Blood and Guts and Murder, Oh My!

Freaky starring Vince Vaughn and Kathryn Newton

An Aztec curse causes a teenaged girl to switch minds with a serial killer.

So, switched bodies is not a new concept.  And horror movies are not my favorite.  But I do like Vince Vaughn, so I gave it a try.  It is bloody and gory.  It is about a serial killer so that should not surprise anyone but, it is nonstop so it is something to keep in mind.  I don't know that there were many surprises here.  You read the premise of the film and you kind of know how things are going to go.  But I like the way it was presented so I didn't mind.  Newton's character is a bit of an outcast, an unwanted by the popular kids and boys.  They try to make her look dumpy by putting her in big clothes.  But it doesn't really work.  She is supposed to be an ugly duckling turned swan, but the before and after are basically the same.  So that concept doesn't really work.  But I think the acting was pretty good.  And I thought it was fun to watch Vaughn act like a teenage girl.  There is nothing spectacular about this film but there are some funny moments and overall the film is entertaining to watch.  If you go in knowing that it does not take itself to seriously (and you shouldn't either), and that it is a little silly, a little gory and mindless entertainment I think you will enjoy this film.

Write Your Own Programming

 The Wild Robot by Peter Brown

Roz, the robot, wakes up on an island with no humans, or other robots.  She is not programmed to survive in this world.  And the animal inhabitants think she is a monster.  Both Roz and the animals must adapt to survive.

This book is sad, funny, sweet and hopeful.  Roz may not have emotions but she does evoke them in the reader.  Most people can relate to feeling like they don't belong and can sympathize with Roz and will start to fall in love with her as she tries to fit in.  Most of the animals have big personalities too.  And once Roz learns how to communicate with them you can fall in love with them as well.  It is a heartwarming story as Roz learns to go beyond her programming.  I like how it isn't all Roz changing but the animals are learning and changing too.  It is a lovely story about family, learning to live together and going beyond expectations.  There are some sad moments.  Animals die.  But it is important to include the sad parts of life too.  And I don't think it ever gets too scary for children.  I would recommend this book and plan to read the others in this series.

The Wild Robot starring Lupita Nyong'o

After a shipwreck Roz, the robot, is stranded on an uninhabited island.  As she tries to navigate in a world her programming doesn't cover, where the animals think she is a monster, she also finds herself caring for an orphaned goose.  

The animation is wonderful.  The movie is full of fun moments, there are also sad times but it is mostly hopeful and loving.  It is a lot of fun watching Roz trying to fit in and learn how to survive in this strange world she doesn't understand.  You fall in love with Roz as she learns how to take care of her small goose  charge, and maybe even love him.  It is a beautiful story of learning to go beyond what you are told you are, learning to live and help others, and overcoming differences.  The ending includes some fighting and explosions that might be slightly scary for small children but it is a story about family and learning to live together with others who are not like you that everyone will enjoy. 

Movie vs Book

Once again I am left to wonder why the movie never really follows the book they are based on.  This movie is close to keeping the same themes as the book but how they get there is often different.  As usual I like the book better, but this time it is a closer call.  It was the movie that made me want to read the book, so I did enjoy the movie very much.  The movie is much more about Roz raising the baby goose and all the family problems that come from that.  I like the way the friendship between Roz and the animals is more gradual in the book and it isn't all about one big thing Roz does for the animals.  The movie has added some drama, both between Roz and Brightbill, the goose, and at the big ending.  I don't think the added drama was necessary, but I don't think it took away from the movie either.  I think they are both good and think both are worth your time, and if you like one I think you will like the other. 

For Lovers of Wildlife

 Beautiful Serengeti starring Simon Shrimpton-Smith

A documentary about life in the Serengeti.

This documentary has 12 half hour episodes.  I watch a lot of wildlife documentaries but there was footage here of things I had never seen before.  There was a lot of new information for me, which is nice when it seems like all the documentaries now have been done before and are just repeating each other.  The cinematography is beautiful and the narrator does a good job.  I also like how they split the information into categories for each episode.  (ie. The Hunt, Defence, Family and such)  I really enjoyed the series and would recommend it to anyone who likes wildlife.  My only critique is that they use the same footage several times, and not just the footage, the narration is the same too, so you know it is the exact same clip.  I binge watched the series so it was very evident, if you space them out you might not notice as much.  It is still definitely worth a watch.

