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A Slice of Life
by Francine Brokaw
JANUARY 2009 DVD Selections
Goodbye Mr. Chips
This remake of the classic love story stars Peter O’Toole as a schoolmaster in a private boys’ school who falls in love with an entertainer played by Petula Clark. This seems to be a mis-match, being that she is very outgoing and he is shy and reserved, they bring out the best in each other and this story has long been a beautiful story of finding love and then ultimately losing her tragically. Her love propelled him from being the teacher no one liked to being the best teacher whom no one will forget. With touching songs by John Williams, this is a sweet and musical version of James Hilton’s wonderful story.
The Great Polar Bear Adventure
This endearing tale of a mother polar bear and her two cubs will touch your heart. While the trio journey through the frigid land the mother bear tells her cubs a story which engrosses them and peaks their curiosity. The family meets an arctic fox who accompanies them for part of their journey. But when they discover that the traditional hunting grounds have melted, the family must look for food in another location. This brings them to the last of the “two-leg.” The story delves into climate changes and the survival of the endangered species. With live action mixed with incredible animation, not to mention the voices of Howie Mandel and Megan Follows, this DVD is a treat. The producers worked with scientists and researcher Dr. Nick Lunn to make this story as realistic as possible, while illustrating the effect climate change is having on the four legged animals. The DVD contains an interesting “making of” bonus feature.
John Grisham Courtroom Collection
The master of the courtroom drama brings four intense films together in this DVD collection. The Pelican Brief stars Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington in this story about the murder of two Supreme Court judges. This was the story that brought international acclaim to the writer. The Client stars Susan Sarandon and Tommy Lee Jones in a story about a boy who knows the location of a dead senator but if he says anything his life and the lives of his family will be in danger from the mob. A Time to Kill stars Sandra Bullock, Samuel L. Jackson, Kevin Spacey and Matthew McConaughey in a story of racial injustice and retribution in the south. When a black man murders the two white men who raped and beat his young daughter, the clan is unleashed in the community. And Runaway Jury stars John Cusack and Dustin Hoffman in a story of jury control over a hot-topic issue. With A-list stars and powerful stories, this is truly a dramatic collection of films.
MGM – When the Lion Roars
This fascinating 2-disc DVD set outlines the entire history of the MGM studio. Hosted by Patrick Stewart, the rise and fall of this historic Hollywood entity is examined, from the beginning to the end. Louis B. Mayer and Irving Thalberg started a remarkable studio with “more stars than there are in heaven.” Unlike the “That’s Entertainment” series which took viewers through different scenes in various films, this show digs at the root of the studio and the stars and executives who made it great and who ended up selling it off. Unfortunately, the gigantic back lot is no longer still standing, but the memories of many of the principle actors are preserved on film. From Clark Gable to Elizabeth Taylor, June Allison to Paul Newman, Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland, and Gene Kelly, all the products of the old studio system, made up the extraordinary part of movie history known as MGM. From in-fighting on the lot to romances between stars, everything is examined giving viewers an intimate look inside the famed studio. If you’re a movie buff, you have to see this enlightening and entertaining story of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer – the studio that roared.
Open Season 2
The beloved furry friends return in this fun-filled sequel that has the wild bunch trying to retrieve their friend Mr. Weenie who has been taken back to civilization by his owners. Weenie, a domesticated dachshund, is conflicted because on one paw he wants to return to the wild but on the other paw he loves the cuddling and attention he is given by the humans. In the meantime, Elliot is set to marry Giselle but he is in a state of conflict as well. What to do? Boog is trying to manage the mission to “save” Mr. Weenie in this wildly entertaining film for the whole family. With Elliot trying to take over, you could say it’s an “endearing” family film. And let’s not leave out Mr. Weenie and his domestic furry friends who want to run an intervention to re-domesticate him. That’s dog-gone family fun.
The Secret of the Magic Gourd
Young Raymond loves to sleep and play, but not study. Then one day he finds a magic gourd that will grant him anything he wants. Well, to this lazy boy this is the best thing in the world. He can have the gourd answer his test questions, get him new toys, and fly him around. But Raymond soon learns that getting everything without having to work for it is not as fulfilling as he imagined it would be. This is an interesting film because it is from China, with English dubbed in. In China it is one of the top grossing family films. This beloved Chinese film translates well into English. Included on the DVD are some cute bloopers, a fun game, and a look behind the scenes of this movie, which combines live-action with CGI. And of course, the little gourd is as loveable as can be. This fellow takes everything literally, so he is a bit confused when Raymond is upset with him for some of his actions. After all, who wants the entire toy store to follow him home?
