Movie Review: ***^Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959)

I am glad I watched this movie.  It was so much different than I remember.  There was much more involved before our party of only four take their adventure to the center of the Earth.  Sir Lindenbrook (James Mason) leads our party which includes his student, assistant Alec (Pat Boone), the wife of a murdered associate, Carla Goetabaug (Arlene Dahl) and their local assistant, and Hans.  They leave behind Alec's fiance Jenny Lindenbrook (Diane Baker), the professor's niece.  The nemesis in this work is Count Saknussemm (Thayer David).  It is he who killed the associate, and he who will later eat one of our favorite character, a Hans' duck.  The journey has peril from the lave and water, but it doesn't really get scary until the find some very large prehistoric lizards.  The get to the center of the Earth all right, but how to get home that is another question.
I enjoyed my adventure courtesy of Jules Verne and movie making.  

Musical Movie Review: ***Huckleberry Finn (1974)

This is a musical telling of Huckleberry Finn.  This is very true to the story of Huckleberry Finn, but the music is really not that impressive.  There is a very low bass on the song "Huckleberry Finn" and Jim sings about freedom.  This story made the point that Jim (Paul Winfield) had a wife and a newborn child.  Huck (Jeff East) had been taken in by a couple old women.  So when Huck's father comes asking for $1000 Jim knew the only thing they owned to raise that kind of money was himself.  So he took off, with the hope of earning his freedom and getting enough money to buy the rest of his family, so they could stay together.  They were headed to Cairo, Illinois.
When I was young I didn't understand why.  In fact it seems the were headed to New Orleans.  In both cases it would be because this was during the war, and he was trying to meet the Union army, where the union had already proclaimed that slaves of the states in rebellion were free.
As for Huckleberry's part, he was taken by his father, and locked in his cabin.  He managed to escape, and was also headed down river.  Jim fashions a raft, and together the head down river.  They have many adventures, mostly with Jim staying with the raft, while Huck goes to explore.  Huckleberry ends up in the middle of a feud, and barely escapes with his life.  He and Jim meet a couple con men (Harvey Korman and David Wayne), and Huckleberry and Jim barely escape with their lives when the pretend to put on a show, but then make off with the ticket sales with no show.  Huckleberry then ends up with another family.  The con men pretend to be long lost relatives of a deceased person, and want to claim the inheritance.  Huck swindles them, and puts the money in the casket.  In the meantime the rightful relatives show up, and things are bad for the con men and Huck says where the money is.
However when he returns to the raft, Jim is gone.  The con men turned him into the slave hunters, and he is headed back to slavery, instead of to Cairo.  Huck manages to set him free, and they run away chased by the coon dogs and men.  Huck trades him shirts, agreeing to go back to his life with the old women, while Jim escapes.  The movie ends with Jim getting away while Huck watches.
I liked the way this movie presented the desire to be free, and the sacrifice for freedom and family.  It was also very true to the book.  The music was forgettable.

Movie Review: ****^Ender's Game

Any movie with Harrison Ford is going to be good, and this is no exception.  Ford portrays Colonel Hyrum Graf and Ender Wiggin is portrayed by Asa Butterfield.  I read the Ender series some time ago, and this movie captures the essence, but it is impossible for a movie to capture the depth.  Instead of many games in the arena, we see only two, but we do see Ender progress, to where he is given command of the entire fleet, without really knowing it.  Many years earlier the formics invaded earth, and now the humans are making sure it never happens again by attacking them.  Ender thinks he is only doing simulations, and practice for the real battles to come.  The animated computer game plays an intriguing part in the movie, because the Formaks have infiltrated it, and are trying to use it to communicate with Ender, before the end of their species. 

The last battle of the war, sees Ender make the decisions needed to destroy the formic planet.  In doing so he loses many men, and their cruise ships.  It is after the destruction of the planet that Ender realizes he has been used to kill a species.  But maybe he has a second chance, as do the Formak race. 

