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The Valley of Light (2006)
A chance meeting is really a divine appointment
After watching this movie, one can understand why it's in the Hallmark Hall of Fame. Noah (Chris Klein) returns home after seeing combat in WWII. He finds out that his home has been sold, his parents had died and his younger brother, Travis has been jailed for robbery. Initially, it appears that Noah who has a passion and uncanny ability to catch fish was looking for a place where he can belong. During his journey, he befriends a boy named Matthew (Zach Mills) whose mother had died and abandoned by his father. Matthew who is mute is being raised by his grandparents, Howard (Jay O. Sanders) and Ada (Betty Moyer). Noah also meets Eleanor, a widow whose husband had also fought in the war. What appears to be a chance meeting is really a divine appointment. Eleanor is a lonely widow looking for love but trusting that God would guide her to the right man. Matthew is a boy who longs to have a father figure in his life! After a while, one wonders is Noah looking for a place to belong or is he running away from grief? The pain that he couldn't save his army buddies! These words by Eleanor could sum up the movie; "I don't why this world has to shatter in pieces?"... "All of us we're hoping for a sign aren't we? A sign that we have a purpose. That we're being guided towards it." These words of Noah could describe his deep love for Eleanor: "If I trusted even for a moment in those signs you believe in.... I would've try to be one for you."
6 Guns (2010)
6 Guns was a riveting account of frontier life
I was fortunate to find this movie while watching Pluto-TV (Westerns). The storyline may not be original (widow wanting revenge for the murder of her husband and sons) but there were enough nuances to make this movie refreshing and entertaining. The acting by the lead characters was excellent. Not all the 'good people' were entirely good and not all the 'bad people' were entirely bad. I think Selina (Sage Mears) was outstanding in her role as the young wife and mother to widow and town drunk to heroine. At times, my heart goes out to Selina! Frank Allison (Barry Van Dyke) played a good, strong silent-type bounty hunter. Sheriff Barr (Greg Evigan) portrayed a meek and weak lawman! There was enough misdirection to make this Western less predictable. Overall, I enjoyed this Western. You may find yourself saying, 'No no no, it can't end this way!' And you may find yourself saying, 'That's the way it should be!'
Diagnosis Murder: Blood Ties (1999)
A Refreshing Episode
This was an enjoyable and refreshing episode. It wasn't your typical DM episode where Dr Mark Sloan does most of the detective work. However, he did see a common thread to what appears to be unrelated killings. Amy Devlin (Kathy Evison) and Taylor Lucas (Zoe McLellan) were funny and likable. I loved their bantering. Too bad the spin-off 'Whistlers' wasn't picked up.
Little House on the Prairie: Sylvia (Part One) (1981)
One of the most dark and depressing episodes of LHOTP
This was one of the most dark and depressing episodes of LHOTP. I was surprised to find out this episode was written by Michael Landon! There were a few rays of sunshine in this episode. They were the love between Albert and Sylvia. Albert defending Sylvia from the other boys' teasing. Sylvia laughing while learning to fish and catching all the fish with Albert teaching her and he catches nothing. However, even Sylvia's few moments of happiness were dampen by the fact that her stalker was watching her at a distance ready to strike when she's alone! Her father was mean to her and blamed her for being a victim! This episode was so dark from beginning to end! On a good note, the acting by the young teens Matthew Labyorteaux (Albert) and Olivia Barash (Sylvia) was superb and worthy of an award!
Death Valley Days: Claim Jumpin' Jennie (1953)
A Relevant Episode
The idea of a single parent sending her only daughter to a prestigious university to better her life and social status is relevant not only in the
1800's but also today! Jennie (Irene Barton) is a widow barely eking out a living mining on a land claim. About 7 years ago, she decided to send her daughter Linda (Karen Sharpe) to a prestigious school back east for an education and improving her social status. Jennie works hard mining her claim. What little she earns, she sends it to pay for tuition and room and board for her daughter. They would correspond with one another using the US Postal Service (snail mail). In the process, Jennie started to tell her daughter that she was a wealthy mine owner because she didn't want her daughter to feel badly that they were poor and that her daughter was 'every bit as good as her friends'. Linda decides to make a surprise visit to her mother. While traveling by stage coach, Linda meets John Flemming (Robert Cunningham) who falls in love of her. In the meantime, Jennie is in dispute over a claim with her neighbor. John is traveling to that town to buy some claims. He is interested in the claim that
Jennie is in dispute with. When Linda meets her mother, she was astonished to see her mother living in such dire condition! Jennie realizes that her daughter is ashamed of her and tells her daughter that while her daughter is there, they won't tell anyone that she's her mother!
