Mackenzie Phillips plays Carol who ends up palling with John for the night despite being younger than he.  They end up having a good time despite John's efforts to be cool and not to b e seen with a younger girl.  Lastly Bob Falfa (Harrison Ford) meets up with John and challenges him to a race.  

An interesting side story is Curt's trying to meet a girl he sees and falls for madly.  He looks for her all night, but is unab le to find her.  He finally resorts to the disc jockey (Wolf Man Jack) and asks him to have her call.  Which she does, just as he has decided to leave and go to school.  He never gets her name.

Laurie is in Bob Falfa's car for the race as a result of her argument with Steve.  She asks he let her out, but he refuses.  They race and Bob Falfa is starting to overtake John when Bob's car pops a tire and he rolls the vehicle.  Steve had heard about the race, and went to intervene.  He is able to get her out of the car before it bursts into flames.  Bob Falfa also escapes.  They profess their love, and decide to stay together in Modesto rather than Steve's going to school.  The next morning it is Curt who goes to school and Steve who stays.  

Movie Review: ****How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

Cindy Lou (Taylor Momsen) Who makes this move.  She sings the "Where Are You Christmas?" and does a beautiful job.  It is also her questions about the meaning of Christmas which get everyone thinking.  The Grinch (Jim Carrey) and his antics almost make it so the movie is bearable to watch.  However, in the end, even the Grinch discovers the true meaning of Christmas.  This movie uses the original script and poem by Dr. Seuss, but also adds its own dialogue and explanation.  Ron Howard directed.

Movie Review: ****Cinderella Man (2005)

Cinderella Man stars Russell Crowe and Renee Zellweger and was directed by Ron Howard.  This is a boxing movie, with something the Rockie Movies does not have, and that is it is based on a true story of depression era boxer Jim Braddock.  He is a journeyman boxer, who gets down on his luck and success after braking his hand.  He is discharged from boxing, and has to fend for his family by working on the docks of New Jersey.  His family suffers due to the lack of work, and finally his wife takes them to her parent's.  Braddock goes on welfare to get them back.  Braddock gets an opportunity to fight, because someone is injured.  He makes the most of it, and wins four fights in a row, and then a shot for the title.  The movie makes a point that the champion has killed two people with his punches, knocking their brains loose.  Braddock makes the most of his chances, and wins the title in a decision.

I liked the portrayal of Zellweger as the concerned and loving wife.  She does something with her mouth that is attractive.  Crowe does a great job, and the fight scenes are fun.  Braddock's manager, played by Paul Giamatti received a nomination for best supporting actor.