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Reviews
The Outsiders (1983)
Romanticized "Greasers"
Younger people may not know the term "greasers" unless they watch this movie (I'm not so young anymore; I knew the term long before the movie came out in 1983). Briefly, it refers to socioeconomically challenged or rebellious boys who wore their hair slightly longer and loaded with pomade or "grease." as well as leather jackets and blue jeans, as opposed to the "socs" (pronounced soshes)- the high society boys who wore short hair, no grease and, as Ponyboy says, "madras" pants. It's a 50s and 60s take on the age-old conflict of rich vs. poor. Briefly, this movie tells of the clashes between the aforementioned greasers and socs who live in Oklahoma in the early 1960s. Johnny Cade (played so well by Ralph Macchio) and his friend Ponyboy Curtis (C. Thomas Howell) are in a lot one night when a car full of soc boys come after them. Johnny kills the soc who, weeks before, had beaten him seriously. Johnny and Ponyboy, scared and not knowing what to do, seek help from a slightly older "mentor" and friend named Dally (Dallas) Winston (Matt Dillon), a hardened, incorrigible boy who seems hell-bent on living a life of crime but who genuinely cares about Johnny. Dally tells them to hide out at an abandoned church and for 5 days, the boys do just that, subsisting on bologna sandwiches, peanut butter and water. They spend the days playing cards, smoking, trying to catch small game and reading "Gone With the Wind." More dramatic things follow after Dally comes to rescue" them from their hide-out.
I've seen this move dozens of times and I've always enjoyed it but it is to the "greaser" genre what the "Godfather" movies are to organized crime - a romanticized look at a somewhat serious subject - the lives of "greasers" vs. socs. Is this a criticism? Not necessarily - this is a good movie and I always enjoy watching it. And it features several future stars such as the aforementioned Matt Dillon, C. Thomas Howell and Ralph Macchio. It also features Tom Cruise, Leif Garrett, Rob Lowe, Diane Lane and Patrick Swayze. The performances of such (then) young stars are excellent and the story flows. The lead music and main theme can be a bit mawkish at times - too sickeningly sweet for a movie about "greasers" and "socs" - "The Cross and the Switchblade" or even "West Side Story" this isn't. I loved the Robert Frost poem Ponyboy quotes while he and Johnny are on the run. And I love the song Stevey Wonder sings, using the Frost poem for the lyrics. But, again, it's too sweet for a movie about the greasers and the socs. These are minor criticisms but these may be the reason the movie was roundly panned when it first came out. Television tried to make a series out of it and it would have been a good idea but the series did not feature the same actors so it never took. Too bad - stories like this will always find an audience if the storytelling is well done and if the actors are convincing enough. I recommend this movie highly - in addition to the good acting, music and story, there seemed to be a real chemistry among the actors. Seeing the film also makes you want to read the book on which it was based - which is exactly what I did. I even read other S.E. Hinton books but this is my favorite story. Matt Dillon went on to act in "Rumble Fish" and "Tex," films also based on Ms. Hinton's stories, but he was perfect as Dally.
Little Women (1994)
The Truest and Best of the Bunch
In 1933, Katharine Hepburn portrayed Josephine "Jo" March in "Little Women." The picture was re-made in the 1950s with June Allyson as Jo. Then in 1994, the best of the 3, starring Winona Ryder as Jo, came to the screen. This version, which is true to the book, is lush, realistic, tender and just plain,old-fashioned wonderful. I LOVE this movie! It may be said that the sign of a truly great actress is how far and how deeply she dives into and becomes her character. In real life, Susan Sarandon is a liberal, political activist as well as a mother and the (newly separated) partner of actor Tim Robbins. But in this movie, she is a warm, maternal, kind-hearted, wise mother of four different daughters. While hints and sometimes downright statements of feminism - are peppered throughout the movie, Ms. Sarandon maintains her identity as "Marmee" very convincingly. But the wonder of the movie is the performance by Winona Ryder. Of all the actresses whoever portrayed Jo, Ms. Ryder is perhaps the most convincing. Her scenes with Laurie (played so well by Christian Bale) and later, Professor Bhaer (played by a personal favorite, Gabriel Byrne), are marvelous. A childhood love becomes a deep friendship with Laurie. And a real, maturing passion develops between her and her professor. The last scene --- oh, I still cry when I see it, is so good (and I won't be a spoiler). I recommend this film most highly. My only complaint is that, while Jo, Meg and Beth were played by the same actress, Amy is played by two different actresses. The March girls were all children in the beginning and they became women as the novel progresses; why didn't they have younger actresses for the parts of Jo and Meg especially? It was nice to see a couple of real veterans besides Ms. Sarandon. John Neville as Mr. Laurence was, as always, brilliant though the part was small. And Mary Wicks - I remember her from "Now, Voyager"! This movie has aired quite often on cable. If you've not seen it, then by all means, do so. And, oh, yes, the music is also lush and beautiful RUN, don't walk, to buy the DVD. You'll be prompted to read the book again. Always a delight!