It is available on Amazon Prime right now.

Man's Best Friend

Today (August 26th) is National Dog Day!  So, take a hike all you cat people.  Personally, I have never been able to choose between the two.  I love them both.  But today is all about dogs.

Hachi: A Dog's Tale starring Richard Gere

A college professor finds an abandoned dog at the train station and takes it home.

If you have ever had a pet that was part of the family, you will love this movie.  And you will probably cry.  If you have a friend who never understood how you could become attached to an animal, have them watch this movie and they might begin to understand.  The movie (that is inspired by a true story) is an ode to the relationship between man and dog.  First of all, Hachi is a beautiful dog, and you want to meet him and cuddle with him.  And you cannot help but to become emotionally involved with both the professor and the dog.  You are anxious at one point because as the audience you know something is coming when the characters don't.  You become completely invested in the story.  I was crying by the end.  As an animal lover I really liked this one.  And I think all animal lovers will feel the same.

The Aliens Are Here. But Why Are They Here?

Before We Vanish starring Masami Nagasawa

Three aliens come to Earth and take over human bodies to prepare the way for an invasion.

I have to say that I found this movie interesting to watch but I can't say that it was good.  First off, it was very slow and meandering.  A lot of things happen that don't seem to go anywhere, and a lot of things happen that don't seem to make sense.  It's an interesting idea to explore what happens when someone loses a key concept.  When a workaholic loses the concept of work, does that diminish him or free him?  But i never understood why the aliens were collecting concepts.  Or why these three aliens had to come to Earth before the invasion.  Or why one fit in his human host just fine while one couldn't figure out how to use his human legs.  Or why they needed to build a communication device.  Or why they were doing anything they were doing.  The plot didn't feel cohesive to me.  So, if you have two hours to kill there are worse ways to spend it, but I could think of better ways to spend it too.

A Horse is a Horse Of Course Of Course

Today (July 15th) is National I Love Horses Day.  And who doesn't love horses, at least theoretically.  I like horses even though I have never ridden one, or even met one.  So, I guess it is more the idea of horses I like.  So to celebrate (without having any actual horses near by) I watched a couple of movies about horses.  Well, one horse in particular.

Spirt: Stallion of the Cimarron starring Matt Damon

A wild stallion is caught but resists all efforts to train or break him and fights to return to his family and the wild.

First of all, I am glad the horses don't talk.  The narration is done by Spirit, the horse, (and I almost wish they left that out too) but the horses themselves don't talk.  They are, however, very expressive.  With a few neighs and some facial expressions (that I'm pretty sure real horses couldn't make) they communicate with each other and the audience just fine without words.   I like the animation, especially the sweeping landscapes.  And Spirit is a character you want to root for.  I thought the human characters were a little too black and white.  The colonel was too evil and Little Creek a little too perfect and understanding.  And the romance between horses was a little eye rolling for me but children probably wouldn't feel the same way.  There were a couple of improbable (if not impossible) things, but it is a movie so that is okay in my book.  There are a few moments where Spirit is being mistreated that might upset small children but other than that it is appropriate for most audiences.  It is a fun story with moments of excitement and couple of chuckles and a hopeful ending.

Spirit Untamed starring Isabela Merced

Lucky has to move from the city to a small frontier town.  She feels out of place and lost until she befriends a wild mustang.

This is not a sequel to Spirt: Stallion of the Cimarron.  The horse looks the same but it is not a continuation of that story, it is a completely new story.  That being said.  Lucky was a little too rebellious for me.  She does a million things her father tells her not to do and then talks her friends into running off and doing some very dangerous stuff.  I think we are supposed to admire her spirit and her desire to do what is right but she is still a child who is riding a horse that was never broken, through dangerous territory she is unfamiliar with to take on a gang of adult bad guys.  I don't think that should be put forth as a good thing.  The story is rather predictable in a lot of ways as well.  The whole thing just felt a little flat to me.  It felt more like a Saturday morning cartoon than it did a feature length film.  I'm not sorry that I watched it but I would not have missed much if I hadn't watched it either. 