A Matter of Faith (2014)
Better Than Expected
"A Matter of Faith" is entertaining and captivating. The movie starts out with Rachel (Jordan Trovillon), at about 10 years old, playing at a lake with her father Stephen (Jay Pickett). She finds a 50 cent piece. While she is picking up the coin, a boy comes over and takes the coin away from her! About 8 years later, Rachel graduates from High School and she's off to college. She chose this particular public college over a Christian college, because of the Biology Department's academics reputation. Her roommate Ally (Stephanie Shemanski) is nice, and they both hit it off. Ally introduces Rachel to her friends, and they all appear to be free-spirited and fun-loving people to her.
***SPOILER*** In her biology class, she is captivated by Professor Kaman's (Harry Anderson) charisma and likable personality. Rachel struggles to find time to study in the dorm, because Ally keeps inviting her to parties. She begins to study frequently in the college library where she meets Evan (Chandler Macocha) who works in the school news dept. Rachel soon strays away from her Christian faith which includes praying, reading her Bible and attending church.
Her friends and Professor Kaman have pushed God out of Rachel's life. Rachel's father, Stephen realizes this, and he and Rachel's mother, Kimberly (Sarab Kamoo) pay a visit to Rachel at the college campus. While Kimberly is visiting Rachel in her dorm, Stephen is visiting Professor Kaman in his office. Both men are initially respectful, but the tone changes when Professor Kaman realizes that Stephen is a Christian. All Stephen wants to do is ask Kaman to consider other views of the world's existence, other than evolution. Professor Kaman then challenges Stephen to an upcoming debate. The topic would be Evolution vs. Creation.
Stephen initially declines because he feels inadequate, but later feels he is forced into accepting when Professor Kaman asks if he is afraid to defend his faith? Rachel pleas with her father not to do the debate because it would embarrass her in front of her friends and classmates. Just when Stephen thinks everyone in that college is against him, he finds help from Evan who is a Christian. Evan tells Stephen there is a former biology professor, a professor Portland (Clarence Gilyard Jr.) who used to teach at the college, and he may be able to help him prepare for the debate of his life! ***END SPOILER*** "A Matter of Faith" is not as predictable as one thinks. There are enough twists and turns in the movie to make it unpredictable. When it comes down to it. Whether one believes in evolution or creation, it is really a matter of faith! I just find creation more believable!
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Imaginary Friend (1992)
Imaginary Friend - Real Perspectives
I was quite surprised to read the low ratings for this episode. I thought the plot was good and so was the acting. Some scenes were predictable but if you watch a TV series for a few years, you're usually able to do that. While watching this episode I found myself wondering have I grown up to the point where I have forgotten how children can view adults and our adult rules. I find it amusing that the alien energy force decided to take the form of a little girl (Isabella) and although she has the power to become invisible, tamper with the starship's navigation and control systems, she still did not understand human adult behavior. I think there are big lessons here. One can be intelligent but not sophisticated. One can be skilled technically but still lack maturity. Another lesson is, humans are complex. We can not rightly judge a person by merely watching them. We need to interact with them. We need to pay more attention to our children. Oftentimes, they are telling us the truth. Lastly, wherever we're at (be it on earth or inside a starship in a nebula), we need friends.
Gunsmoke: Matt's Love Story (1973)
A true love story for Valentine's Day
While Matt Dillon is trailing a killer named Favorite, played by Victor French who shot a gambler back in Dodge, Matt gets bushwhacked by him and suffers from amnesia due to a glancing shot to the head. Matt gets found and nursed back to health by young widow Miss Mike, played by Michael Learned. Favorite then gets hired by Starcourt, a land-grabbing rancher to murder the widow. When Favorite meets up with Miss Mike and Matt, he is treated kindly by Miss Mike and has a change of heart. You have to admire widow Mike's spunk and grit. At first she tries to resist her attraction for Matt but later gives in. When told by Favorite about Matt's true identity, she had to choose between telling Matt or not. She knows if she tells Matt who he really is, she may lose him forever. Matt would be bound by duty to go after Favorite and the landowner. At best, Matt would return back to Dodge and at worse, he would be killed. Either way, Miss Mike would lose Matt forever if she tells him his true identity. This episode is full of irony and is a tear-jerker.