I've read the synopsis to this one several times and just kept thinking it would be like some Judd Aptow movie. Not something this retired southern baptist school teacher would want to watch. But I LOVE Patricia Clarkson and couldn't imagine her doing a bad film and once I got over Ryan Gosling as that hateful punk in Murder By Numbers (The Notebook changed my mind about him!), well how could I not take the chance and watch this film? I'm so GLAD I did! This will be one I will be adding to my extensive DVD collection. IF this town truly existed I would move there in a heartbeat. This is truly a NICE town full of NICE people. If our old world behaved this way more often, it would be a better planet for all. And YES, I CRIED at Bianca's funeral....I admit it, I'm a sap! If you liked this movie, you'd also like The Station Agent....another Patricia Clarkson movie!!!!
Reviews
8 Reviews
Standing Firm
(2010)
Standing firm
2 October 2013
Another church made movie on Christianity. The acting, as one character states in the film...it is what it is. No NAME Hollywood actors will be found here. What you will find are real humans who have no doubt gone through similar circumstances and come through those with triumph! To be truthful, Hollywood can't make a film like this. They've tried and just are not very good at it. It is a quiet movie. Not a lot of dialog but what there is, is meaningful. This is a wonderfully quiet little gem that should be seen. It will touch your heart. I gave it a 9 out of 10 because the acting is a little wooden.
I have nothing more to add, but IMDb guidelines won't let me submit my review unless there are 10 lines. SO, here are my 10 lines! There is something to be said for being succinct!!!
I have nothing more to add, but IMDb guidelines won't let me submit my review unless there are 10 lines. SO, here are my 10 lines! There is something to be said for being succinct!!!
Saving Grace
(2007–2010)
Fabulous testimony
2 October 2013
Warning: Spoilers
Having LOVED Touched by An Angel and Joan of Arcadia, I wasn't sure how I would like this one. Grace is a hard drinking, swearing, promiscuous woman. But she is also a woman who is an outstanding police detective with a very strong sense of right and wrong. She really does have principals! It truly was an outstanding series. It reminds us all that G-d loves you no matter what you have done; are going to do; and He forgives us for our very human shortcomings. It is also a timely reminder that G-d uses real men and women to do His work. The apostles were NOT saints! They were flesh and blood men who like all men had their flaws. Yet G-d used them to spread the Gospel of Christ and to found the Christian church. It's a comfort really to know we too can serve G-d and survive this earthly plain intact even with our flaws. I do find it really weird though that Joan of Arcadia was canceled after 2 seasons...just when she was actually going to start confronting evil in season 3. The top dogs of Saving Grace did the same thing to this show. I have no doubt, if they had been given time, we would have seen some phenomenal story lines the next season. I am grateful, however, that the powers that be did allow them 3 additional episodes to tie up this series. Every actor chosen for this series was outstanding! I hope we will see many of them in the future in other series.
SERIES SPOILER AHEAD: While I was truly saddened to see Grace die in the final episode, I thought it was fitting. She had already had her garden of Gethsemane and knew she was going to be used for something horrific, awesome, G-d honoring. Her death was NOT for naught. While WE cannot destroy evil, we CAN most certainly thwart it. Grace did exactly that. She lived up to her principles right to the very end.
SERIES SPOILER AHEAD: While I was truly saddened to see Grace die in the final episode, I thought it was fitting. She had already had her garden of Gethsemane and knew she was going to be used for something horrific, awesome, G-d honoring. Her death was NOT for naught. While WE cannot destroy evil, we CAN most certainly thwart it. Grace did exactly that. She lived up to her principles right to the very end.
Bending All the Rules
(2002)
Bradley Cooper in Bending All The Rules
17 October 2011
I checked this one out of my public library. Thank goodness! Because had I spent $10 for movie tickets for this I would have been demanding my money back! Yep, it's that BAD! The DVD case said it was a 2011 movie so I was expecting the Bradley Cooper we all know from Failure to Launch or The Hangover. That's NOT what you will get. After finally coming to IMDb I discovered this movie really is from 2002. So it is one of his earliest attempts at his craft. Thank goodness, he has become better at his craft!
