magicalmouse Reviews

Paddington 2 (2017)

Gee I loved this character growing up and guess I still do

[9/10 · 9 October 2019]

I was 8 when I first met Paddington Bear. It was back in the 1960s in a book from the library. I followed his adventures until it wasn't cool anymore (ah the teenage years) When the first movie came out in 2015, I thought what the heck so I went to a matinee and fell in love all over again. I couldn't wait for Vol 2 to hit the theaters. I was not disappointed. It is sweet, charming, funny and has a good story. It makes you long to have a bear show up on your doorstep so that you could have an adventure. or at least have an Aunt Lucy that you could visit in darkest Peru. Hopefully there will be a volume 3 and it will be just as good. I certainly recommend this film to the young and the young at heart, you won't be disappointed. And the musical number at the end is worth the price of admission !

New Amsterdam (2018–2023)

I do like it .. I think

[6/10 · 16 March 2019]

I have an odd relationship with this show. I binge watch it 2-3 episodes at a time, and yet I am not sure if I really like it. It is certainly different from other medical shows. Not the running and yelling and things blowing up in the ER etc.. I like most of the characters, but I am wondering if the plot lines can be sustained, or will the writers get stuck in a corner with some of the threads. I will say that that the staff seems to have normal lives with just some ups and downs but NO ONE (thank goodness is a drama queen) The viewers are also treated more like intelligent people. I guess maybe by the second season I will discover if I really like it !

The House with a Clock in Its Walls (2018)

I liked this film a great deal

[7/10 · 14 October 2018]

I see criticism that the child actor playing the lead couldn't act. I found him charming and I think his style fit what was needed for the character. I liked the plot - did a see a couple of holes - yep but they really didn't matter. My husband and I went on a Saturday afternoon. I listened to others in theatre. They enjoyed it enough that there was clapping at the end. I think the sets were great they certainly invoked a mood and and time period. The chair and the griffin are priceless. Had a good amount of suspense and tension. After this I am planning to read the book. Oh and the performances of Jack Black and Cate Blanchett were good as well. I keep finding that the roles that Mr Black chooses are underrated. he deserves more attention.

Murder Without Conviction (2004 TV Movie)

Pleasantly surprised !

[6/10 · 6 August 2005]

Surfing the channels on a Saturday afternoon and the title caught my eye, thought okay I will give it a shot and I was pleasantly surprised, Not a blood and guts type of mystery but one that required a bit of thinking. I liked the premise of the two savant twin brothers that were only truly one whole person when they were together. The main character, played by Megan Ward is very likable and Patty Duke had a nice turn as a iron fist in a velvet glove Mother Superior. I figured it out long before the last half hour came up but that's okay it was still a fun trip getting there. Not familiar with the book this was based on, but it might be worth checking out of the library, just to compare.

The Thin Blue Line (1995–1996)

This is a gem of a series !

[9/10 · 12 June 2005]

I just got the series from Netflix after reading about it in one of my Brit-com books. I was sorry when the two discs were done. It is laugh out loud funny. Atkinson as Fowler is right on form and the rest of the ensemble cast matches him. Haig as Grimm is amazing he never falters even in his most tongue twisting lines ! Constable Goody is amazing the facial expressions alone are worth the rental cost. If you love Brit-coms this is a must see ! This is also one where you don't want to miss a word of the dialog. Sharp and witty. I noticed that in almost each episode there appear to be two- three distinct plot lines and how they do it is a mystery but everything comes together and is shown to be interconnected by the final fade out.

Hotel Rwanda (2004)

Who says you have to see the violence to feel its power ?

