Bottle Shock

Who: Bill & Melanie
What: Bottle Shock
Where: Borrowed the DVD from our neighbor
Why: It takes place in the Napa Valley

In 1976 the Napa Valley had an emerging reputation of growing high quality grapes, which resulted in some outstanding wines. But outside of a handful of wine connoisseurs, few people were aware of this. Bottle Shock tells the story of a small family-owned winery called Chateau Montelena, and how its wines and other California-based wines (many produced in the Napa Valley) "shocked" the world when they bested the more-established French wines at a blind taste testing known as The Judgement of Paris.

Filmed primarily in the Napa Valley (with nearby Sonoma being used for scenes taking place in Paris), Bottle Shock is an entertaining and enjoyable story with a unique blend of actors of past and present "vintage": Bill Pullman as Jim Barret (owner of Chateau Montelena), Chris Pine as son Bo Barret, Alan Rickman as Steven Spurrier (the man who organized the blind taste test), Rachael Taylor as Samantha, Freddy Rodriguez as Gustavo, Eliza Dushku as a street-smart local bartender named Jo, and Dennis Farina as Maurice.

I was raised in Napa, so anytime I hear of a movie that takes place or was filmed there, it immediately gets my interest. Bottle Shock was one such film. It premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival and had a limited run in theaters. Most people probably still have not heard of the movie. It is worth seeking out, not only for its compelling story, but for its incredible cast. In particular, Chris Pine wasn't well known when Bottle Shock was being filmed. That has since changed with his acclaimed performance as the young James T. Kirk in the recent re-launch of the Star Trek franchise. His comes from an acting family: mother Gwynne Gilford has had small roles in TV shows and movies over the years and father Robert Pine is best-known from co-starring in the long-running series "CHiPs". Eliza Dushku has appeared in many popular movies such as True Lies, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, and a recurring role in Buffy, the Vampire Slayer. She is currently starring and co-producing in Joss Whedon's latest television series Dollhouse. Rachael Taylor has appeared in a number of recent movies including the 2007 blockbuster Transformers.

Because Bottle Shock is about wines and wine-making, one enhancement to your enjoyment would be to watch the movie with a glass of Chardonnay or Pinot Noir-- preferably from the Napa Valley of course. Salud!

Escape from Alcatraz

Who:  Amber
What:  Escape from Alcatraz
Where:  @ home on AMC
Why:  I think Alcatraz is cool

I was shocked to find out that Clint Eastwood played the main character (Frank Morris) in this movie.  I read that in the credits.  I didn't even recognize him!  I'm so embarrassed.

This movie was slow moving, and not much action.  And the title pretty much gives away the ending ... 3 men successfully escape from Alcatraz.  After I watched the movie, I tried to find out if it was true, and nobody can really confirm or deny it.  Nobody ever found the 3 men or their bodies.  And they never got arrested again (even though they were career criminals - only the worst of the worst end up in Alcatraz).

Basically this movie shows how day to day life is in Alcatraz.  You have a teeny tiny cell all by yourself.  You eat crappy food.  And working for 15 cents a day is a big time privilege.

Escape from Alcatraz chronicles Frank Morris and 2 brothers who hatch a plan to escape.  Over the course of about a year, they slowly chip away at the grates in their cell.  They made paper mache' (sp?) grates out of newspaper, so during the day nobody could see a huge gaping hole in the cell.  They also made paper mache' heads, so guards would think they were sleeping at night.

They managed to steal small tools to chip away at the cement.  They stole hair from the barbershop to make their paper mache'.  And they stole some raincoats to make a life raft for the final escape across the San Francisco Bay.

There wasn't much action in this movie, but it was interesting to watch their plan, and see how it all worked out.

Now I'm in the mood to watch The Rock!

Into The Wild

Who: Liz
What: Into the Wild
Where: my living room
Why: I bought at the Circuit City close out!

