dr_shred's Reviews

A Christmas Prince (2017)

8/10

Liked the movie but there's a better one.

27 December 2017

Warning: Spoilers

Liked the movie but there's better one.

I finally watched the, by now, cult phenomenon "A Christmas Prince" on Netflix. It's not bad and I'm a big fan of Rose McGiver, a.k.a Liv Moore on iZombie, so I give it a Thumbs Up.

However, I like others, was struck by the similarities with "A Princess for Christmas", which is a superior movie if for nothing else that is does have a Christmas theme, not like "A Christmas Prince", which purports to be a Christmas movie, but is like so many other movies which are simply romance or dramatic films which occur during Christmas.

A case in point is "It's a Wonderful Life" which isn't really about Christmas at all.

Here is my list of similarities of the two films:

* Young woman (YW) becomes involved with a royal family * Same castle: Peles Castle, Stirbei Castle, the Bragadiru Palace, Romania * Snowy * Horses galloping in the snow * Misunderstood prince (MP) with parent issues * There's been a death in YW's and MP's families * MP does archery (a family tradition) outside on one of the the castle walkways * MP shows young relative how to use the bow & arrow * An old Xmas tree ornament is found with deep family significance and parent of MP hangs it on the tree * Snooty upper-class woman (Lady Sophia, SLS), the MP's ex girlfriend wants the MP to marry her "We both know this isn't going to work" * Outdoor scene in the local village. Orphans are involved. * The MP's family plans a Christmas ball (CB) * Jealous SLS is suspicious of YW * MP's mother's imperious heart melts at YW's warmth * YW has a misunderstanding of MP's intentions (kissing SLS) * YW gets a new dress and makeover for the CB * YW comes down the ballroom steps in her glorious gown at the CB * YW's deception is revealed. She flees to the airport * YW is rescued, agrees to marry MP

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Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005)

10/10

Should have payed attention

23 June 2008

Movies, like books, can't be judged by the packaging. When it came out in '05, the reviews were above average, but didn't appear to ring everybody's chimes so I avoided seeing it.

Buying the DVD seemed like a safe bet when it came out. It had lots of action and two marquee stars. But having been burned buying movies I hadn't seen - Sideways, Lost In Translation (O.K., not burned but a bit disappointed) - I passed. I'd wait till it dropped below $10.

Time passed and now it's on T.V. I happened to be flipping channels when I stumbled on its opening scene at the marriage councilor. Right away I was hooked. It had the marriage milieu nailed in a few minutes, like Orson Welles in Citizen Kane: the awkward questions and answers, the poorly disguised discomfort, the seething resentment.

It got even better with the banality of home life: the glaring silences, the perfunctory politeness, the stilted discourse, the hidden frustration, ennui, equivocation, avoidance, and interior decorating conflicts. Maybe you actually have to be married to appreciate how true the representation was.

Then the plot twists that accentuated the facade. More twists. Don't let your guard down for an instant, or you may get killed! The subtle, pleading moments. Like when Jane hangs up on him in the car. Additional twists and action all the way into a grand finale with scads of bullets, bombs, etc.

Is the true love of shared experience beyond the banality of everyday life realized? Well, you have to see the movie.

Yes, the plot is complicated, and sometimes doesn't make sense, like marriage, but on closer inspection reveals hidden reservoirs of true feeling and connection.

I guess I had overlooked a great film, just like John and Jane had overlooked each other.

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ALF Tales (1988–1990)

10/10

The best cartoon series since Rocky and Bullwinkle

17 September 2007

It may sound like hyperbole, but the ALF cartoons rank with Rocky & Bullwinkle and other Jay Ward/Bill Scott creations - Fractured Fairy Tales, Mr. Peabody, Dudley Do-Right, George of the Jungle, et al - as some of the funniest cartoons ever created. Not in the same genre as cartoons from the golden age of the movie studios - MGM, Tex Avery, Warner Bros. etc. - but of the same limited animation as R&B where story and dialog count as the essential elements. These mini-masterpieces did more than achieve a high level of hilarious, dead-on satire, but also captured the spirit of the time in which they were created.