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
Beautiful and Stunning
A movie that shows the ugliness of ignorance, poverty and racism in the Deep South of the 1930s hardly seems a premise for a much-loved movie but this is exactly what you have in "To Kill a Mockingbird." Although this is told from the memories of a now-adult Jean Louise "Scout" Finch, this movie is multi-dimensional. You see the events from the points of the children, the adults, the victims and the so-called superior whites. It is a stunning and shattering revelation that one group can think itself superior and give little or no thought to those who are "inferior." And when one man - Atticus Finch - dares to do just that, he is vilified and literally spit upon by one of the seemingly superior whites, who, in reality, is a lout, a boor and a drunk. Most reviewers have praised the performances of the children and of Gregory Peck and most rightfully so. But to me, the performance that stands out most is that of the gentleman who portrays Rev. Sikes. When he says, "Jean Louise! Jean Louise! Stand up ... your father's passing" - it is the most riveting scene in the entire movie. No matter how many times I see it, it tears me up inside. Wow! Another riveting scene to me is Brock Peters as Tom Robinson, as he testifies in his own behalf. With tears streaming down his face, he tells what happened at Mayella's house. The pain in his face is palpable. But what I remember about Brock Peters, however, is what he did off screen. At Gregory Peck's funeral, Mr. Peters, who died 2 or 3 years later, praised Mr. Peck for his performance and he thanked the late actor for the privilege it gave him to work on TKAM. That was 40 years after the movie and yet Mr. Peters still praised Mr. Peck. THAT was classy.
Apocalypto (2006)
Fantastic movie
I love this movie! Every time it's on, I watch it and I'm fixated and transformed. And though this may not have been Mel Gibson's intention, I want to learn more about the culture on which this is based. Why do I like this movie so much? It's imaginative, it's non-stop, it's realistic, it's believable and it tells a story. The protagonist, Jaguar Paw, is a real hero but he's not just a savage. Mr. Gibson does a magnificent job of showing this tribe of Mayans as all-too human -- from playing pranks on Blunt, the tribe member whose wife cannot conceive children to the raid on the village and the resultant march to slavery and certain death --- and it was all totally gripping. The little boy who plays Turtles Run was so cute and the woman who plays Blunt's mother-in-law was very funny. And I loved Flint Sky, Jaguar Paw's father. But the most credit must go to Rudy Youngblood, the young man who plays Jaguar Paw. I cheered him, I was scared for him and I praised him for his courage. I know Jaguar Paw is only a character but he seemed so real! Some of the scenes are incredibly violent and graphic but this was essential in order to understand fully what was happening to Jaguar Paw and his fellow captives. I see why Mel Gibson fell in love with Costa Rica (though I could never take the heat and humidity). The forests were incredibly lush, the animals were wonderful and the scenery of the raiders' village was overwhelming. I wish a book had been written about the making of this movie or, better yet, a post-movie book in the same vein as "Fireproof" and "Facing the Giants." Right now, Mr. Gibson is mired in a lot of personal trouble; I hope he sees this new review of "Apocalypto" and finds some relief from his troubles. I recommend this movie most highly! If there was a "message" in this movie, I didn't see it. I just think this movie is an enjoyable, wonderful picture. I watch movies to be entertained (and this one did it wonderfully). If I want a message, I'll go to Mass, I'll read the newspaper or I'll watch EWTN. Messages have their place but this wasn't it.
Griffin & Phoenix (2006)
Sad and Glad
I don't like spoilers but you really can't review this movie without it so I beg your indulgence.
Two people, each with terminal cancer, meet and fall in love and only by accident does each one find out the other's "secret." This may not be a good way to start a relationship but, in this case, it works and it makes for a wonderful albeit sad movie.
Griffin is told he has a chestful of tumors and, at most, a year to live. He has 2 sons by his first wife and, realizing he has little time left, he spends more time with them.
He also attends a Life Against Death type of class where he meets a different, almost kooky girl named Phoenix (somewhere, midway in the film we learn her first name is Sarah. I'm not sure we ever learn Griffin's first name). She likes Griffin though she thinks he's a bit off the wall but she doesn't want to get involved with Griffin because she has a secret. One morning after they've spent the night together, she finds books in his apartment about dying. She thinks he bought them because he knows her "secret." Then, after screaming at and pummeling him, he tells her the books are his. Yes, they're his, he said, but he bought them for himself and is reading them because HE is is dying. She then tells him she is dying too ... she also has cancer, she says, that started in her ovaries and is now all over the place. Once they share their secrets, ironically, they really start to live, love and enjoy one another. They realize they've found their soul mates but they have only a limited time to enjoy and appreciate one another. And this they do with a vengeance.
There are some goofy, silly scenes in the movie that could have been left out although they illustrate the idea of doing what you've always wanted to do and to enjoy each day as if it were your last.
But at the end (and I won't say what happens; it's not as obvious as you think), I found myself saying, "I'd give my SOUL for a love like that." It's the kind of love story most of us women crave and I'm no exception. Another plus for this movie is Dermot Mulroney is so handsome! I actually envied Amanda Peete because (in this movie) she gets to fall in love with and make passionate love with him. Oh, lucky lady!