The relationship between Colonel and Ender is key to this movie.  He drives Ender, and then backs off, manipulating him to get what he wants.  Ender confronts him at the end, and they stand toe-to-toe.  It would be hard to stand up to the Colonel or Harrison Ford for that matter.  Ben Kingsley portrays Mazer Rackham, the hero from the first war, who becomes a tutor to Ender.
I found this review in the Deseret News and thought others might find it interesting
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865590187/The-fatal-flaw-of-the-Enders-Game-movie.html

Movie Reviews: ***^Les Miserables (2000)

This is not the version currently in the movies, but a 2000 miniseries version which is available through instant Netflix.  It has an international cast with Gerard Depardieu, a French actor, as Jean Valjean and John Malkovich as Javert.  Malkovich is eerie in his roll of Javert, as he is so persisitent in his pursuit of evil.  
This version does not have the music, and has a couple of plot twists different than the musical.  These mostly involved the Thernadier family, as Thernadier ended up in prison after his first experience with Valjean for selling a child.  His other experiences were just as distressing, and lead to his harboring great bitterness.  By this we understand more his motivation to rob Valjean when they meet again in the city.  The emotions are in this movie, as in the other versions I have seen.  They make Eponine to be uglier, and with less of a crush on Marius.  However Marius is the neighbor to Thernadier.  It is he who warns Javert of the robbery of Valjean, and puts Javert on the trail of Valjean again.
Marius' grandfather has a larger roll.  And takes his grandson in after the barricade.
My only complaint was the suicide.  Javert walks into the river.  Could you really complete a suicide that way?  Cosette (Virginie Ledoyan) is truly beautiful, and could easily steal a man's heart at one sighting.  This movie is entertaining.

Movie Review: ***^ Cannery Row

The credits indicate this is based on the John Steinbeck books Cannery Row and Sweet Thursday.  It is 90 percent Sweet Thursday with a little Cannery Row, like the frog roundup thrown in for good luck.  The first book let us know that Suzy wasn't the first to live in the boiler.  A couple had preceded her.  We don't see this in the movie.  The movie has a couple twists to the relationship of Doc (Nick Nolte) and Suzy, (Debra Winger) like Doc having been a baseball player.  Doc's place gets broken up like the first book, and he ticks off Suzy like in the second book.  I like the spunkiness of Suzy's character.  However I think she was too hookerized.  Part of the fun of the book is she just didn't fit with that life style.  There was no way for the movie to portray the different voices talking to the Doc.  They really make the book interesting, the drive and the futility of the drive. 
Nolte does an adequate job as the Doc.  He does seem more like and ex-baseball player than the Doc from the book.  I miss the Doc's rich eccentric friend, who sponsors him in the end to get a high powered microscope.  The movie ends with Mac and the boys earning money and they mistakenly get him a telescope.
This movie ends happy with Suzy learning to drive so she can drive Doc to La Joya.

Movie Review: ****Of Mice and Men (1939)

This is the 1939 movie version of John Steinbeck's book which was published in 1937.  There are a couple things I like better in this movie than the Gary Sinise John Malkovich version.  And there are a couple things that I don't like as well.  This version gives much more focus to the situation of Curly's wife.  It is interesting that she is not named.  She is a non-person.  To Curly she is a pretty possession he has to look out for.  He spends much of his energy accusing others flirting with his wife.  She for her part longs to go to the movies, but Curly goes to town with his friends.  Apparently she has no mother-in-law, and father-in-law does not like her to play music.  In the end she does not have a life.  This movie portrays her being kicked out at the end, and she comes back to get her puppy.  As for Curly this movie leaves out the bit about using Vaseline on his hands.  However he does tangle with Lenny, and gets his hand smashed.  I like the look of the splint they put on his hand.  I don't care as much for this Lenny as John Malkovich.  He leaves a sense of pretending to Lenny, rather than actually being the character.  I like Crooks in this version, with his twisted back, and bitterness that he can't associate with the other men because of the color of his skin.  I also really like Candy, his reactions to his dog being shot, and then is having hope of getting a place with Lenny and George.
The ending is done is in good taste, showing George and his reaction, rather than the physical brutality of the bullet hitting Lenny in the head.  This is a very good version, and it being so soon to the release of the book, leaves me to think John Steinbeck had an active role.  Steinbeck did write a theatrical version of this book.