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Teresa (1951)

10/10

Loved It!

20 August 2006

I recognized Pier Angeli from "Somebody Up There Likes Me" with Paul Newman, which is reminiscent of this film and John Ericson from "Rhapsody" with Elizabeth Taylor. In that film he does a wonderful job of playing a confident, returning G.I. and brilliant concert pianist who has other doubts. In this movie he's a self doubting child/man and she, a radiant child/woman who helps him grow up. Few films deal with so many human issues and frailties as well as this one does: civilians in war, soldiers' doubts and fears, the camaraderie of war, returning home, true love, family resentments, etc., etc. It combines the best elements of "The Best Years Of Our Lives" and "Battleground", but does the latter one better with none of the silly G.I. patter - a small film with an enormous heart. It also reminds me of "Hell to Eternity" (not "From Here To Eternity"), another forgotten movie gem which comes after this one, that deals with war and cross-cultural, family dilemmas. "Teresa" could have been made into three distinct movies - a trilogy - as we follow Teresa and Philip through their lives.

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Man of the People (1937)

3/10

An odd movie from MGM

11 October 2005

Warning: Spoilers

A story that is so confusing in its direction and characterizations that, in the end, the viewer is left befuddled.

If Jack is a "man of the people", why does he so willingly join the local crime boss's (William J. Grady, played by Thomas Mitchell) organization, even to the point of representing its crooks in the courtroom? Naiveté? It's not clear why he turns over a new leaf after he's appointed assistant district attorney - because of Gradey's influence - and starts fighting for the little guy. When he runs afoul of his boss, the district attorney, who's one of Grady's cronies and quits, it's not clear why Joe Dwire, Grady's chief enforcer and thug, leaves with Jack to become his right hand man in the cause for good. Jack shouldn't have been surprised when Grady picks another man to run for district attorney, yet he becomes angry and feels betrayed. You shouldn't feel betrayed by your enemies. Jack runs for district attorney as an independent and has his campaign ruined by Grady's stooges. Abbey, Jack's loyal love interest, courageously encourages him to stick to his principles. Abbey then becomes the turncoat and asks Jack to call off the investigation into the gold mine swindle because her mother is on the gold mine's board of directors. Abby leaves him because Jack wants to stick to his principles and continue. We meet Maria, the local girl who is in love with Jack at the beginning of the movie. She's dumped by Jack for Abbey. We see her again, only at the end of the movie, now Jack's secretary, and obviously still in love with him, taking a phone call for Jack. Jack rushes out and meets Abbey, who betrayed him, and they live happily ever after.

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Saints and Soldiers (2003)

10/10

Ex-Mormon Loves This Movie

21 July 2005

This movie stands up well with all the great, intimate WWII movies of the past: Saving Private Ryan, Paths Of Glory, All Quiet On The Western Front, Catch 22, MASH, Apocalypse Now, In Harm's Way, Hell to Eternity (not From Here To Eternity), Battleground, etc. The Mormon angle is surprisingly subtle and doesn't deflect the movie's power in the slightest. In fact, it adds to the mystery, making it more alluring. Only an anti-Mormon with an ax to grind would be offended. I watched it at my daughter's behest and was, well, shocked at its quality: dialog, story, characters and intense battle sequences. I recommend it highly. It's amazing that a bunch of no-name actors, directors, writers and producers could come up with a film of such high quality.

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Porky's (1981)

1/10

Insipid and stupid.