Doubt (2008)
Yet another anti Roman Catholic movie
Bashing Roman Catholics and their church seems to be the latest acceptable thing to do in movies these days and I'm sure tired of it. With the thousands of priests, sisters and consecrated lay men and women doing the work of God throughout the world, why does Hollywood see the need to take an unfortunate (indeed, disgusting) series of scandals and milk them for all their worth? I personally know some wonderful priests and one of my closest friends is my 6th grade teacher, a member of the Sisters of Charity. None of these men and women has ever done anything improper. They are holy men and women and deserve the same respect as members of other religions. First, we had "The DaVinci Code." Soon we'll have "Angels & Demons," the sequel. And now we have "Doubt," which already has created Oscar buzz. Is its anti-Catholic theme the reason it's created the buzz? All I can say is if a movie about scandals in the Jewish or Islamic religions were made, the directors and producers would be pilloried or worse. Yet we Catholics are forced to take this nonsense because it's "great art." Forgive me if I disagree. I love my church and, while I do not accept or condone the scandals, I also don't judge my church solely by those events. The Roman Catholic Church has done tremendous work throughout the world but people don't know that because Hollywood is too busy making movies about the church's negative times. That's a shame. With all the holy men and women doing God's work, it is a very narrow-minded group that sees fit to make movies only about the church's scandals! I wish it would STOP. NOW.
Letter to Loretta: The Road (1959)
Gift of Faith
"The Road," the 1st episode of Season 7 of "The Loretta Young Show," may be one of the best episodes of the entire series.
In shades of "Dark Victory," a socialite finds she has a brain tumor that will kill her. She goes to Paris but the doctors tell her the same thing. And, again, like Judy Trahern of "DV," Alice goes on a drinking binge, terribly afraid to feel her fear.
Her husband, from whom she is separated because of a dalliance he had with his secretary, is remorseful and genuinely worried about his wife. He knows something is wrong but she won't reveal her troubles; she doesn't trust him.
But this is is not a carbon copy of that wonderful 1939 classic. This episode is its own story. To continue: She lands in Paris and goes on a drinking spree. Later, while speeding along a French highway at more than 70 mph in the dark, she hits a little boy (played so wonderfully by Joseph Cuby). The child, miraculously, is not hurt and, in fact, endears himself to the troubled woman. He recognizes the burns on her fingers (caused by cigarettes). "I saw another woman with burns like that on her hand. She had a brain tumor," the boy said. How the quirky relationship between this little boy and the socialite blossoms is a wonder to behold. The child, though persistent, is never cloying or annoying; instead, he seems to care genuinely for this poor woman. He encourages her to visit Lourdes and what happens there will remain a secret; I don't "do" spoilers. (Don't jump to any conclusions; the ending is not as obvious as that).
But the real lesson in this wonderful production is the faith that radiates from this boy. He doesn't wear his religion like a piece of clothing that most people put on for Sunday and take off Monday; it's as much a part of him as the air he breathes. He lives it, breathes it and teaches it, all without being sickeningly sweet or preachy. You come away knowing this child and his faith are inseparable. That may be the best part of the movie and I don't believe it's a spoiler because it shows from their first meeting. Double Kudos to Joseph Cuby, the young actor who played that child. He is perfect and so cute.
Loretta Young made it a point to make quality family-friendly television. It is slanted toward the Roman Catholic tradition then more power to her; it makes her shows even more wonderful and I'm grateful for that "slant." I'm a Roman Catholic so I recognized immediately what was happening. Each episode told a moral tale but were never preachy. And when she came out through the door in those beautiful, free-flowing, flouncy dresses, it made me long for the days when women took real pride in their appearance and looked beautiful, feminine and graceful without looking like street-walkers. Miss Young may have done questionable and unsavory things in her life, for which she made amends but even if she hadn't atoned for her past, I'm sure she went straight to heaven when she died in 2000 of ovarian cancer because of her wonderful TV show and episodes such as "The Road." Thank you, Miss Young, and God Bless You.
A Walk to Remember (2002)
Not Like the Book
Although I enjoy this movie and watch it whenever it's on, I find a few things irritating about it. The first thing is that it doesn't compare to the book. The book took place at an earlier time. Although the character is 17 in the movie and in the book, he lives in a different times. In the book, he was born in 1942 and meets Jamie in 1959. But in the movie, the time is now and I find that so irritating. Why did the makes of the film feel the need to "contemporize" it? It was condescending to teenagers and insulting to older viewers. The teens in the film dress like slobs -- couldn't Landon wear something other than an old, ratty flannel shirt just once in the movie? Did Jamie, who was so pretty, have to look so drab and plain? Another thing that irritated me was Daryl Hannah. She was woefully miscast and just a throw-in as far as I'm concerned. Finally, there is the portrayal of Landon's father. In the book, he is a Congressman who is away in Washington. In the movie, Landon's father is a doctor and is divorced from his mother. It makes the father look bad and I don't think that was necessary. Still, I like the movie, especially the end. Despite its flaws, I'll recommend this movie, especially to teens who may better understand and appreciate flannel shirts, drab jumpers and god-awful music.