I had heard this movie was really good and Emile Hirsch did a fabulous job, so I really wanted to see it. So when it was $4.00 I just bought it!
It was excellent. It is about this young man, Chris, played by Emile, who wants to live his life instead of seeking a job or law school after graduating from college. So he gives the balance of his college funds to charity and sets off across the US. Wow, I give him a lot of credit. It is based on a true story and it takes place in the early '90s.
The movie tells of the people he comes across on his quest to get to the wilds of Alaska and then what happens when he gets there. How he survives on almost no money and learns to take care of himself. The bad part was that he was mad at his parents and never called them. They were very concerned and it brought them together. But he never called his sister either and she narrated part of the story. One of the persons he met across the way was this older man Ron, played by Hal Holbrook. Mr. Holbrook was nominated for an Oscar for this role.
There was this really gross part when he killed a moose, it was horrible as he skinned it and stuff. Also you should be aware that there was some nudity, but it wasn't gratuitous nudity!
The cast was excellent including Vince Vaughn, Jena Malone, Marcia Gay Harden and William Hurt. The movie was directed by Sean Penn, too. I think he is so talented.
Of course the ending was very sad to me, but in the end, I really enjoyed this movie.

Take the Lead

Who:  Amber
What:  Take the Lead
Where:  @ home off cable
Why:  I like dancing movies!

Based on a true story, this movie is all about a ballroom dance teacher, Pierre (Antonio Banderas) and a group of good-for-nothing teenagers.

One night Pierre sees to see a boy destroying a principal's car. The following day (for some odd reason) Pierre goes to the school to speak to the principal. He doesn't tell her that he knows what happened to her car, but he overhears that nobody is available to 'teach' detention and volunteers. The director has little confidence in this idea, but figures "what the heck!"

The kids, who (of course) prefer hip-hop to any ballroom dance music are against learning dance. Then Pierre brings in a hot, sexy, tango dancer and they are hooked! Pierre convinced them to even sign up for a dance competition.

As a former teacher, it's a little hard to believe that a bunch of kids would flock to a prim and proper teacher trying to teach the foxtrot. And why does detention seem to last all day? And why is one of the math teachers so against Pierre teaching dance? These kids were kicked out of your math class for a reason - enjoy a classroom full of kids who want to learn! I know when there is a trouble maker in your class, it just consumes you!

The ending of this movie was great. It wasn't about who wins or loses the dance competition, it was all about learning about yourself, trying hard, and making a better life for yourself. Kudos to ballroom dancing!

Zodiac

Who: Bill
What: Zodiac
Where: The Movie Channel-- offered free during January
Why: Portions of the movie were filmed near my hometown.

During the late 1960’s-early 1970’s, there were a series of unsolved murders in the San Francisco Bay Area. The suspect identified himself as the “Zodiac” through a number of taunting letters mailed to local police and area newspapers. To date, the case technically remains unsolved, although there is strong evidence of who was the actual culprit.

Zodiac follows the intense investigation by the police and newspaper reporters, focusing primarily on San Francisco Chronicle cartoonist Robert Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhaal), who takes an interest in the case after deciphering some of the cryptic codes in the killer‘s letters. Also covering the story is Chronicle writer Paul Avery (Robert Downey, Jr.). Early scenes alternate between the reporters and the investigators that include San Francisco police detectives Dave Toschi (Mark Ruffalo) and Bill Armstrong (Anthony Edwards), Vallejo Police Officer Jack Mulanax (Elias Koteas) and Napa County Sheriff’s Officer Ken Narlow (Donal Logue). The latter half of the movie follows Graysmith’s near obsession with the “Zodiac” as he writes a book on the case, in which he concludes the killer was a man named Arthur Leigh Allen (played in the movie by John Carroll Lynch). Allen was identified as a suspect and interviewed by detectives in 1971, but despite strong circumstantial evidence, there was never enough physical evidence to charge him with the "Zodiac" crimes. Allen died in 1992.

At almost three hours, Zodiac covers a lot of detail and many years (1969 to 1991), but holds your attention. The period detail is impressive thanks to excellent digital photography and realistic computer-generated effects shots. There is some blood seen when three of the actual Zodiac murders are depicted early in the film, but these are more suspenseful than horribly graphic (it still may disturb some viewers). One way to approach the movie is by seeing it as an expanded R-rated version of Law and Order. So if you have the time and enjoy a good (true) mystery, Zodiac is highly recommended.