[10/10 · 6 February 2005]

I had wanted to see this film from the moment I saw a snippet about it on BBC America. It was so powerful. It is difficult to talk about a film like this and use terms like what a great movie etc.. since it is about such a horrific event and a movie is a form of entertainment. I was caught up in the film right from the start, Don Cheadle made this role his own, every scene that he was in showed another angle another side of a man torn by so many things from what he knew to be right to what he knew in order to survive. It was his eyes that riveted me, each and every thought that he had as Paul was mirrored there - he was a man torn between so many things whether to just concern himself with his family or include his neighbors or the plight of strangers as well. I was so impressed also with the way he carried himself with such quiet dignity even while you knew that inside he must have been seething. He moved with such grace like a ballet dancer, even his fingers as they moved carried expression. I have always liked Mr. Cheadle in movies from his crazy turn in Devil in a Blue Dress to his great Brit part in Ocean's 11 and 12 but here he showed that he is by no means a lightweight. I can only hope that he has the opportunity to bring more of this talent to the screen. The rest of the cast was also superb, poor Nick Nolte always so powerful and breaking the rules and yet here unable to be a total rebel. You won't be disappointed with this film but you may walk out wondering how you could have helped, I know I did.

Being Julia (2004)

Disappointing to say the least

[6/10 · 5 February 2005]

I went to this film with high expectations only to be greatly disappointed. I think that if Ms.Bening had laughed one more time in that inane and coquettish manner I think I would have screamed. I think the cast was excellent and the sense of time and place was captivating but I really do think that she was the wrong actress for the part. Now Jeremy Irons on the other hand is always a pleasure to see on screen. The real winner in the cast had to be Juliet Stevenson with her sly remarks and knowing looks, I wish she had been on screen much much more. All in all not a total waste of my movie dollars but I had hoped for more. And Ah yes there were echos of All About Eve but alas this film isn't in that class.

The Yellow Cab Man (1950)

One of his best

[9/10 · 2 May 2004]

I think that so many people only think of Red Skelton from TV and I think they forget that he did movies and in fact very funny movies. I scrounged around until I could find most of them on VHS but now I long for a good DVD set. The Yellow Cab Man has got to be my favorite, I laugh so hard at parts of it that I have to actually pause the film so that I can catch my breath. I usually don't care that much for physical comedy but he and Danny Kaye seem to be the masters of the art and their movies have me rolling on the floor every time. The plot in here is really not that great but it is just what is done with a simple idea -A nice guy that is totally accident prone trying to be a cab driver and show his new invention. Just wind Red up and let him loose.

The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)

It was the best when I saw it at 5 and still the best !

[10/10 · 2 May 2004]

I saw this movie first about 40 years ago when I was 5 or 6 and all I could think of was how much fun it would be to head off to Sherwood Forest to be a Merry Man -being a girl and living in America put that right out of the realm of possibility ! But I have loved the film and Errol Flynn ever since. Just traded in my VHS for the 2 disc DVD and all I can say is WOW -- The color is so rich and bright, the extras are outstanding which includes trailers, cartoons, and an excellent documentary on the history of the Technicolor process. The plot and Errol Flynn are still simply the best. I wonder if Monster.com has any listings for Merry Men jobs -- now with equal opportunity I could apply.

Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003)

Haunting and a Treat for the Eye !

[9/10 · 1 February 2004]

I enjoyed this film a great deal, having first heard of the book in an NPR interview I was delighted to discover that it was made into a film. The cast is excellent, the story never lags and the cinematography is outstanding. The story itself is haunting and it raises as many questions about the mysterious girl in the picture as it manages to answer so after the closing credits the viewer is left with much to think about and discuss.

Callahan (1982 TV Movie)

I found this gem by accident and loved it !

[7/10 · 1 January 2004]

I remember flipping through the channels on a summer evening in the early 1980s when this came on, it was hilarious and I have no idea why they never made it into a series. I only hope that one of the cable networks like Trio will find it and dust it off. Jamie Lee Curtis was great as the woman only looking for a secretarial job that gets dragged into this Indiana Jones type adventure.

The Wild Thornberrys (2002)

Loved it - takes the TV show one step further

[8/10 · 23 December 2002]

As an adult fan of the Wild Thornberrys TV show I was very happy to see the film. I was delighted by the fact that movie kept the feel of the TV show while letting us see a little more than we were accustomed to in a half hour. I am amazed though at how many professional critics have reviewed this movie without knowing much background -- to set the record straight Eliza is an American - only her father and paternal grandparents are British - Her mother and maternal grandparents (we know them from the TV show) are American so if Debbie talks like an American teenager that is because she is. Darwin had me laughing out loud -- I hope that there will be more films or at least more new episodes of the show - and thankfully Donnie was kept to a minimum !