Movie Review: ***^ O'Henry's Full House

This is a movie which present five short stories of O'Henry and is narrated by John Steinbeck.  Some of the stories were familiar to me.  The first is "The Cop and the Anthem."  This is the basis for a Red Skelton sketch.  Briefly, the story is of a "bum" who is down on his luck.  Winter is coming on, so he determines three months in jail would be nice and warm.  However he finds it difficult to get arrested.  He throws a rock through a window, and they chase someone else; he eats a fine meal with no means to pay, and gets thrown out.  Nothing seems to work.  He finds himself in a church, and his heart is pricked and he decides he should get a job and start a new life.  However he is arrested for vagrancy, and thrown in jail for three months, he gets what he wants, the second he doesn't want it.

The Clarion Call is a police story which pits a detective against his old friend he grew up with.  His friend turned out to be a criminal, who has just killed a man in a burglary.  However he holds a mark over the detective, a $1000 mark of money he loaned the detective.  He knows the detective cannot repay, and cannot turn him in as long as he is in his debt.  The detective gets out of the bind by getting the reward money offered by a paper for his arrest, and giving this to the criminal.

The third is "The Last Leaf,"  I recently reviewed the BYU version of this movie.  This version is more a period piece.  It does not have such a close relationship between the painter and the girls, but mostly one of acquaintance.  However the sacrifice of the painter is just as real as he paints his masterpiece.

The Ransom of Red Chief is well done and very funny.  It is about a kidnapping.  The con men have an old car which is humorous all to itself.  I am pretty sure there is a Don Knots movie of the same theme (No Deposit No Return.)  This movie is very funny, as the family enjoys a couple days without their terror of a son, and the kidnappers are forced ts pay him parents to take him back. 

The last movie is "The Gift of the Magi."  There is a similar movie with Marie Osmond.  This version is very well done as well.  It does not show what their pride and joys are, but shows the anguish at getting money to but Christmas.  There is no bonus this year, but she has the barber cut her hair for a wig, and she is able to but a chain for his watch.  He sells his watch so as to get combs for her hair.  They know they love each other after they have given their most priced possession for the other.

This movie is worthy of watching.  It was enoyable and is good family fair.

Movie Review: **** Emma (1996)

This is the Jane Austen BBC, A&E movie, 1996, starring Kate Beckinsale and Mark Strong.  In Jane Austen's way, it is a romantic comedy involving the British upper society.  It has Emma arranging marriages, and doing rather poorly except with regards to her governess.  She next sets up a young woman of questionable background with the vicar, and this turns our badly; although the vicar does propose to her, Emma.  It isn't until after her for her good neighbor confronts her bad behavior at a party, that she starts to realize she loves the neighbor, and when another suitor appears, she finds herself even more in love.  This movie has the Austen charm and is well done.  This version is better received than the feature version produced about the same time.   Kate Beckinsale is lovely in her role, and we all hate the vicar's wife, someone from outside the community who happens to have an inheritance but also has airs.

Movie Reviews: ***Last of the Mohicans

"Last of the Mohicans" (1992) is based on the novel by James Fenimore Cooper.  The action takes place during the French and Indian War.  Magua (Wes Studi) (Huron Tribe fighting with the French) has a bitter grudge against Colonol Edmund Munro and his two daughters (Madeleine Stowe and Jodhi May).   He attacks a column that is taking the girls to their father.  They are rescued by Hawkeye (Daniel Day-Lewis) (adopted Mohican) and his Mohican brother and father.  This draws him into the war on the side of the British.  He becomes enamored with one of the daughter's, and there are several scenes when they are longing each other.  Hawkeye takes them to the fort, which is under siege, where the girl's father is in command.  The British and French reach agreement where the British are allowed to leave.  However Magua and the Huron warriors pursue them, leading to a great battle.  The Colonel is killed, and Hawkeye again escapes with the girls.  However they are about to be captured, and Hawkeye leaves them with a promise to return and effect a rescue.
This movie has lots of good action; there are at least three battle scenes.  The last of the Mohicans is always coming to the rescue, but will he arrive in time.

