dial911book Reviews

Queen to Play (2009)

Very much enjoyed this very French movie!

[8/10 · 14 February 2023]

Several reviewers who rated this movie at 8 to 10 stars here have expressed what I thought about the movie, and I salute their observations and clarity.

Watching French films is a solitary pleasure in my household, I'm the only one, so only rarely do I get to see one, subtitles and all. This was a fun one, especially for chess players like me.

I recall Amelie, Red, White, Blue, and a few others. One thing seems consistent: French movies describe struggle but almost never resolution. Joueuse ends unresolved, right? What finally happens? You get to wonder. But that's fun, too!

Especially enjoyable is sampling the way the people live. She lives in a small apartment; she rides a bicycle downhill to work. Amenities are few; even the luxuries in the homes are basic, traditional.

I was guessing the setting was Corsica because the characters refer to going to the "mainlaind." The film definitely transports you to a different world from suburban U. S.

Kevin Kline is just a superb actor, you wouldn't know he isn't French. Sandrine Bonnaire so wonderfully embodies Helene. As some other reviewers noticed -- the facial expressions of these two characters and others (the husband and daughter, for examples) are so marvelously nuanced. When you're relying upon subtitles, the facial expressions and body language convey the overtones and subtleties that the words on the screen just can't.

Enjoy this film! I'm going to watch it again!

Pumpkin Everything (2022 TV Movie)

My Mom = Grandpa - great Hallmark quality

[10/10 · 11 October 2022]

Wife and I simply enjoyed this movie, a good ole fashioned Hallmark presentation! Turns out the main story line is immediately relevant to us - my Mom and Father in Law are just like Grandpa in the story. Seriously!

To us, all the actors turned in genuine believable performances - a credit to them and the director - story line is a simple pleasure. Lovely scenery, camera work and editing. Music was an unexpected bonus, too, in its variety. Would watch again.

Some reviews here criticize it as featuring too many people smiling. Dang, folks - don't we have enough misery and pain in the world? Can't we just escape for a couple hours to a happier place with decent people?

Thank you, Hallmark, for a very nice uplifting interlude!

12 Days with God (2019)

Beautiful Story - Great Acting - Messages for us all

[9/10 · 25 August 2022]

Just watched this movie on Pure Flix. Based on a true story. Has a surprise ending. It's perfectly fine for kids 12 and up. Has a conflicted faith theme. Don't be afraid to watch, despite the apparent subject matter - nothing will make you squeamish. Solid acting and directing - beautifully filmed. You'll learn something - I did!

Strange that IMDB does not credit the lead character first: Devin Sherman is played by Tyrone Jackson, who delivers a powerful character at once strong, angry, sometimes violent, yet thoughtful, caring, and resilient. A tour de force for TiZak, revealing his range, depth, and genuineness.

Clare Lopez's chemistry with Tyrone Jackson creates "the couple" that perseveres together - totally works from their first appearance on screen to the final moments. A lesser actress might let this role drift in secondary focus, but Clare brings it out in three full dimensions, and you come to really love her.

A wholesome thoughtful story - would recommend to anyone who likes the serious style of challenges faced, lessons learned, and exploring the reasons for steadfast faith.

The 3 (2019)

Today This Move Changed My Life

[10/10 · 15 February 2021]

Next week I'll learn if I have prostate cancer. The numbers are going up, I'm in the age range. The MRI will tell more.

I saw this movie today on PureFlix. It was a little hard to watch, owing to its painful subject. Darryl Worley's performance as the abjectly heartbroken dad puts you right where it would feel like to be him. Jessica Bell is convincing as the devastated mom. Kate Kilcoyne is winning in her dual roles (see the movie). And the incomparable Jefferson Moore is the most sincere and captivating spiritual being I've ever seen (he stars in other great movies and shows, e.g., The Perfect Stranger).

The 3 is written well, directed well, filmed well, delivered in a simple almost Spartan setting like a stage play.

I won't spoil the movie by sharing details -- but after the movie, I am not in the least afraid of what may be a death sentence next week. In the last 10 minutes of The 3, it became so obvious to me what my next moves will be. Sharing the amazing good news of Christ with family, friends, and new people. Getting the book Imagine Heaven (by John Burke) into as many hands as possible. Put my finances in order to support my wife, set aside some extra for our special needs grandson, fund my will to support our church and a couple of amazing apologetics ministries. Look for ways to do good things for people. Make the last months or years count -- planning for a long retirement will be out of the question.

Watch the movie -- see the last 10 minutes -- and you'll know what I'm going to do.

The Stranger: Thomas (2007) Season 1, Episode 5

Jefferson and Tom Both Shine in this Gritty Dialogue Drama

[10/10 · 20 October 2020]

Today I saw this episode for the first time, on Pure Flix. I have become a major fan of Jefferson Moore's work -- this episode is like everything I have seen him write, act, or perform in, to date. I'll review the whole series when finished, but I just wanted to shout out how impressed, indeed moved, I was with this episode.