Watch the Skies!

Today (June 30th) is International Asteroid Day.  It was founded in 2016 to raise public awareness of the asteroid impact hazard.  Of course, anyone who watches movies knows about the asteroid impact hazard.  But they might also think that you can send some miner up into space to save mankind.  So maybe we need International Asteroid Day to create a balance between science fiction and actual science.  

Watching Asteroid vs Earth might be a fun way to celebrate International Asteroid Day but it certainly will not help with that balance.  I'm not sure there is any actual science in this movie.

Asteroid vs Earth starring Tia Carrere and Jason Brooks

When a planet killing asteroid is discovered on a collision course with Earth, the military and scientists need to come up with a plan to avoid the impact.  Even if they have to move the Earth to do it.

With a name like Asteroid vs Earth you are not expecting an Oscar winning movie.  But it would be nice if you got the feeling someone was at least trying to make a coherent plot.  The science here is suspect at best.  It is impossible to move the asteroid enough to save Earth so, let's move Earth.  The US general immediately accepts this idea even though it is pitched by some arrogant, cocky, young guy he has never met before.  The question of what that will do to Earth is not brought up.  Will Earth still be in orbit around the Sun?  Who knows.  Apparently no one cares.  There is a group of soldiers schlepping nuclear warheads all over the globe.  One moment one man can barely shift one because they are so heavy and the next moment he is carrying two by pressing them to his chest with one hand on each.  I could go on but I think you get the idea.   There is also some overacting going on.  And I think Robert Davi's talent is wasted here.  If they played this for laughs it might be fun, but everything is very serious.  And the big climax was anticlimactic.  It wasn't one of those good in a bad movie sort of way movies that I was hoping for.  The whole thing was just lackluster.

A Not So Spooky Phantom

 

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

(from the back of the book)

For Milo, everything's a bore.  When a tollbooth mysteriously appears in his room, he drives through only because he's got nothing better to do.  But on the other side, things seem different.  Milo visits the Island of Conclusions (you get there by jumping), learns about time from a ticking watchdog named Tock, and even embarks on a quest to rescue Rhyme and Reason!  Somewhere along the way, Milo realizes something astonishing.  Life is far from dull.  In fact, it's exciting beyond this wildest dreams...

Milo is bored.  With everything.  But when he goes through the phantom tollbooth and finds himself in a whole new world things start looking up.  He meets a watchdog, names Tock, who is horrified when Milo says he wants to kill some time.  It is bad enough wasting it, but killing it?  And so it goes.  He meets a Spelling Bee who is an actual bee, gets to the Land of Conclusions by jumping, makes a wagon move by staying silent because it 'goes without saying'.  The book is full of word play and puns.  I loved it, but I also think I liked it more as an adult than I would have as a child.  I think some of the wordplay would be lost on young children.  That doesn't mean it wouldn't be fun for children.  Milo goes on an adventure and meets all sorts of interesting characters that I think would hold a child's interest.  And our hero, Milo, learns some things along the way.  He is given some bits of wisdom like 'the only thing  you can do easily is be wrong, and it is hardly worth the effort', and 'so many things are possible just as long as you don't know they're impossible',  He also realizes that all the learning that he didn't see the point of before comes in handy along the way.  It does tend to amble a bit.  At times it seems like Milo is going nowhere but I think the humor and wit of the story make all the stops along the way to rescue Rhyme and Reason worth it.  I think it is a fun adventure for young and old alike.

The Phantom Tollbooth starring Butch Patrick

One day Milo comes home to find a mysterious gift.  It is a tollbooth.  And since he is bored he decides to drive through it.  It takes him to a strange new world where he finds all sorts of adventures.

The movie starts out as live action, but as soon as Milo goes through the tollbooth he turns into a cartoon.  (He notices this and still goes through.  I don't think I've ever been that bored.)  He goes to all sorts of strange lands and meets all sorts of interesting characters.  He becomes friends with a watchdog named Tock, meets a which (not a witch), is forced to eat his words (literally), and goes on a mission to save Rhyme and Reason.  Milo goes on a grand tour of this new world realizing that all the things he was forced to learn, that he thought pointless before, are actually useful and maybe the world is not as boring as he thought.  By today's standards it is probably on the slow side.  It is full of wordplay and puns.  Which are fun and witty.  But it is based on dialog and there is some, but not much, action.  I think kids will like the crazy characters and fun concept and adults will appreciate the wit and wordplay.

