Movie Review: Nanny McPhee Returns

While Nanny McPhee returns is a good movie, it is not near as good as the first.  Again Nanny McPhee (Emma Thompson) performs magic which effects a family, and by doing so goes from being a hag to a beautiful woman.  In this case father is away at war.  Nanny McPhee comes into a split family, with two cousins having arrived from London.  They do not get along.  However Nanny McPhee repairs the rift.  Uncle has need of acquiring the farm to pay off gambling debts, and so makes a case that the father is dead and the farm needs to be sold.  Two of the cousins, who were enemies, must go to London to the war department to prove he is still alive.  One of the cousins is the forgotten son of the general.  And so it goes, they just must stall the signing to give the boys time to get back.

Movie Review: ****Smoke Signals (1998)

Alexie Sherman wrote the screenplay as well as the book upon which this movie is based.  It is a great medium for Native American stories as it tells a classic story of growth and reconciliation as well as have many fascinating stories inside the story.  This movie is touted as the first all Native American movie.  As Victor (Adam Beach) struggles with first the abandonment of his father (Gary Farmer) and then the death of his father,  and his distaste for being Indian (because they all drink and hurt others) we are told a very good story.  Thomas (Evan Adams) struggles through life generally, but in his way he was worried about Victor and his reaction to his father leaving, and passing away.  Victor's mother is portrayed by Tantoo Cardinal.
This movie begins on the Coeur D' Alene Reservation and follows Thomas and Victor as the travel to Arizona to collect the things of Victor's father.  Victor can barely put up with Thomas, but through his friendship, as well as the advice of an Arizona friend of his father, Suzy Song (Irene Bedard), Victor does come to terms with his life, and with his father.  Two prominent themes in this story, it is OK to be Indian, and misuse of alcohol can have devastating effects.

Dr Seuss Book Review: What Was I Scared Of?

this is the story of the pants with no one in side them, and the person who is scared of them.  They meet in the dark, which is scary enough, but then the pants with no one inside them was too much.   They then meet several more times, each more fearful than the time before; until the person realizes the pants are scared of him.  You see we are all scared of unusual things, but sometimes those things are not so scary after all.
Dr. Seuss has another wonderful story, with his own illustrations and rhymes.  This was originally published as part of "The Sneetches and Other Stories."  This is one of the other stories.  This book was originally published in 1961.

Music Review: Ella Fitzgerald: The Rodgers and Hart Songbook Volume I

This is Ella Fitzgerald singing songs form the 20s 30s and 40s.  You can tell the quality of Fitzgerald's vocals, a big band jazzy style.  However I am not much into this type of music.  It seems to get boring easily.  Rodgers and Hart wrote many songs for musicals together.  So the music here is representative of the early era of musicals.  I much prefer the music of today with the rousing melody's and cutting lyrics.

Children's Books: Green Eggs and Ham

This is one of the most delightful children's books of all time.  It is a Beginner book form Random house written and art work from Dr. Seuss and copyright 1960.
It starts out with a very catchy beginning, and doesn't let go, I am Sam."  "Sam I Am."  The art work is precious with the facial expressions of our unnamed lead character; the way he sticks up his nose at the green eggs.  This book also has a very good theme.  Sometimes, if we try something we may find we actually like it, even though at first it is not appealing to us.

Movie Review: Three Coins in a Fountain (1954)

Her we not only have a romantic movie, but a romantic movie x three.  The introductory song implies that only one romance will be successful.  That only one coin will be selected and rewarded as three woman make a wish at the fountain.  We have two women working for a company, with very strict guidelines for relations between American employees and local employees.  Two women are working for this American company in Rome.  A third woman works for an American author, who is living in Rome for some time.  They all establish relationship, the first with a local coworker (the against the rules relationship.)  The coworker gets fired, and there goes his chances to be a lawyer.  The new woman, falls for a rich local.  She studies his life, to know what to like and say to win him.  And the third, our secretary has been in love with the author for many years, he just doesn't realize he loves her as well.  All these relationships are doomed in their way.  The first because of the rules, the second when she confesses what she has been doing, and the third when the author finds he does not have long to live, but there is small hope with medical procedures in the United States.  So which of the relationships will be rescued?
I enjoyed the characters, and the story line.  After listening to the song I didn't expect the ending.  This movie stars: Clifton Webb as the author John Shadwell, Dorothy McGuire as the secretary, Jean Peters as the new employee, Louis Jourdan as the rich local Prince Dino di Cessi, Maggie McNamara as the employee returning home and Rossano Brazzi as the local.

Children's Book Review: Danny and the Dinosaur

Danny and the Dinosaur, An I Can read Book, by Syd Hoff, Harper Collins, New York, 1958.
Danny visits the museum, and has quite the day.  One of the dinosaurs comes to life after a million years or so, and takes Danny for a ride through town.  They have to be carful not to topple buildings, but people can ride on his tail.  However the zoo keeper is concerned because everyone wants to look at the dinosaur, and not at the animals.  SO Danny takes the dinosaur home to show his friends.