The Sidney Poitier Collection
Four memorable performances in four memorable films make this a true collector’s collection. A Patch of Blue is a beautiful story of a blind woman who becomes friends with a black man. Their friendship is complicated by her mother who has racist views. Elizabeth Hartman costars with Poitier as the young woman and Shelley Winters plays her domineering mother. In Something of Value Rock Hudson costars with Poitier as his very close friend. Their friendship comes to a head with the racist uprising in Kenya. Edge of the City also delves into the issue of racism as Poitier and John Cassavetes star as longshoremen who must face a racist boss, played by Jack Warden. A Warm December is a bit different than the other films in this collection as it centers on the relationship between an American doctor on vacation in London who falls in love with an African diplomat. The problem is that she is suffering from Sickle Cell Anemia and doesn’t want to get too close to the widower doctor and his daughter because she doesn’t want to subject them to another death, and she knows she is dying. In the December of her life she is able to experience a wonderful love that she never thought she would have. It is a very touching story. Sidney Poitier broke the racial barriers in Hollywood and these performances show him at his best.
Vicky Christina Barcelona
This newest Woody Allen film does not live up to his former glory. Rebecca Hall and Scarlett Johansson star as Vicky and Christina, two American women spending the summer in Barcelona. They meet Juan Antonia (Javier Bardem), a local artist with an unusual outlook. He invites them both to join him for a weekend away, hoping to get both of them in his bed. The straight-laced – and engaged – Vicky is hesitant, but the courageous Christina wins out and the three are bound for a unique weekend. Later on Christina moves in with him and then his firey ex-wife (Penelope Cruz) also moves in making a modern threesome. Meanwhile, Vicky is a bit jealous of her friend and has strong feelings for Juan Antonio. This is a slow-moving story about different views of life, love, and sex. While many critics say it is Woody Allen’s best work, I feel it is definitely not. As a matter of fact, I would suggest viewing this film in lieu of taking an Ambien if you cannot sleep. Woody Allen has brought us many wonderful films, but this is not one of them. You might have a different view. The DVD is now available for you to make your own judgment.
Warner Bros. Romance Classics Collection
Palm Springs Weekend, Parrish, Rome Adventure and Susan Slade are all included in this box set of romantic films all with one connection – Troy Donahue. Costarring Connie Stevens, (in three of the four), Stefanie Powers, Claudette Colbert, Dorothy McGuire, Suzanne Pleshette and Angie Dickinson, these movies encompass the ups and downs of romantic affairs. The Italian scenery in Rome Adventure is very much a part of this story of a former college librarian looking for a new life in the Eternal City. With Donahue pursuing her along with the affection of another man, she has a lot to keep her busy. Then when Donahue’s former girlfriend comes back in the picture, things start to unravel. Suzanne Pleshette turns in a great performance in this delightful story of love and desire.
The Yellow Rolls-Royce
An all-star cast join together to tell three different stories, all of which are connected by a yellow Rolls-Royce and also by their experiences with love. Rex Harrison discovers his wife is having an affair with his associate, Shirley MacLaine finds love with someone other than her mobster fiancé George C. Scott, and Ingrid Bergman finds that Omar Sharif tugs at her heart strings during the bitter days of World War 2. And connecting all of these stories through the years is one car – a beautiful and well outfitted yellow Rolls-Royce.
You’re a Good Sport, Charlie Brown
Once again Charlie Brown confronts his desire to win over his history of failure. This time he is talked into entering the new Motocross race by Peppermint Patty who is confident no one will beat her. But she doesn’t know that Snoopy is also after the grand prize. Linus is the pit crew for Charlie Brown and his optimist attitude has even Charlie Brown thinking he can win. Is Linus right? Can Charlie Brown finally win something? This adorable story has the entire Peanuts gang involved in the action. Good grief. It’s a nutty show filled with Peanuts fun.
© 2009 Francine Brokaw
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