Movie Review: ****The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

This movie is the prequel to Lord of the Rings.  It has a couple of the old characters from Lord of the Rings including Ian McKellen and Gandalf and Cate Blanchett as the elf Galadriel.  It also has Bilbo Baggins, but a younger version played by Martin Freeman.  Some how the hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, becomes part of a group of Gandalf and twelve dwarves intent on recapturing their native town, which has been inhabited by a dragon for the past 200 years, along with the riches of the dwarves. 
Baggins in brought along by Gandalf as the burgler of the group, to get into tight spots, even though he has no experience as such.  This movie does not include confrontation with the dragon, as it is split into two parts.  It does have classic scenes of the trolls, as well as terrible fights between our party and the goblins.  The trolls capture our group of travelers, except for Gandalf, by threatening to kill Bilbo.  They are in the process of cooking a few of the trolls by slow roasting, when they are encouraged to argue by Baggins about which dwarf would be the best tasting and which spices to use.  Then suddenly, Gandalf moves a rock out of the way of the sun, the sun shines on the Trolls, turning them to stone.  There is a battle between stone men along their route which makes it very treacherous, then they are assaulted by trolls on wolves, and take refuge in an elf kingdom.
They leave and travel through a mountain, confronting the trolls again, while Bilbo is separated and has his famous confrontation with Gollum, which is a confrontation which changes the life of our Hobbit friend.
My major complaint is that with the riddle confrontation between Gollum and Bilbo, it is hard to understand the questions posed by Gollum with his accent.  It was hard enough with this section reading the questions as presented by J.R.R. Tolkien, and this just makes it even harder.

Book Review: Pride and Prejudice

Just finished reading Pride and Prejudice again.  This is a book that fascinates and entertains me.  From the opening paragraph, "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife, " I was hooked.

Of course I have read the book before, and watched the movie countless times.  I find great enjoyment in the words, and the style of the words, and in the story.  The slow budding love between Darcy and Liza is classic.  “I am afraid, Mr. Darcy,” observed Miss Bingley in a half whisper, “that this adventure has rather affected your admiration of her fine eyes.”  “Not at all,” he replied; “they were brightened by the exercise.”

Liza's father, although sometimes brash in what he says, has a way of teasing his wife, and enjoying life at the same time.   “An unhappy alternative is before you, Elizabeth.  From this day you must be a stranger to one of your parents.  Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do.”

And his pleasure after his two oldest daughters are engaged is high lighted in this line. “If any young men come for Mary or Kitty, send them in, for I am quite at leisure.”

Elizabeth teasing and chastises Mr. Darcy at the same time about his awkward social nature. “My fingers,” said Elizabeth, “do not move over this instrument in the masterly manner which I see so many women’s do.  They have not the same force or rapidity, and do not produce the same expression.  But then I have always supposed it to be my own fault—because I will not take the trouble of practicing.  It is not that I do not believe my fingers as capable as any other woman’s of superior execution.”

Darcy's confession of love catches everyone off guard, especially Elizabeth Bennet.  “In vain I have struggled.  It will not do.  My feeling will not be repressed.  You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.”

  Mr. Collins proclamation seems to be his feelings, maybe not Charlotte's.  “My dear Charlotte and I have but one mind and one way of thinking.  There is in everything a most remarkable resemblance of character and ideas between us.  We seem to have been designed for each other.”

After Elizabeth being to see things in a truer light, and comparing Mr. Darcy and Mr. Wickham she says to Jane, “This will not do,” said Elizabeth; “you never will be able to make both of them good for anything.  Take your choice, but you must be satisfied with only one.  There is but such a quantity of merit between them; just enough to make one good sort of man; and of late it has been shifting about pretty much.  For my part, I am inclined to believe it all Darcy’s; but you shall do as you choose.”