Valkyrie

Who: Jay and Liz
What: Valkyrie
Where: AMC Pleasure Island
Why: wanted to enjoy an afternoon movie


So we saw Valkyrie today. I really wanted to see “Benjamin Button” but it was showing too early to work out for us today. Jay suggested Valkyrie and I agreed. Well, silly me. I knew that it was historical, but I didn’t realize that it would be like I was back in history class. It was one loooong history lesson.
Tom Cruise played Colonel Staufenberg, a German colonel who wanted Hitler dead. The whole movie was how he tried to get that accomplished and the consequences of his actions, after he thinks the task has been completed. I, of course, am not a big history buff, so I had no idea that some German’s tried to kill Hitler while he was in power. According to the movie, some 15 attempts had been made to assassinate Hitler. The notes said that this was the last attempt prior to Hitler’s death. Jay knows his history and said Hitler fell out of power quickly because Staufenberger’s bomb killed a number of generals and this caused a lot of problems for Hitler.
The music was good and the woman who played Staufenberg’s wife was beautiful. I loved the way they wore their hair back in the 40’s. Um, Tom Cruise did a great job, too, even though this was really not my type of film. I didn’t mind that everyone spoke English without an accent, actually I like it better, I mean who can understand those crazy accents anyway? I really liked that Eddie Izzard was in the movie too, I enjoy him. It really was a good movie, if you like historical movies.

Valkyrie

Who:  Amber & Jonathan
What:  Valkyrie
Where:  AMC Pleasure Island
Why:  Jonathan picked

Let me start by saying I had NO desire to see this movie.  I don't like war movies and I'm not a Tom Cruise fan.  I was going to split up from Jonathan and see ANY OTHER movie at the theater, but there was nothing!  Not one single thing I wanted to see.  So I sucked it up and saw Valkyrie.

And I actually enjoyed myself!

If you know your history (which I don't, and I knew this!), Hitler is not assassinated.  So you know from the get go that Tom Cruise's plan isn't going to work.  Yet the movie is still interesting to see how many people hated Hilter, and how many people tried to assassinate him over and over again.

This movie got a little heat because of how un-German Tom Cruise is.  However, the first 5 minutes kind-of clear up that fact.  It's hard to explain, but I actually enjoyed a 100% English movie.  No super fake accents or hard to understand dialogue.

What would've made this movie great for me, is to show a montage at the end of the real men involved.  For example, Tom Cruise was General Staffenburg.  I wanted to see who the real General Staffenburg was.  I love when "real story" movie actually show the real people at the end - like the football movie Invincible!

The Age of Believing: The Disney Live Action Classics

Who: Bill
What: The Age of Believing: The Disney Live Action Classics
Where: Turner Classic Movies (TCM)
Why: It's a new documentary about the Disney Studios

When one thinks of “Disney”, it is quite natural to think of cartoon or animated movie. But throughout its history, the Disney Studios have also put out an impressive lineup of exclusively live action features, beginning with the True-Live Adventure short Seal Island in 1948 and the full-length Treasure Island in 1950. Before that, Walt Disney and his staff would occasionally combine animation with live action, often with impressive results (early examples include the 1920’s Alice comedy shorts and 1945’s The Three Cabelleros). So why the diversion into live action? Well, they cost less to make because they can be filmed quicker than an animated movie, and when done well, they can earn a lot of money in box office revenue. However, Walt insisted on a Quality film, rather than a Quantity output each year. As a result, many if not most of the live-action films he produced have become cinema classics that continue to entertain new generations.

Think of some of the best films made by Disney which include 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954), Old Yeller (1957), The Shaggy Dog (1959), Swiss Family Robinson and Pollyanna (both in 1960), The Parent Trap (1961), The Love Bug (1969), The Apple Dumpling Gang and Escape to Witch Mountain (both in 1975), Freaky Friday (1976) and many more. Even those classics well-remembered for their animated sequences -- Mary Poppins (1964), Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971) and Pete’s Dragon (1977)-- mostly utilized live actors. The Age of Believing: The Disney Live Action Classics focuses on Walt’s sometimes overlooked achievements in full live action production, featuring interviews with the people that also made it possible. Narrated by Angela Lansbury, the interviewees are a who's who of Disney film stars including Dick Van Dyke, Kurt Russell, Dean Jones, Tim Conway, Hayley Mills, James MacArthur, Glynis Johns, Nancy Olson, Tommy Kirk, Kim Richards, Kevin Corcoran and more. Also adding perspective are Disney film historian Leonard Maltin, director Ken Annakin, author Bob Thomas, filmmaker Leslie Iwerks (and her father Don Iwerks) and Roy Edward Disney as well as others. The documentary is being presented throughout December 2008 as Turner Classic Movies showcases 26 Disney live action features each Sunday of the month.