Movie vs Book -

I liked the book and the book is a lot of wordplay and I think a lot of that works better in print than it does in a movie.  So I think the book comes out on top for me.  But I did like the movie as well.  And I was not disappointed like I often am by movie versions of books I like.  There are differences of course.  Some of the encounters Milo has in the book aren't in the movie and that changes the course of events slightly along the way.  And the ending, for some reason, is changed up more than I thought was necessary but I thought the movie stayed true to the spirit of the book.  And if you liked the book I think you will like the movie too (and vice versa).

Brandy might be a fine girl, but Mandy?

 

Mandy starring Nicolas Cage

Cage is out for revenge when a cult targets his wife, destroying their happy, peaceful life.

I have come to believe Nicolas Cage never turns down a role.  This is not the first of his movies I'm sorry I spent my time on.  The first half of the movie was shot with a red filter.  Everything was red.  All the time.  It lost all meaning.  The same with the ominous music.  It was constant.  Creepy cult members staring at Mandy as she walks down the road, ominous music.  But also, the couple at home watching TV, ominous music.  Until the ominous music became pointless.  And then it was Cage running around killing people and screaming.  He has special weapons stashed that hint at a violent past but we are never told about it.  Some of the bad guys seem to have powers that are more than human with no explanation.  It was a slow start that led to frenzied violence with a very thin plot barely holding everything together.  I'd advise you skip this one.

Get Your Donuts Here! Or Is It Doughnut?

Today (June 3rd) is National Donut Day!  Go out and get your free donuts.  Well, sort of free.  If you have to buy a coffee to get a "free" donut, is it really free?  That is a riddle for another day.

To celebrate National Donut Day I learned all about the Donut King.

The Donut King starring Ted Ngoy

In 1975, Ted Ngoy came to America from Cambodia to start a new life.  He managed to build a multi-million dollar donut empire which he then used to help other refugees.

This is a fascinating story.  It is triumph and tragedy all rolled into one.  Ted fell in love with donuts and just decided that was what he was going to do.  He turned a job in a donut shop into one store than another and another and so on.  He then sponsored other Cambodian refugees so they could come to America and taught them the donut business.  It was interesting to see how he becomes a legend to the Cambodian community, a legend that continued even after he had returned to Cambodia.  It is a well told story that gives you the good and the bad.  It is a story that takes you to the highs and the lows of success.  And it is all the more impressive because it is true.

What is your favorite dinosaur?

Today (May 17th) is National Dinosaur Day.  (Don't worry if you are not prepared.  You will have another chance on June 1st.  Which is also National Dinosaur Day.)

It is hard to pick a favorite dinosaur.  They are all cool in their own ways.  I have an affinity for sea creatures so I have always liked the Plesiosaur.  But I have recently found out that he is not actually a dinosaur.  So I guess I would have to go with the Ankylosaurus.  I like his armor plating and club tail. 

There were no Ankylosaurus or Plesiosaurs in The Good Dinosaur, but I watched it anyway.

The Good Dinosaur starring Raymond Ochoa

A young Apatosaurus ends up far from home and befriends a young human on his quest to find the way home.

I was entertained.  And that's what it all comes down to in the end.  But this isn't going to be one of my all time favorites.  Arlo, the young, lost Apatosaurus is trying to prove himself to his family but he is afraid of everything.  When he finds himself alone and lost he doesn't even know how to feed himself.  It seems a little unlikely to me that Arlo can live in such a time period and still be so afraid all the time.  I know that in this world dinosaurs live in houses and plant crops and are highly civilized and all that but still.  And I think they missed a chance here with the concept that the asteroid missed the Earth and the dinosaurs did not go extinct.  It could have been a cool concept but it was established in the beginning and then was not really a part of the story after that.  And the story is very predictable.  You know where this is going right from the beginning.  There are really no surprises here.  Another issue I had was that the human, named Spot, acted too much like a dog.  I understand the point that dinosaurs are more advanced than humans at this point but it made Spot look like more of a pet to Arlo than a friend.  I know that is a lot of negative things to say about a movie that I found entertaining.  But it was still a cute, if not too original, story.  Arlo has to overcome his fear while learning that doesn't mean he won't be afraid.  And the importance of family and friendship is stressed here as well.  There are a few slow moments and a couple of scenes that might be scary for young children but as an adult I was entertained and would watch this with my nieces and nephews.

