If there’s one Disney staple that I am the most ignorant of it is Winnie the Pooh. Not that the world is hard to comprehend or that I’m oblivious of the characters but I’ve just not had much time with everyone’s favorite rumbly tumbly bear and his endless quest for honey. Not like it takes a lot to become familiar with the inhabitants of A. A. Milne‘s stories, I’ve just never been drawn to those characters. That said, after seeing this newest (and infinitely pleasing) story about Pooh and his friends I don’t mind telling you I am growing quite fond of them all.
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Off the Shelf…’Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides’
Halloween is just around the corner and in recent years I don’t think any character has been more popular than Pirates of the Caribbean mascot, Jack Sparrow. Kids love him (as do adults) so it’s no mystery why his appeal goes way beyond his persona on screen. That said, back for his fourth time as Capt. Jack, Johnny Depp is joined by friends old and new as he sets out continuing his quest for the Fountain of Youth. Just as exciting as it was in the theater, the terrific Blu Ray transfer of PotC 4: On Stranger Tides is a real treat (with great commentary and extras should you opt for the 3D version) as high…
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Off the Netflix Queue…'Cracks'
There’s that old saying that “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree“…and in the Scott family it seems that anyone sharing lineage with Sir Ridley is destined for greatness. Enter one Jordan Scott, daughter to Mr. Gladiator himself, who in her feature length directorial debut shows us she’s going places. Creating something original in Hollywood is tough enough but harder still is adapting someone else’s material. But from just the first 10 minutes or so this film, from 2009, shows us Scott has a solid career ahead of her that is coming up fast.
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Off the Shelf…'Lost In Translation'
Man, I don’t think I could ever say enough good things about this movie. Lost In Translation is a borderline perfect movie and I don’t think enough credit can be given to Sofia Coppola for crafting this absolutely beautiful modern classic. I hadn’t expected to see this back in 2003 as it was making the rounds at some smaller, more independent theaters. A good friend of mine told me about the very positive buzz it was getting so I took a chance on it and was sooo glad I did. There are so many reasons why I absolutely LOVE this movie and it is one of my all time favorites. While very different…
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Off the Shelf…’Ben-Hur’
Every Easter I watch Ben-Hur religiously (no pun intended). Most of the people I tell this to, they don’t know that it deals with Christ and Easter as well as being one of Charleston Heston’s greatest roles. The events that befall Judah run in tandem to the life and final days of Jesus Christ. After all, the title Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ kind of says it all.
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Off the Shelf…'Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind'
In Hayao Miyazaki‘s 1984 epic Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind we find our titular heroine on a quest to save what’s left of a post-apocalyptic world from being destroyed as it was hundreds of years earlier. A true product of the 80’s (see: The Dark Crystal, Dune, Conan, etc) Nausicaä carves a nice place in the fantasy genre, but more importantly it is a bit of an anomaly in the Ghibli resume. Not only will you find giant monsters, bizarre plants and animals, prophecies and a host of fantastic elements but even Nausicaä herself is the type of character seldom seen in Ghibli films. You could argue that Nausicaä…
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Japanese Cinema Blogathon – Off the Shelf…'Howl's Moving Castle'
Following on the heels of the Oscar Winning Spirited Away, comes another breathtaking adventure from Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli. Miyazaki’s films are known for placing a female protagonist in a very out-of-her-element situation. Moreover it’s a story of a strong willed woman/girl finding their inner strength and what it takes to believe in herself. Howl’s Moving Castle doesn’t exactly fit within that template but this similar story is more about said protagonist, Sophie, inspiring those around her with her positive attitude and determination. That’s another common storyline in Ghibli films. Castle tells the story of Sophie, a plain as they come young woman finding contentment in a world filled…
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Japanese Cinema Blogathon – Off the Shelf…’Tales From Earthsea’
Tales From Earthsea is not the work of the legendary Hayao Miyazaki or even Isao Takahata. This animated feature comes from Goro Miyazaki; Hayao’s son. Admittedly it’s so very hard to think about Goro’s work (who is not, I repeat not a professional animator) and not compare him to his father. Further, expecting a Princess Mononoke level of film right out of the gates is not only a lofty expectation, but an impossible one. It’s like trying to compare “Juno” to “Ghostbusters”; just because Jason Reitman is Ivan Reitman’s son doesn’t mean he’ll top his father’s peak films with his first effort. But even though Goro didn’t grow up in…
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Off the Netfilx Queue…’OSS 117: Lost In Rio’
While I adore the first film OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies it really pains me to say that I just did not like this film. OSS 117: Lost in Rio is the follow up to the smash hit Cairo: Nest of Spies and as it is perhaps the best spoof on the 007 series, this apple falls very very far from the tree. In what is nothing more than a series of bad jokes, awkward and long sequences Lost in Rio focused on all the wrong elements and ignoring story was the first in a long line of offenses.
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Off the Shelf…Monty Python's 'Life of Brian'
It’s been my experience that people either prefer one thing over the other, be it vanilla or chocolate, summer or winter, Pepsi or Coke. That said I have been in many conversations where people take firm stances as the which camp they belong, and considering this topic there are some people I’ve met with avid respect, opinions and devout favoritism to one singular movie vs. another. In the crazy, silly, confusing but absolutely brilliant world of Monty Python crafted expertly by Graham Chapman, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, John Cleese, Michael Palin people either take a firm stance that their favorite MP is either The Holy Grail or Life…