Produced, written and directed by Peter Fitzgerald, The Age of Believing: The Disney Live Action Classics offers insightful commentary and an abundance of clips from the movies being discussed. Much ground is covered in the almost 90-minute program, but there is also lots left unsaid (perhaps awaiting a potential DVD release) particularly when it came to the post-Walt era leading up Michael Eisner’s arrival in 1984. Throughout the 1970’s there was strong reluctance to tamper with the traditional Disney “formula” of wholesome family entertainment. While there were some good if not a few excellent live-action movies, the all-too real social upheaval of the times made Disney live-action films look old-fashioned. The resistance to even try something a little different resulted in increased malaise and mediocrity with each passing year. This really began to change with the 1979 release of the big budget PG-rated film The Black Hole.

Any fan of Disney movies is encouraged to watch the documentary and to look for TCM’s showings of many of these Disney live action classics-- as the channel proudly proclaims, uncut and commercial-free.

The Guardian (2006)

Who: Bill & Melanie
What: The Guardian
Where: Rented DVD from Netflix
Why: Melanie said it looked like a decent movie

Ben Randall (Kevin Costner) is a legendary rescue swimmer for the United States Coast Guard’s Aviation Survival Technician Program (AST). His successful rescues at sea number in the hundreds. But Ben is aging and his marriage is failing. When one rescue goes tragically wrong, he is forced to either retire or become an instructor with the AST’s training program. Reluctantly choosing to teach he soon confronts an eager, arrogant, but good-hearted young candidate named Jake Fischer (Ashton Kutcher). Ultimately Ben and Jake discover they have much in common. The story follows Jake’s progress through training and ultimately beating the odds to become a rescue swimmer, while Ben finally decides to retire and work on saving his marriage.


On DVD, The Guardian has two different endings-- the version that was actually used, and an alternate ending that was filmed in case the original wasn’t well received by studio executives at Touchstone Pictures or preview audiences. While we personally did not like the actual ending, it is more realistic and when you see the director’s reasoning for it, you understand why it was chosen.

Overall, we liked The Guardian, although it should have been at least a half-hour shorter. An unnecessary subplot involving Jake and a “casual” girlfriend (played by Raising the Bar’s Melissa Sagemiller) adds little to the overall story. Still, Costner and Kutcher are very good and convincing in the lead roles. The supporting cast also boasts familiar faces; notably, Sela Ward as Ben’s wife Helen, and Dule Hill (Psych) as fellow trainee Ken Weatherly. A number of actual Coast Guard rescue swimmers are featured as extras. A DVD rental is recommended, particularly for the bonus features which detail stories such as Kutcher’s participation in the AST’s training program and the impact of Hurricane Katrina on the film’s production.

The Greatest Rescues of Emergency

Who: Bill
What: The Greatest Rescues of Emergency
Where: Retro Television Network
Why: I used to watch Emergency! every week

One of the first television shows I remember watching as a young boy was Emergency! During the past few months, I’ve been catching some episodes on the Retro Television Network (RTN), which is available on Bright House Cable channel 1028 and over the air on digital channel 27.2. Whereas cable mainstay TV Land has added movies and original reality garbage… uh, programs to their schedule, RTN specializes in a lineup almost entirely of classic television shows, which is what TV Land used to do-- and should still be doing. But I digress.
Recently I contributed a review of the Emergency! pilot movie. So it is somewhat fitting to look at the movie that ended the series.