Need a Little Luck?

Today (May 13th) is National Leprechaun Day!  (Am I the only one who thought this would be in March?)  It seems odd that we are celebrating what could be the luckiest beings in the world on Friday the 13th.  Maybe the good luck and bad luck will cancel each other out.

I did not want to dress up like a leprechaun to celebrate today so I decided to find a nice leprechaun friendly movie to watch instead.

Luck of the Irish starring Ryan Merriman and Henry Gibson

When Kyle Johnson loses his lucky coin odd things start to happen and he learns that he is part leprechaun.

Kyle has been lucky all his life.  He is great at basketball.  He never loses anything.  He finds money wherever he goes.  But when someone switches his lucky coin with a fake all that changes.  And when his mother starts to act differently and speak with an Irish accent he knows something is going on.  It's a Disney made for TV movie, so it is kid safe in the extreme.  Nothing really bad happens to anyone, there is no swearing or violence.  I can see how children would have fun with this and as an adult it is something I didn't mind watching either.  There were some moments when you just had to remind yourself you are watching a children's movie and let it go.  Kyle wants to know about his heritage but when he asks his parents they say they are from Cleveland and act all suspicious instead of just saying he's Irish or telling him where the completely human side of his family is from.  But that sort of thing is for comic effect and you just have to go with it.  You know, for the children.  It's silly at times but fun too.  I enjoyed watching as Kyle's leprechaun side started coming out and he staring using phases like 'Oh, saints preserve us!' all of a sudden.  And Merriman did a good job with the role.  It isn't something I would choose to watch again myself, but if my niece is over it is a family friendly movie that won't have me tearing out my hair.  

It's Getting Freaky In Here

 Today (May 3rd) is National Paranormal Day.  How do you celebrate National Paranormal Day?  You can go hunting for ghosts.  You can go to visit a physic.  You can send signals into space looking for aliens.  You can post a YouTube video of poltergeist activity (real or staged) in your home.  But if you are like me you are going to choose something you can do from your sofa.  Like watch all the Ghostbuster movies.  Or perhaps read a book.  Maybe something like No Hero by Jonathan Wood.

No Hero by Jonathan Wood

(from the back of the book)

What would Kurt Russell do?  British police detective Arthur Wallace asks himself that question a lot.  While he's a good cop, he prefers his action on the big screen.  But when he sees tentacles sprouting from the neck if a fresh corpse, the secret government agency MI37 comes to recruit Arthur in its struggle against a threat from another dimension known as the Progeny.  But Arthur is NO HERO!  Can an everyman stand against sanity-ripping cosmic horrors?

Poor Arthur Wallace, no amount of detective training could have prepared him for work with the MI37.  But maybe by following Kurt Russell's example he can make it through.  Creepy, mind eating parasitic, aliens from another dimension?  Cool.  A (no) hero who loves Kurt Russell?  Cool.  Arthur is relatable for someone who is fighting interdimensional aliens.  He is someone who has been thrown into a situation he is incapable of understanding and is just trying to do the best he can.  The story is filled with humor, scary aliens, interesting characters, and some cool fights.  I like Arthur's attitude in his crazy situation.  I like the interesting concept of the magic/science way the aliens are invading and are being fought off.  I didn't like the way MI37 was unbelievably unreasonable when they sent him into the field without telling him anything and then blamed him for not knowing anything.  And Arthur was more indecisive than even this unusual situation warranted sometimes.  But the plot was interesting, and the alien threat was menacing, and I liked the characters (well, most of them).  I was amused and entertained and will probably get the next book in the series to see what happens to Arthur next.

To the Rescue!

Today (April 28th) is National Superhero Day!