That Mr. Bingley would quit the neighborhood, without marrying her daughter puzzles Mrs. Bennet.  “Well, Lizzy,” said Mrs. Bennet one day, “what is your opinion now of this sad business of Jane’s?  For my part, I am determined never to speak of it again to anybody," even though she does and it is always on her mind. 

A good love story has to have its twists, and this book has more than its share, which leads to good entertainment.  I like the method of language, and the society, with its restrictions is intriguing. 

Movie Review: ***East of Eden

My interest in this movie stems form my interest in most things John Steinbeck.  This is his classic novel of a family with two sons, and a mother who is supposedly dead; but in the end is not dead but a woman of the world.  The sons realizing this, has different consequences for them.

The younger son considers himself bad, and does everything for his father's love.  The other son, who is considered good, has his father's love and approbation.  However, in the end, it is the younger son who cares for his father after his stroke, and the other son goes to war.  James Dean stars as the younger son, and this movie helps with his reputation of being a rebel.  I would mildly recommend this movie.  It does show two contrasting worlds, that of Monterrey and Salinas, at the time when the country was preparing to go to war.  It also shows racism at it ugliest, as the locals deal with a citizen of German descent.  Finally this movie also confronts the theme of what is right--how do we let others be themselves, while living a good life.

Movie Reviews: **^The Mill on the Floss;

The movie "The Mill on the Floss" has a totally unexpected ending. It is based on the novel by George Eliot.  It was of the true romantic character, and I'm not sure if I like it; in fact I'm pretty sure I don't.  If you like movies that end in a way totally unexpected, then you would enjoy this movie.  This movie depicts the love interests of Maggie, and her relationship with her brother.  Maggie is portrayed by Emily Watson, not Emma Watson.   However Emily Watson is a very good actress as well.  I think that is why I picked it in the first place, hoping to see Emma Watson. I watched it on Netflix Instant.  And as I said, I personally didn't care for the ending.

Maggie's first love is a young man with a hunch back.  He is an artist.  However he is also the son of the family's hated enemy, and her father, and brother after he passes away, refuse to the relationship.  She then falls for her cousin's boyfriend, and they run off together, and then she repents and goes back.  Because of family disgrace, her brother does not want to see her, and that leads us to the ending which I will not divulge.

TV Review: ****A Dinner of Herbs (2000)

It is British so I assume it is BBC, but I am not sure.  It is based on the novel of Catherine Cookson.  It tells the story of three young people.  Mary Ellen loves Roddy, Roddy loves himself and Hal loves Mary Ellen.  Roddy and Hal share a similar fate in that both their fathers are murdered by the same man.  Roddy was there, but was thrown off a cliff and has amnesia.

This movie shows three time periods, when they are boys of age twelve, later as young men, and then 25 years later.  It is a show about the effect of bitterness and revenge, and coming to terms with the past; which is sometimes hard to do.  This is a very nice story, and the characters are great.  Mary Ellen has a certain spunk, and the actress changes three time, but the spunk is evident with all three.  It is very well done in that regard.

I would recommend this movie to others if you have the chance to see it.  It is a miniseries with 6 almost one hour sections.

Movie Review: **Northanger Abbey (1987)

I found this movie in our home VCR collection.  It is a BBC movie.  This movie is so full of showing the dreams and fantasies of Miss Catherine Morland that it forgets to do a good job of telling the story. The story is very convoluted, but you do get that someone wants to court her, but is not very gentlemanly.  However the son of General Tilney is a gentleman.  General Tilney invites her to his home, thinking she is a woman of wealth, which she is not.  When the general discovers her true wealth, he kicks her out of the house, but too late, for his son is in love.  I wish this movie had focused less on the fantasy stuff.  It seemed every other frame there was a dream or a fantasy or something.

Movie Review: ***Les Miserables (1952)

This version of Les Miserables is on instant Netflix.  I like all the versions of this story, including the musical presentations.  The story as presented in this version is very uplifting, even with the suicide of Javert at the end of the movie.  Michael Rennie (Klaatu in "The Day the Earth Stood Still") portrays Valjean.  The actor playing Javert, Robert Newton, is familiar from portraying Long John Silver in Treasure Island.  This version shows the changing of Valjean, who very easily could have gone the way of a criminal lifestyle, but over came, after the admonition of a priest.  The love story between Marius and Cozette is very well done.  It does not present the innkeepers in this version.  It does show how Valjean becomes mayor of the town.  Valjean does have a dear friend in the movie who stands by him, even though he knew he was a convict from first meeting him.