Originally aired on NBC Sunday, December 31, 1978, The Greatest Rescues of Emergency is exactly what the title says-- a clip show compiled of some of the most dramatic and a few amusing rescues performed by Firefighter/Paramedics John Gage (Randy Mantooth) and Roy DeSoto (Kevin Tighe). The opening credits are a montage of big fires and massive explosions that are simply over-the-top. But they grab your attention, which is the intent. After all, the show was called Emergency! with an exclamation point! Anyhow, Gage and DeSoto have been promoted to Captain, and are each assigned to their own fire stations. It is a bittersweet advancement. They can no longer work as Paramedics and thus no longer work together at fire station 51. But before parting ways, they reminisce over the six years they have been partners, beginning with how they met in training and the early days of being Paramedics. From there a variety of clips demonstrate the hazards and rewards of fighting fires, assisting accident victims and overall saving lives-- sometimes their own. Among the highlighted rescues include a paint factory fire, a plane crash landing, Gage being bitten by a rattlesnake and a young woman who gets her toe caught in a bathtub faucet. The final scene sums up the true friendship of Gage and DeSoto (and by that same token, the actors themselves) without needing to say a lot.

For syndicated reruns, The Greatest Rescues of Emergency was re-edited into a two-part format. Unfortunately this results in a very murky and scratchy film that was certainly not the case when first presented as a two hour movie. Compared with the relatively pristine-looking pilot film, this is a minor distraction to see. Some of the early episodes of Emergency! have been digitally re-mastered for DVD releases and RTN showings, while the later shows don’t yet look as good, although certainly watchable.

This movie was designed to serve as a wrap-up to the series, but two more Emergency! movies set in San Francisco followed in the summer of 1979. Their scheduling in rerun season only underscored how terrible NBC’s overall ratings were at the time. Ironically, Nielsen numbers perceived as awful then would probably be welcomed by the struggling network in 2008.

The Hoax

Who:  Amber & Jonathan
What:  The Hoax
Where:  @ home - free Starz weekend
Why:  I finally got to pick a movie!

This movie actually let's you know exactly that will happen at the end (for the most part), but it was still pretty suspenseful.  Kodus to the editor!  

Cliff Irving (Richard Gere) is a down and out writer.  His latest book was rejected, so he comes up with a brilliant plan - write an autobiography of billionaire Howard Hughes.  This is the early '70s, nobody has seen Howard Hughes in about 20 years, and he's a media darling.

People are going nuts about the idea about a book about Howard Hughes!  It's weird to think about in this decade.  Is there a celebrity or figure (who is still alive) that a possible book would make us go nuts?!?  I guess in the age of the internet, we know everything about everybody.

Back to the '70s.  Cliff forges documents "proving" that he's in contact with Hughes.  He steals some documents to get even more in depth knowledge.  After he gets a huge bonus to finish the book, he finds himself in hot water.  He can be sued and go to jail if he gets caught!

If you read the cliff notes (pun!) about this movie, you know Cliff Irving will get caught.  But the movie still is fairly suspensful.  Will Cliff get caught before or after the book is published?

And, my favorite part about stories based on real people, they told us what has happened to the characters in real life.  We found out a little about Howard Hughes, a lot about Cliff and his wife, and about Cliff's writing partner.  I recommend this movie!

Emergency! AKA "The Wedsworth-Townsend Act"

Who: Bill
What: Emergency! Pilot movie
Where: Rented DVD from Netflix
Why: Used to watch the series each week

Emergency! was a popular one hour drama that first aired on NBC Saturday nights from 1972 to 1977 and continuing as a series of TV movies through 1979. The show followed Firefighters/Paramedics John Gage and Roy DeSoto of Rescue Squad 51 as they responded to a variety of urgent calls such as fires, accidents, medical emergencies and other traumas, often in coordination with the emergency department of Rampart General Hospital. The show has been credited with the formation of Paramedic services in most major communities throughout the United States. In the early 1970’s, Paramedics administering vital on-scene medical assistance was only being used in a few cities.