The dialogue is crisp, clean, clear -- like much of Jefferson's work, every word counts, none are lost, none are mumbled -- reminds me of classic radio dramas of the 1930s through 1950s. In 30 minutes, sometimes just 15 minutes, those radio shows had to grab and hold your attention while moving the plot, characterizations, and meanings forward to an important ending.

Jefferson Moore's programs are like the Twilight Zone without the dark edge. Simple sets and settings, putting you right where he wants you, like in a top notch stage play. Also, I liked how there are shots from outside in the dark city, or of the lighted building at midnight, to give more texture to the screenplay that is otherwise tightly wound up in the dialogue.

This episode especially impressed me because the radio broadcast and radio station details were covered correctly. Most shows that feature a radio host as a main character just don't get the radio part right. Frasier, a wonderful show, completely blows the radio part. We don't mind, we're enjoying. But in this "Thomas" episode, they have all elements, and include shots of radio dials and lights and displays to put you right there. I love that stuff anyway, but the way the radio program flows, the interaction with the producer / board guy, it is how radio was back in the day.

Tom Luce delivered a stirring performance as the radio talk host -- some of the best acting I've seen for a pivotal "antagonist" role. A shout back to the best of Twilight Zone style, just loved it. In just a few seconds you understand his character and, like him or not, you grasp where he is coming from. Perfect voice work for a radio show -- notice he does his own promo loops, you hear them in the intro and outro parts of the radio show.

I won't spoil the end -- but it choked me up. I wish I could tell that to Jefferson and Tom personally. And the message is 100% clear.

(Not that anyone cares, but this is my first review of anything by Jefferson Moore. What has taken me so long? I'll post more, I just love his work.)

A Path in Time (2005 Video)

Fun Sci Fi Excursion with a Christian Underlying Theme

[8/10 · 13 October 2020]

Sometimes reviews are helpful, of course, but any review that tells me to NOT watch something betrays the agenda of the reviewer. I might give an atheist movie like Religulous a 1 (or not), I wouldn't tell you not to watch it.

The story line of A Path in Time was pretty easy to follow actually, if you watch any sci fi at all. The special effects and music were just fine for this kind of movie as well. The script needed a "doctor" and I'm guessing the author didn't want to spend the time or might have felt offended by the feedback. Had the script been upshifted in pacing a notch and revised to use more common phrasing, and had some of the actors either been selected differently or pushed to greater potential, the whole presentation would have carried the sense of urgency and excitement that the story deserved.

I thought Jason Mitchell, Claire Thomas, and the fellow who played the father were especially convincing and likeable.

Whatever the "coulda been betters" we might identify, I nevertheless found the story captivating and I watched it all in one sitting, wanting to know what is going to happen next.

I used to feel uncomfortable watching "Christian" movies, somehow resisting the references to God, Christ, the Bible. As an agnostic and later a new Christian, I sometimes felt like the thoughts and feelings the Christian characters exhibited were not something that was either real or would resonate with me.

Now a Christian over 36 years, I can report: the thoughts, feelings, and conversations of many "Christian" characters in such movies reflect what really happens in our minds and lives. We actually take scriptural words seriously and discuss them. So I actually identify with the characters and what they are feeling and saying. I understand the "doubters" in such stories as well.

It's funny how some reviewers think they are attacking a movie, with eyes rolling and condescension, by calling it "Christian." Somehow they think it is trite or childish or proselytizing when a Bible is used or read by a character, for example. Then I think of a movie like Hobo with a Shotgun, or any of the grisly Saw movies, etc., and I wonder if these same "enlightened" reviewers realize that portraying torture, destruction and death is itself actually proselytizing for the worst possible human behavior.

I'd watch A Path in Time or darn near any faith-based or Christian movie 100 times before I'd watch any movie like Saw for more than 15 minutes into its horror show. You choose what you put in your mind and call entertainment.

77 Chances (2015)

Love This Movie - And It Plays a Scene Right From My Own Childhood

[10/10 · 13 October 2020]

Not a super spoiler, but still wanted to give fair warning.

I really like this movie on many levels. The story line is a little like Groundhog Day, but nicely the characters address that in their dialogue, which makes it totally not a knock-off.

I love the simplicity in the scenes, props, décor - like a stage play, simplicity in those things allows for the mood to be set while the focus is upon the characters' movements and dialogue. The actors shined in their roles, I wish I could tell them that personally. The writing is crisp, meaningful, fun, and the directing assembled a solid performance. Camera work and editing were top notch.

I listen to the music in movies, and the compositions for 77 Chances are great music in their own right, but especially they dovetailed wonderfully with the storyline and screenplay. Shazam did not find the tunes, but fortunately they are credited. Congrats to the composers and musicians involved!

One thing that worked really well - and it depended heavily upon the script, director, and actors to deliver - was how characters Jason and Mac interplayed on the various repeated days when Jason missed the mark with connecting with Mac. In Groundhog Day, the two characters rather "overplayed" the miscue moments - that's part of what made the movie humorous. By contrast in 77 Chances, the miscues were more realistic, more serious, and, frankly, I found them emotionally much deeper.