Everyone loves a superhero.  Except, of course, for the supervillains.  And maybe all the people who live in the many, many houses that superheroes destroy on a regular basis.  But who would fight all the aliens and metahumans if we had no superheroes?

There are a million graphic novels, books, and movies that you can use to celebrate this important holiday.  Here are two movies I would like to share with you in honor of National Superhero Day.

Average Joe starring Jason Sedillo

Joe really needs a job, so he answers an ad in the paper for a superhero.  He gets the job and now this average Joe is on a superhero team.

How does a man with no super powers fight a supervillain?  Well, it's not easy.  But Joe really needs this job so he will give it his best try.  This movie probably didn't have a very big budget.  Some of the costumes are not the best and I don't think they had a big camera or special effects crew.  But the plot is fun.  And (although often goofy) the writing was clever.  It's a fun movie about an average guy stepping up and fighting against the odds.  If you don't go in expecting blockbuster special effects and huge movie stars you will be truly entertained.  

Eternals starring Gemma Chan and Richard Madden

A group of super powered, immortal beings, the Eternals, are sent to Earth to protect it from the Deviants.

This movie felt a lot longer than it was.  Which is never a good sign.  There is a lot of fighting and then big, long scenes where things are explained but there is not much interesting in-between.  You never feel as if you know these characters so it is hard to care about their lives.  There are a lot of things going on at the same time and it makes the story feel disjointed at times.  It just plods along to what turns out to be a lackluster finish.  I can't say I wasn't entertained at times and if the hinted at sequel comes out I will watch it.  But after this one I don't care if one ever does.

Penguins Galore!

 Today (April 25th) is World Penguin Day!

(Not to be confused with National Penguin Day Which is in January.)

Everyone loves penguins.  They are cute and silly and just watching them waddle around makes you laugh.  I like penguins too.  But I don't think I would want them as a pet.  Unlike Mr. Popper.  Who welcomes them into his home.  That might be a fun concept for a book and a movie but I don't think it would be very funny in real life.  Besides, I think it would be illegal.

But that's why we love fiction.  Rules do not apply.

Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater

Mr. Popper is obsessed with the polar regions.  One day, in response to a letter he wrote to an artic explorer, he receives a penguin in the mail.

It's silly and goofy and all sorts of impossible things happen, starting with a penguin being sent in the mail from the Antarctic.  It is a kind of fantasy book since none of this could happen in the real world so don't count on this book for penguin facts.  But the idea of having a penguin (and then lots of penguins) in the house is a fun one.  And I think most kids (and some adults) would find it funny - the penguins living in the refrigerator, sliding down the stairs on their bellies, and riding the bus.  My biggest criticism of the book is Mr. Popper.  After he gets the penguin he starts spending all the family money on it, even after his wife mentioned her worries about being able to afford food.  Mr. Popper treated the penguin like it was more important than his family and I could not forgive him for that.  Although a child would probably not take it all so seriously and just enjoy the silly antics on the penguins and Mr. Popper alike.

Mr. Popper's Penguins starring Jim Carey

Mr. Popper inherits a penguin and it turns his life upside down.

Carey was a perfect pick because he does the silly, goofy thing so well.  And this movie is definitely silly and goofy.  Like the book, it is a fantasy in so far as none of this stuff could actually happen.  But it is fun and there were moments that made me chuckle.  I think penguins in the city are just naturally funny and watching them waddle around outside of their natural habitat will amuse young and old alike.  It is a good family film that turns out to be more about Mr. Popper's family than his penguins.  

Movie vs. Book

I didn't like either Mr. Popper but in the movie he was able to redeem himself to some degree.  Both were full of things that could never happen and sometimes goes to eyeroll levels.  But it's kids fiction so it is forgivable.  Why Mr. Popper comes to have the penguins, and his reactions to the penguins completely different.  They share some elements but they are not really the same story.  Is one better than the other?  Apple and oranges.  I think I would have to say I personally enjoyed the movie more.  But the book is a simpler, less complicated story with less real world problems.  Which does have a certain appeal.

Let Me Tell You a Tale (Dolphin Tale Review)

Today (April 14th) is National Dolphin Day.  Dolphins are amazing animals.  You have probably heard stories of dolphins saving people in trouble.  Well, in these movies it is people helping a dolphin.