On January 15, 1972, NBC aired a two hour made-for-TV movie dramatizing the formation of the Paramedic program in Los Angeles. Fireman Gage (Randy Mantooth) is frustrated by the limited resources he can use in rescue operations. He signs up to train as a Paramedic, then in the testing phase pending passage of a bill by the California Legislature. Gage reluctantly agrees to the training and upon completion is re-assigned to newly-built fire station 51 with fellow Paramedic DeSoto (Kevin Tighe). Meanwhile, Rampart ER head Dr. Kelly Brackett (Robert Fuller) is doubtful a Paramedic program can actually succeed. His reasoning is that only trained medical doctors should administer emergency treatment and not “hose jockeys”. But his colleagues Dr. Joe Early (Bobby Troup) and Nurse Dixie McCall (Julie London) believe otherwise. Complicating matters is that Brackett and McCall are also dating each other-- an element that would quietly be dropped after the show’s first season. Eventually Dr. Brackett sees how a program would increase survival rates and enthusiastically testifies in favor of the pending bill. Of course, it passes just in time as Gage and DeSoto perform critical medical care at a massive cave-in during a late night thunderstorm.

The original two hour Emergency! movie is only available as part of the DVD release of season one. “The Wedsworth-Townsend Act” is the alternate title used when it was repeated during the show’s fifth season as a two-part episode, as Gage and DeSoto reminisce about becoming Paramedics. This was the version used when Emergency! went into rerun syndication. In either format, its worth checking out as a look back at how controversial the Paramedic program was seen early on, a vital life-saving service that we now take for granted. From a casting standpoint, fans of Lost will enjoy seeing Kevin Tighe playing a really good guy as opposed to his occasional role as evil con artist Anthony Cooper. Singer Julie London and musician Bobby Troup (he was the writer for the classic song “Route 66”) were married to each other; however, London had been previously married to Emergency! executive producer Jack Webb.

Finally, while the series itself appealed to young viewers, the pilot movie contains some mild profanity that would definitely earn a PG rating had it appeared in theaters.

Breach

Who: Amber & Jonathan
What: Breach
Where: at home - DVR'ed from free HBO weekend
Why: Jonathan picked it out

I had never heard of this movie when I recorded it, so I had no expectations what so ever.  I was pleasantly surprised to see Ryan Phillipe's face looking back at me!  Ooo-la-la.

This movie is based on a true story about an FBI agent who is arrested for spying.  It was cool how they told you "this guy is arrested for being a spy" in the first scene of the movie.  Then the rest of the movie is leading up to his arrest.  Turns out they were trying to arrest him FOREVER, and young Ryan Phillipe (not even a true FBI "agent" yet) seals the deal.  Even though I knew he was going to be arrested, it was still suspensful!  Bravo Breach!

And, it had my favorite part of all "based on a true story" movies - the ending that tells us where they are now!  I just love good closure.

While this was not the most suspensful movie, or action packed movie, I would still recommend it.  Especially if you like a good old Washington DC movie.

Into the Wild

Who: Bill and Melanie
What: Into the Wild
Where: DVD
Why: We were told this movie was “inspiring”. It isn’t.

SPOILER ALERT-- DON’T READ IF YOU DON’T WANT TO KNOW HOW IT ENDS.

The good news: Into the Wild features an all-star cast including Emile Hirsch, Vince Vaughn, Marcia Gay Harden, William Hurt and Hal Holbrook.

The bad news: Into the Wild is a seriously depressing movie which was produced, directed and co-written for the screen by Sean Penn, who used to be semi-talented before he decided to force his unsolicited political opinions on everyone.

Here is the basic plot: Christopher McCandless (played by Hirsch) becomes disillusioned with his family and society. He hikes deep into the Alaskan wilderness where he eventually dies alone. The end.


Okay, there is more substance to the movie. He meets interesting people along his journey, he actually enjoys abandoning his comfortable past and all the while plots a future move to become a world-champion Speed Racer… okay, maybe not that last part.

It doesn’t matter if many critics loved Into the Wild. We hated it.

De- Lovely

Who: Monica
What: De-Lovely
Where: At Home
Why: B/C it was $2 at a movie sale and I saw it once and liked it.

Kevin Kline and Ashley Judd tell the story of composer Cole Porter. He wrote many songs & musicals in the 1920's, including "Kiss Me Kate" and "I've Got You, Under My Skin". He was rather eccentric and came from a wealthy family. He was married for 35 years to a lovely lady named Linda, whom he adored. They were more best friends than anything though, she was totally in love with him and he loved her. She knew going into their marriage that he was bisexual and he wasn't giving up his lifestyle on the side.