Normally, I will watch a movie to its very end....most often with the hope that it will become better. But having reached that hallmark age of half a century, I figure my time is limited and I will no longer be wasting it on BAD movies, BAD books, whatever! I stopped watching this one exactly 33 minutes into it. I couldn't take another hour of it.
I first thought since it was 2011 that maybe he was doing this as a favor to his hometown or something. You know getting together with your old buds and family and making a movie. The acting is just WOODEN. Pinochio was less wood! I don't know WHO any of these people are EXCEPT Bradley Cooper. So I'ma thinking that none of them went on to anything else. Thank the universe for small miracles!
I wouldn't waste your time on this one. Sometimes, their first efforts are best left UNKNOWN.
That brings me to my PET PEEVE with this industry. Repackaging movies showing a MAJOR STAR on the cover and putting the current year's date on the back of the case. This is FRAUDULENT!!! I'm TIRED of this industry doing sneaky stuff like this to squeeze out one more dollar. Cooper is not the star of this movie. He is part of an ensemble cast. The story is about the girl played by colleen Porch (Pinochio-ette). Yet his picture is prominently displayed on the front of the DVD. They did the same thing with a Sandra Bullock film Hangmen from 1987. Repackaged it with her on the front cover and she has a small role and put the current date on it not the actual date it was filmed/released! FRAUD!!!!!
Normally, I will watch a movie to its very end....most often with the hope that it will become better. But having reached that hallmark age of half a century, I figure my time is limited and I will no longer be wasting it on BAD movies, BAD books, whatever! I stopped watching this one exactly 33 minutes into it. I couldn't take another hour of it.
I first thought since it was 2011 that maybe he was doing this as a favor to his hometown or something. You know getting together with your old buds and family and making a movie. The acting is just WOODEN. Pinochio was less wood! I don't know WHO any of these people are EXCEPT Bradley Cooper. So I'ma thinking that none of them went on to anything else. Thank the universe for small miracles!
I wouldn't waste your time on this one. Sometimes, their first efforts are best left UNKNOWN.
That brings me to my PET PEEVE with this industry. Repackaging movies showing a MAJOR STAR on the cover and putting the current year's date on the back of the case. This is FRAUDULENT!!! I'm TIRED of this industry doing sneaky stuff like this to squeeze out one more dollar. Cooper is not the star of this movie. He is part of an ensemble cast. The story is about the girl played by colleen Porch (Pinochio-ette). Yet his picture is prominently displayed on the front of the DVD. They did the same thing with a Sandra Bullock film Hangmen from 1987. Repackaged it with her on the front cover and she has a small role and put the current date on it not the actual date it was filmed/released! FRAUD!!!!!
The Dilemma
(2011)
Vince Vaughn's The Dilemma
30 July 2011
Warning: Spoilers
WHEN is Vince Vaughn's 15 minutes going to be up already? The man makes the same movie over and over and over and over and over again; AND he never SHUTS UP! By the time I got to the end of this one I was truly HOPING the muscle car his partner Nick (played by Kevin James) was revving up was going to run his verbose butt over and put me out of my misery! I have yet to see one film that Vaughn has done that is funny or original. While I loved Kevin James on the King of Queens, his last good (sweet) movie was Hutch. I wish the writers out there would get him some GOOD scripts to do! I cannot believe Ron Howard wasted his time on this dreck. I have come to really respect Opie and his body of work....but this one was a complete MISS. Thank goodness, I checked it out of my public library or I would be crying FOUL at the theater!!!!
Skyline
(2010)
War of the Worlds + Independence Day + Scanners = Rip off Skyline
1 July 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Skyline reminds me of a Steven Spielberg movie...War of the Worlds: the alien ship with the long tentacled probing arms; and the blue lights shooting down into the ground. Also, kind of reminds me of Will Smith's Independence Day: the creatures heads. And when the people are scanned, it reminds me of the movie Scanners.
They spent 10 million dollars on the special effects. But all the effects were copied from other movies! In the book world, that's called plagiarism and it is illegal! I think their special effects people ripped the producers off since so little is original!
Then at the end of the movie I found out that the producer also co-wrote it...so he plagiarized the other movies and ripped himself off!
Personally, I'd rather watch these 3 old movies again and again. They were all excellent! I own the first two and do so yearly! This one, I will NOT be adding to my Sci-Fi collection.