Dolphin Tale starring Harry Connick Jr. and Nathan Gamble

A dolphin gets injured by a crab trap and ends up losing her tail.

This is a feel good movie.  It makes you happy.  You like the people here and you root for the dolphin.  Yes, you know what is going to happen, but that does not lessen the impact of the happy ending.  It warms your heart to see all the people who rally around Winter, the dolphin, and all the people she inspires.  (Winter plays herself in the movie so you get to see her in the film.  Which is cool.)  The movie is also a coming of age tale for the boy who helped to save Winter.  He finds something to believe in and to fight for, and helping Winter helps him find someplace he belongs.  There is a long scene with a remote control helicopter that annoyed me because it was pointless and impossible and went on for far too long and felt like filler to bulk up the movie.  But that is my only complaint.  The acting was good, the story was heartwarming and it is very family friendly, there aren't even any villains in this.  A great movie to watch with kids who like animals.

Dolphin Tale 2 starring Harry Connick Jr. and Nathan Gamble

Winter's surrogate mother dies and leaves Winter's future uncertain.

This is another feel good movie about the dolphin, Winter.  This time around her surrogate mother dies leaving Winter alone.  But there is a rule that you can not keep a dolphin in a tank alone, they need a companion.  So how can they keep Winter without another dolphin?  There is still a feeling of people banding together to help Winter in this movie but there is also a feeling of menace with the looming inspectors and the looming buyer as money runs out.  And there are some life lessons too as the children are growing up and have to make big decisions and have to choose between doing the responsible thing and what their heart wants them to do.  It is a good, solid, family friendly movie that adults can enjoy as well.  If you like the first movie you will like this one too.  

It Turns Out Vikings Are Kind of Boring (Severed Ways Review)

Severed Ways: The Norse Discovery of America starring Fiore Tedesco and Tony Stone

Two Norsemen get left behind when the rest of the group gets attacked and assumes they are dead.

So.  This sounds interesting in theory.  But.  Some of the camera work actually makes it hard to watch sometimes.  It is really shaky (it does calm down a little later but is always jumpy) and there are some really fast pans that your eyes just can't follow.  Then there are the shots of the ground and random trees like no one is looking through the camera to see what is being filmed and the extreme close-ups where we stare at a man's forehead or chin for half a minute.  And then when we can see the Norsemen most of the time we just watch them plod through the woods.  Or chop down six trees.  I got the point after two trees.  I didn't have to see them all.  And then there are the scenes where literally nothing is happening and we watch them sit for minutes at a time.  And when you get a close up of a man's behind as he defecates in the woods I almost gave up on it right there.  I kind of wish I did.  Because it never got any better.  Or more interesting.  It may have been real and gritty as some reviews have said but it was not entertaining in any way.

Michael Pena as Cesar Chavez

 It's Cesar Chavez Day !  And since (sadly) I know nothing about the man I watched a movie called Cesar Chavez to learn something about him.

Cesar Chavez starring Michael Pena 

(from the back of the case) Cesar Chavez inspired millions of Americans from all walks of life to fight for social justice.  His triumphant journey began in Delano, California, and led him across the United States and to Europe where he tirelessly fought for his cause

All I know about Cesar Chavez I learned from this movie so I can't tell you if it is accurate.  But I do think it is worth a look.  I think it gets the spirt of the fight that Chavez (and so many others) fought.  Chavez organized strikes among farm workers to get a living wage and better working conditions.  You get to see all the different opposition he faced, starting with the workers themselves who were scared to strike to politicians who helped the farm owners when Chavez's boycotts started to work.  The movie only covers a short period in Chavez's life but you see his dedication to his cause, the strain it put on him and his family, the hate and prejudice of the people he opposed, and the help he got from people who supported his cause along with him.  I was angered and hearted in turns throughout the movie. I'm sure there is much more to Chavez's story than is in this one movie but I think it is a good place to get an idea of what he stood for.

A Joe By Any Other Name, well, Just Wouldn't be Joe

 Today (March 27th) is National Joe Day.  It is a day to celebrate all the Joes in your life.  I have a couple.  One I would like to celebrate and one not so much.  But if you have a Joe in your life today is the day to buy him (or her) lunch.  