Natalie Cole, Elvis Costello, Sheryl Crow and Alanis Morissette among others perform in this movie. It has great music, but wont rate anywhere up there in the list of favorite musicals. I enjoy the story and love Ashley Judd, but this is one I'll trade in for movie credit and buy another one.

Cinderella Man: The James J Braddock Story

Who: Monica & Andy
What: Cinderella Man: The James J. Braddock Story
Where: At Home
Why: B/C it was only $2 at a sale and Andy likes this boxer's story.

This is NOT the movie with Renee Z. in it, this is an actual biography kind of story. It still has actors in it, but it's more of a factual account of the story and the "characters" giving little interviews about what was going on all through the story of their lives. If you enjoyed the movie and enjoy biographies, this was well worth 45 minutes of your time. I'm guessing you wont see it out and about though anyway.

It also has 3 or 4 of the actual boxing matches on it, pretty neat.

My Kid Could Paint That

Who: Monica
What: My Kid Could Paint That - Documentary
Where: My House
Why: B/C I was interested AND it was $1 @ Hollywood Video Sale

This was a documentary I'd heard about a year or so ago. Since I work with kids, I was interested in seeing what all the buzz was about. When I found it for $1, I couldn't go wrong. I enjoy documentaries anyway.

Marla is (was at the time) a 4 year old little girl who loved to paint. Her Dad dabbled in painting himself and at an early age Marla was given her own canvas, brushes and paint. She loved to paint and did it all the time. Her paintings were abstract, full of vibrant color and really quite beautiful. A friend hung her painting in their coffee shop where it created a buzz and eventually sold for a couple hundred bucks. One thing led to another, paintings sold, a newspaper article was written and then this 4 year old little girl had her own showing in an art gallery.

Then the media got involved and the controversy began. 60 minutes did a story on her and it was all downhill. There was rumor that her Dad either did, polished or directed her painting. The camera crew had footage of her Dad getting frustrated with her painting and she never was filmed doing an actual painting beginning to end. Was it all a hoax and were these people making money on a lie?

Then someone decided to do this documentary about it all, they practically moved in with the family. The more the story gets involved, it's more a story about a story of what happened. More so than the story of a 4 year old little girl painting. Then there is the whole thing about who can really judge or place a value on abstract art? Is it all relative? Very interesting discussions.

Anyway, if you have an hour and a half to enjoy a documentary this is a good one. The little girl is adorable and all that happened is kind of crazy. I enjoyed it and am glad I watched. I'm still not sure if I think she did all the paintings on her own or not and the documentary leaves you to draw your own conclusion.

300

Who: Alina
What: 300
Where: Movie Theatre when it first came out and now on cable
Why: Bill wanted to see it

I wasn't all that interested in seeing this movie. I knew the history and true to most movies based on mythology and those times it didn't really ring true to the actual story. Nevertheless, Bill wanted to see it and I obliged.

Was I wrong! It was a great movie! I like the way the movie looked with the colors and muted backgrounds. The war scenes are great, the story and liberties they took with it was great, the acting and visual effects were awesome! It's basically a period war movie so there was a lot of violence and a LOT OF BLOOD. It was gruesome and gory at times but it all goes with the "no guts, no glory" theme. *Bonus for the girls-300 hundred ripped guys with abs and pecs for days in red briefs and capes all marching down toward you. Yeah, that was the best and worth the movie theatre price alone!*

The Greatest Game Ever Played

Who: Amber & Jonathan
What: The Greatest Game Ever Played
Where: at home - recorded off cable about 8 months ago
Why: Jonathan picked it out

I really, really enjoyed this movie, and I wasn't expecting to at all. Even thought it was almost 2 hours worth of golf (Zzzzzzz right?) the way the movie was edited made each golf game fly by. Basically it was one giant montage of drives and puts, which was fine by me.

I was actually nervous at the end. "Is the kid going to win?!?" Even though, if the kid didn't win, it wouldn't get "the greatest game ever played".

And in true "true story" fashion, they had some paragraphs after the movie to talk about what happened to the characters for the rest of their lives. I love when movie do that!