Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

IMDB link: Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
Source: Netflix
Date viewed: January 29, 2007

What a great movie! We've seen it before. Will we see it again? "It is not only possible, it is essential." Sellers is a comedic genius. This movie should be on anyone's top ten list. - T

The movie is good - almost too good. It is so dead-on in some ways that it makes it kind of scary. Great performances by Sellers and Scott. - A

Rocky Balboa

IMDB link: Rocky Balboa
Source: Cinema
Date viewed: January 20, 2007

This was actually pretty good. It was more like the first one than any of the sequels (the ones I saw, anyway). Stallone plays a likeable guy, and the story was pretty good. On a side note, there were only six or so people in the audience, but I still ended up sitting next to two people who talked all through it! - T

Well, this movie certainly fulfilled any and all need I had to see Rocky again, which may sound like a criticism, but it really isn't. I enjoyed the movie (despite the wagging tongues of the people around me). I think they tried very hard, and with some success, to make the plot and the re-match plausible. I admire Sylvester Stallone for getting into such great shape for the movie. There's no split decision here, if you liked Rocky, you'll like Rocky Balboa. - A

Happy Endings

IMDB link: Happy Endings
Source: Netflix
Date viewed: January 8, 2007

I really enjoyed watching three of my favorite actresses (Dern, Gyllenhaal & Kudrow) - who knew Maggie could sing? - but the movie itself was a little weak. I think it tried a little too hard to be quirky and cute with the periodic explanatory text and the convoluted ending(s). Overall, I guess it was all right, especially if you like those three. - T

I liked Maggie's singing. The plot inter-weavings were a bit overdone. Plus, there seems to me to be a huge plot hole right at the beginning, which vexed me. The kid Lisa Kudrow's character liked creeped me out. Tom Arnold wasn't bad. I think the message is that happy endings can cause trouble. - A

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby

IMDB link: Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
Source: Katherine and Jack's DVD
Date viewed: January 6, 2007

Still funny, but the DVD is different from the movie, and I'm not sure I'm ready to accept movies as fluid objects, not fixed in reality. They have added footage, and I'm not sure that it was a good idea. Also, we watched many "out-takes," and overall, I thought the out-taking was a good idea. - T

Quite a good ride, this film. I agree with Tom that the "official" version was better than the one with added scenes on the DVD. The cuts they made for the theatre were the right ones. It puts me in mind of the old quote (I'm sure Tom will know the source, Twain maybe?) I would have written you a shorter letter, but I didn't have the time. - A

Summertime

IMDB link: Summertime
Source: Netflix
Viewed: January 1, 2007

I thought I recognized the director's name, and a quick look at David Lean's credits - "The Bridge on the River Kwai," "Lawrence of Arabia," "Doctor Zhivago" - makes me think that yes, perhaps I have heard of him. It's no wonder, then, that this film is so beautifully shot, so well paced, and so good. - T

A beautiful film, visually; I really felt I experienced Venice. I enjoyed the story, too. Seemingly bittersweet, but ultimately right. - A

The Whole Ten Yards

IMDB link: The Whole Ten Yards
Source: Netflix
Viewed: January 1, 2007

The performance of Kevin Pollack is hilarious, and kept this movie from being awful. I like Amanda Peet, and Matthew Perry isn't terrible. - T

The plot of the movie is outrageously stupid, but the characters are pretty likable. I thought Matthew Perry did very well as the central character around which the crazy plot spins. The guy who played Strabo, Frank Collison, was pretty funny. I always like Bruce Willis. - A

The Good Shepherd

IMDB link: The Good Shepherd
Source: Cinema
Viewed: December 26, 2006

Matt Damon plays the Forrest Gump of the Cold War years, without any of the excitement or humor. In the end it turns into a mini Sophie's Choice, without any of the shock or horror. Do I need to continue? I think you can pretty much tell that I didn't love it. It's chock full of big-name actors, but it's way too long and way too boring. - T

I thought this movie would be better than it was. I'm not sure what was missing. It was a nice period piece. I think it failed as a history of the CIA; it seemed more like the history of one man,to me. It was also predictable, but since it was an historical drama, that, I suppose, is to be expected. - A

French Kiss

IMDB link: French Kiss
Source: DVD Collection
Viewed: December 25, 2006

This movie is somewhat simple with a few problems, but it's likeable enough. - T

I requested this movie on Christmas night for a little relaxing. Tom graciously watched it with me. We own the DVD and I've watched it at least 5 times. I'm not exactly sure what makes me like it so much, but here are some possible reasons: Jean Reno is in it; it's set in France; it's kind of funny in parts; it features fear of flying; Kevin Kline isn't bad in it, but you can tell he's not really French; when it's natural that people would speak French, they let them speak French and use subtitles; there's a happy ending with a nice message. - A

The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause

IMDB link: The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause
Source: Cinema
Viewed: December 3, 2006

Each year around this time we take two of the nieces to see a movie. We had seen the first two, so it seemed that we had to see this one, too. Tim Allen is likeable, and ordinarily, I love Martin Short, but there was something not quite right about his performance here. There are some good jokes, but overall, this movie is quite bad. - T

Read on to find out what was naughty and nice.
Naughty: Predictable, silly, annoying young actress/character, unbelievable - even within the realm of the movie setup (North Pole), icky pregnant wife actress.

Nice: Tim Allen is pretty funny, Martin Short had a few good moments, the Tooth Fairy. - A

Les Enfants du Siècle (The Children of the Century)

IMDB link: Les Enfants du Siècle
Source: Netflix
Viewed: December 2, 2006

It took us two nights to get through this long and somewhat boring docu-drama. Juliette Binoche is fine, but Benoît Magimel is very annoying. This is the second time we've seen him play a very unlikeable character (He was also in The Piano Teacher). As with "The Queen," and other bio-pics, I have trouble enjoying fictionalized stories about real people. Perhaps that's a short-coming of mine. - T

I didn't mind this one so much, although it certainly wasn't riveting. I wanted to see it because it dealt with the life of George Sand, which interests me, but her life was mixed up with de Musset's, who was a little wacky. This, and other movies we've seen (think A Beautiful Mind, and The Piano Teacher), make me wonder if there's ever been an enjoyable movie about a person who is crazy. - A