4 May 2005

Giving this movie credit for all the brainless teen comedies that followed is something like giving credit for mold growing inside your toilet bowl. It's actually a pathetic imitation of the real innovator, Animal House, the movie that really got the genre started. Animal House had some of the same problems but did have good writing (Doug Kinney and Harold Ramis), good direction (John Landis), good acting and was, well, funny. Porky's makes Animal House look like The Brothers Karamazov. It's a vile pastiche, patched together from somebody's infantile memories of high school, a dumb practical joke gone bad. And boring? Isn't this the one where the kid wakes up in the morning and refers to his male member as "you big husky" and tries to encourage it to, uh, rise? How funny. It does have one redeeming value: a sign of a significant generation gap between those raised on comedy which began (and in some ways ended) with the early greats (Lloyd, Keaton, Chaplin, Mac Sennett, Laurel and Hardy, W.C. Fields, Mae West, the Marx Bros. et al) and the Howard Stern generation.

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The Jokers (1967)

10/10

Another obscure gem

4 May 2005

This is one of the best crime caper movies of all time, but does anybody outside of the U.K. remember it? Another great but overlooked movie. I saw this when I was a kid and then again about 10 years ago on one of the T.V. movie channels. I taped it and if I could I'd copy it to DVD and distribute it freely. It's also one of the best comedies, not to mention a whodunit and a fab portrayal of swinging London circa 1967. Plot twists, betrayal, witty dialog and great characters. Michael Crawford is a genuine talent who appeared in two of my favorite movies: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and Hello Dolly! He resurfaces back in the 80s as the Phantom of the Opera. Oliver Reed, is also one of the best. Together, they create the perfect sibling rivalry. Oh, the music is good too.

They don't make movies like this anymore, do they?

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The Delicate Delinquent (1957)

10/10

Proves Jerry Lewis's Genius

4 February 2005

My wife hates Jerry Lewis. The French love him. Why the divergence?

In the late 40's and 50's Martin and Lewis were the most popular comedy act of their era. Watching some of their early stand-up routines one can't help marvel at Lewis's precocity and Martin's understated comic acumen. People who really know about Dean know what an underrated genius he was, but in this movie, Lewis's wide range of talents - mimicry, improvisation, foolery, jest - erupt with no comic-duo distractions. It's his tour de force.

Darrin McGavin turns in a great performance as Damon to Lewis's Pythias. The stunning Martha Hyer is great as the uppity goody two-shoes who falls for McGavin. Don't forget the uncredited cameo by Frank Gorshin. Robert Ivers, Horace McMahon, Richard Bakalyan, Milton Frome, et al, complete a great cast in one of the best comic movies ever.

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The Incredibles (2004)

In the same league as Pinocchio and Roger Rabbit

7 November 2004

A seminal film, combining Cinéma vérité, dead on satire, hilarious situations with perfect characterizations and breathtaking action. Wait a minute! This is a cartoon, right? Incredible doesn't adequately describe its subtleties and nuances. Can any father not laugh out loud when Bob Parr pulls into his driveway and the tiny car he's driving diesels to a stop? Or when Helen feeds the baby? You've seen kids like Violet at your local High School: bored, lonely and alienated. And the Boss: throw him through the wall. Oh, that's what happened. Naysayers beware: if you don't love this movie you've "never felt the slightest affection for the human race" (paraphrased from Sébastien-Roch-Nicolas Chamfort)

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Far from the Madding Crowd (1967)

10/10

Brilliant adaptation of Hardy's novel.

29 January 2004

A vastly under-appreciated movie, John Schlesinger's Far From The Madding Crowd matches the spirit and tone of Hardy's work with the same poignant - sometimes melodramatic - storytelling and breathtaking images of Wessex, Hardy's `dream-country', now officially defined as the rural area of southwest England, from Devon to Oxfordshire. An outstanding cast and soundtrack complete this beautiful, Victorian-period tapestry which is greater than the sum of its parts. Understandable shortcuts are taken from the novel but the movie - images, characters and story - stands on its own as a work of art worthy of Hardy's literature. I have many favorite vignettes; here are two: When the husbands leave the barn after the all night drinking bash and the final musical celebration by a band made up of the local townsfolk.

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