As my own personal celebration of National Joe Day (my name not being Joe) I watched a couple of Joe centric movies.

Little Joe starring Emily Beecham, Kit Connor and Ben Whishaw

A plant breeder has produced a plant that if properly taken care of will make it's owner happy.  But when she takes one home to her son she starts to suspect that not everything went according to plan.

The preview made this seem like a horror movie.  I would not say that this is scary though.  There is a quiet tension through the movie and a understated menace but nothing scary actually happens.  The threat that the plant poses is hard to be scared of.  And I feel like it kind of stalled in the middle.  The plot got to a certain point and never developed further even though the movie wasn't over.  And the sound track was unpleasant.  There was this high pitched whine - it was menacing but it went on for a long time and was almost painful at times.  And the dogs barking was just confusing.  The first time I heard it I thought it was supposed to be real dogs but it was just the background sound.  I didn't understand it and found it off putting.  I thought the idea was good but after the initial concept was introduced it just kind of ambled along and got nowhere.  And no closed captioning.  Which is becoming a pet peeve of mine.

Mighty Joe Young staring Charlize Theron and Bill Paxton

Jill Young has raised the gorilla, Joe, since he was a baby.  Now he is fifteen feet tall legend.  When Jill feels that Joe is in danger if he stays in the wild she brings him to an animal sanctuary to try and save him.

So, it is a little corny.  And the bad guys were over the top evil villains that really had no character depth.  But it is a fun family film.  Although be warned the beginning is rather dark and small children might find it scary.  There are not a lot of surprises here.  You can probably guess most of the plot right from the beginning.  So if you are looking for twists and turns look elsewhere, but if you are looking for a heartwarming, if predictable, story to watch with your family I think this is a good bet.  And the effects were good, Joe was done really well and looked like a living breathing ape even when he was interacting with real actors.  

The Importance of Water (National Water Day)

Today (March 22nd) is World Water Day.  We all know the importance of water for all life on the planet.  But I don't spend that much time thinking about it.  I have watched two movies that have changed that.  

Secret of Water narrated by Lex Lang

(from IMDB) Water - a living substance, the most common and least understood.  It defies the basic laws of physics yet holds the keys to life.  Known to ancients as a transmitter to and from the higher realms, water retains memory and conveys information to DNA.  However, water can die if treated poorly.  Water's arrangement of molecules can be influenced by such factors as sound, thoughts, intention, and prayer, as well as by such toxins as chlorine, affecting all that comes in contact with it.

This movie concentrates on the living nature of water and all the things people can do that can make water sick and even kill it.  It talks about how water has a memory and how all the things people do to water can change it's very nature.  You see how ice crystals form from water that has been subjected to good thoughts and water that has been subjected to bad thoughts, and how much energy the water has in each case.  People talk about how there felt better after drinking water from natural sources as opposed to store bought water.  It was all very interesting.  I saw all the evidence.  But I have to admit I have trouble believing it.  Can you change water by saying nice things to it?  Or sending it good thoughts?  I don't know.  It is a radical idea.  Am I going to start thanking water before I drink it?  Probably not.  But it did get me thinking about how water is treated and often taken for granted.

Flow: For Love of Water directed by Irena Salina and Dan Berger

Flow is about the distribution, disappearance, availability (or lack there of) and privatization of water.

Flow shows how water has become a big business and a private commodity instead of a free and public resource.  It shows the impact that a lot of businesses that sell water are having on the environment and the people living in and around the plants.  It is disheartening to see how policies and greed have made it impossible for many people to get clean drinking water.  If they cannot afford to pay they must make do with whatever they can get, which is often water that makes them sick.  The question of 'since water is a basic human need shouldn't it be a basic human right to have access to it' is raised.  On the flip side you do see the people out there trying to make a difference, fighting companies that pollute the water, finding low cost ways to supply clean drinking water.  It made me think about where my water comes from and how it got to me and the cost of it on all levels.  It made me think about a lot of things that I had not thought about before.  I'm sure it is not the whole story.  No movie told form one side can be.  But it will certainly get people thinking.