They spent 10 million dollars on the special effects. But all the effects were copied from other movies! In the book world, that's called plagiarism and it is illegal! I think their special effects people ripped the producers off since so little is original!
Then at the end of the movie I found out that the producer also co-wrote it...so he plagiarized the other movies and ripped himself off!
Personally, I'd rather watch these 3 old movies again and again. They were all excellent! I own the first two and do so yearly! This one, I will NOT be adding to my Sci-Fi collection.
A Christmas Carol
(2009)
Disney and Jim Carrey's A Christmas Carol
21 November 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Definitely watch the RATING on this one. It IS too scary for wee ones! That said, I have to say I didn't care for it. Director Zemeckis's interpretation of Charles Dickens book wasn't very good. Then weirdly he threw humor into. When the ghost of Scrooge's partner, Marley comes to see him, his head wrapping comes undone when he gets really upset and his jaw then starts flopping madly and his tongue lolling crazily out of his mouth. Why? It served no purpose and was NOT funny. Just really gross. Jim Carrey as Scrooge is just a major miscasting. Gary Oldham who played Bob Crachit would have been a better choice! I spent a buck on this one at redbox so I can live with the loss of $1. But I would be TICKED off if I had spent my minimum wage salary on this one at the theater! The critics had tons to say about the computer generated The Polar Express. #1 that it was just too creepy to watch. I loved The Polar Express. But I definitely get what they meant. This one is just creepy. There are so many GOOD versions of this movie out there. You would do better to view one of them! LOVE the Muppets Christmas Carol; Mickey's Christmas Carol; the musical Scrooge with Albert Finney; Alistair Sims 1932 version; Patrick Stewart's version; even Henry Winkler's An American Christmas Carol! Anything but this dreck! Jim needs to stick with what he does best-adult humor; & leave the kiddy movies alone.
The Karate Kid
(2010)
Loved It!
8 November 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Yes, it is another remake of another older, GREAT film.
But, I think they did an excellent job. They stayed pretty true to the original while changing the setting (it takes place in China now) and modernizing it a bit. If they hadn't kept up with the times and did a verbatim remake there would be reviewers crying foul. Just as others cry foul if a remake is totally different. You'll never please everyone! That's what makes humanity unique and INTERESTING!
I think little Jaden Smith did a GREAT job as well as Jackie Chan! I think Will and Jada better watch out...the youngsters are on the move! I had to laugh because Jaden looks just like his dad! He makes some facial expressions you just have to lol because it is soooo Will Smith! And I just like Jackie Chan movies! Sue me!
When I rent a movie (or on the rare occasion I go to a theater) I try to go with no expectations; especially for remakes. I want to have an open mind and allow the people a chance to present their version of it. Sometimes I am disappointed. But most times, I see what they were wanting to achieve with their interpretation of the material.
I like the changes they made in this film. It makes it FRESH.
Here's my final analysis. Would I spend my hard earned money and add this to my own 250+ DVD collection?
Yes, I would add this movie to it and probably will in the near future!
I LOVE THE MOVIES!!!!
dashopaholic
But, I think they did an excellent job. They stayed pretty true to the original while changing the setting (it takes place in China now) and modernizing it a bit. If they hadn't kept up with the times and did a verbatim remake there would be reviewers crying foul. Just as others cry foul if a remake is totally different. You'll never please everyone! That's what makes humanity unique and INTERESTING!
I think little Jaden Smith did a GREAT job as well as Jackie Chan! I think Will and Jada better watch out...the youngsters are on the move! I had to laugh because Jaden looks just like his dad! He makes some facial expressions you just have to lol because it is soooo Will Smith! And I just like Jackie Chan movies! Sue me!
When I rent a movie (or on the rare occasion I go to a theater) I try to go with no expectations; especially for remakes. I want to have an open mind and allow the people a chance to present their version of it. Sometimes I am disappointed. But most times, I see what they were wanting to achieve with their interpretation of the material.
I like the changes they made in this film. It makes it FRESH.
Here's my final analysis. Would I spend my hard earned money and add this to my own 250+ DVD collection?
Yes, I would add this movie to it and probably will in the near future!
I LOVE THE MOVIES!!!!
dashopaholic
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