***^The Scarlett Letter: Book Review

I should have read this classic novel long ago, but never did.  I knew it was about someone having to wear an "A" as a result of adultery.  However I wasn't familiar with the background, nor the actual story.  This is a true romance.  This is Nathaniel Hawthorne at his best.  This book was published in 1850. 

You know things just aren't going to work out in the end, and they don't.  However, in the priest making his confession, there is a twist to the ending which I was not expecting. 

One of the worries through out the book, is for the daughter, and fortunately this turns out well in the end.  The main character, never does find happiness with a man, but  she lives her life as best she can under the circumstances, and does find repentance.  I would recommend this book for someone studying American literature.  It is a true American classic

Movie Review: *****^Pride and Prejudice: My Favorite Movie Ever

My most favorite movie of all time is the Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth, 1995, Pride and Prejudice British Television Drama.  This is a six part portrayal of the Jane Austen classic.  I finished viewing it for the upteenth time this past weekend.  I must admit I prefer it to all other versions of Pride and Prejudice, including the Mormon version, the Keira Knightly version, or older versions I have seen.

As I watched, I tried to figure out why I like this presentation so much.   I think it is the feisty nature of Miss Elizabeth Bennett.  However I must admit, the mother of the family intrigues me as well.  Her attitude I find humorous, and human.  The father also is humorous, but in a different way. 

I am thrilled with the reaction of Elizabeth Bennet to the first marriage proposal from Mr Darcy.  When she reacts to him with a flat refusal and says that nothing would tempt her, even if he had "behaved in a more gentlemanly manner."  And then to watch people change thrills me.  Bot Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy change, and the most beautiful love blossoms in the end.

I think the real reason I like this so much, is because it always leaves me feeling good in the end.  After watching this movie, that happy buzz stays wit me for a few days.

Movie Review: ***North & South

This is not the "North and South" dealing with the Civil War.  It is a BBC movie based on the novel by Elizabeth Gaskell.  The major characters are played by Daniela Denby-Ashe and Richard Armitage.  (If you watch BBC Robin Hood he plays Guy Grisbane)  I watched this four-part series on Netflix Instant Movies.  It was presented in 2004.  I was looking for Jane Austen Movies and came across this one.

It is different than Jane Austen movies as it is darker and has a more naturalistic flavor.  It is about a family that leaves the more agrarian lifestyle in Southern England, and moves north.  It presents the conditions of the mill workers in Northern England.  It is a very realistic period piece presenting the premature death of those working in the mills.

The story revolves around the relation between Maraget Hale, daughter of the family and John Thorton who owns a mill.  The relationship develops very much like a Jane Austen novel.  This story covers the same period of time in Jane Austen's books.

I would recommend this movie to those who like British period drama.

Movie Review: **^A Room With a View (1985)

This is the 1985 version which I found on Instant Netflix.  It stars Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix in Harry Potter) and Julian Sands (Phantom in Phantom of the Opera) in the lead roles.  It also has Maggie Smith and Judi Dench, both of James Bond fame.  It is based on the novel by E.M. Forster of the same name.  It takes place in early 20th century Italy and England.  A Young woman is traveling with her chaperone, cousin to Florence.

The general story is one of love, but also the author and director hope to expand our minds, and the heroine's with different views.  Among other things she sees a murder, which is a horrid view, her potential lover in a field, (he kisses her in this scene) coming upon this same gentleman with her brother and the vicar skinny dipping.  The scene shows too much, but reminds me of a similar episode in my youth.

The main character denies her love, and becomes engaged to a different gentleman.  However you know it is just a matter of time before she gives in to love.

I liked this movie, but not as much as those of Jane Austen.  I was hoping to find an Instant-play Jane Austen and found this instead.