Here's the quasi spoiler: I had nearly the identical experience with my father, almost word for word, when learning to ride a bicycle in 1962 (yes, they existed then 😊) Just like Jason describes in the last quarter of the movie - my Dad took off my training wheels and he walked or jogged next to me, holding my bicycle so I could ride. If he let go, I fell over - just like Jason describes. But Jason decided to trust his father who said if he put his mind to it and believed, he could do it, and in that way be able to ride the bike alone. My experience: the next morning after my Dad ran himself ragged with me around the block ... I went to my bike, got on it, and said aloud to myself "Daddy's holding me" over and over as I pushed off and pedaled. I trusted the belief ... and rode the bike alone for the first time, all around the block! To this day, I credit that experience as my first clear moment of Faith, i.e., putting my mind into a place that I trusted what the father said and relied upon him even though I could not see him.

It was 1 in the morning when I found this movie, I recently got PureFlix and was looking for something uplifting after a long day. Totally astounded to find a screenplay that featured a scene from my own life!

Vindication (2019– )

Absolutely Captivated - Truly Escape Into a Seriously Real World

[10/10 · 9 October 2020]

Recently got PureFlix - the series name "Vindication" and the vagueness of the advertised story line got my attention. From the first minute of Season 1, Episode 1, I've been captivated. I've read the other 10-star reviews here, and they see the same qualities that I do, so I don't want to duplicate them.

I've seen most of Season 1, and find Vindication realistically and crisply written, with methodical pacing that is a nice break from the pressure of fast and furious police and detective shows. I particularly like how the personal and family stories underlying the detective's work, and underlying the events in the lives of others with whom he deals, are weaved together seamlessly.

The sets are simple, even spartan - which is fine with me, as that is more like a stage play where the focus is upon the people, the story, the human experiences. Camera angles and shots are tasteful and add meaning - the cinematography isn't like the shows where the camera is always moving around, a feature that can be distracting. Music is added perfectly, perhaps sparingly, as accents and mood setting rather than as a commanding part of the show.

Some of the situations, difficult conversations, and stressful moments are familiar to me - and Vindication reflects them fairly and true to life. There are instances involving how Christians deal with things, speak, and make decisions - I've seen nearly the same sorts of things with Christians in my world (I'm one, too.) No caricatures here. And some characters like the detective are still "not sure" about God and Christianity - I was one of those previously - and they are presented fairly and accurately.

I am really impressed with the acting (and of course also the directing that brings it out) - the repeating characters do things, say things, and experience emotions that come across as quite genuine. Each episode features situations that can happen in real life, with real people dealing with them and addressing thoughtful issues as they arise. I wish I could personally congratulate Todd Terry, Peggy Schott, Venus Monique, and Emma Elle Roberts for their memorable performances, often with close up cameras that would not forgive anything less than actors' precision. The other great actors do a terrific job to make the episodes powerful as well.

Like the other 10-star reviewers here, I would binge watch, so I can hardly hold myself to one episode a day, because I know there are not that many - and I do hope the series is continued as long as the writers, actors, and directors can make it happen.

You (2018–2024)

Fascinating Like Watching a Fatal Car Crash

[5/10 · 14 January 2020]

Another reviewer titled the review: "Terrible people doing terrible things to each other non-stop for 10 episodes." That's exactly how I felt about the series. Sure, it is captivating, I watched the entire first season. Okay, I won't give it away, no actual spoilers. The 21st Century Noir look and feel, along with the 21st Century technology at everyone's disposal, makes it interesting to see what the writers came up with. The acting is splendid, truly splendid.

But the story line - Ugh. Conditioned by a half century of movie watching, I always tend to want to root for the main character, or at least sympathize with him or her. Not here. In the first episode I was already disliking and distrusting him, and the people around him weren't much better. As the series pressed forward, I started to see. The lead character is a blatant narcissist in a dark and glittery-grungy world. He isn't a romantic, he's a calculating, self-absorbed, and literally self-gratifying, everyday monster. And he gets involved with terribly flawed people who are more or less narcissistic themselves. Connivers, manipulators, and space cadets. They all seem to have enough money and free time to waste life and cause pain daily.

At the end of the season 1, I hoped the main character would be killed. Alas, there is no justice in the world of You.

No Greater Love (2010)

Actually Quite Realistic

[10/10 · 14 January 2020]

I recorded this movie probably a year ago on TCT Network, the title and story synopsis got my attention, finally got a chance to watch it undistracted. Wife and I watch a lot of Hallmark movies; No Greater Love resembles a Hallmark movie except it is more serious. The acting is as good as any movie of this kind, actually I found it quite compelling. The photography is clean, clear and attractive, the pacing of the story is steady and kept my interest. And the music selections from West Coast Revival, Downhere, and especially the divine Michelle Tumes, perfectly punctuate the story.

Seeing other reviewers comment on how the storyline is Christian, as though that were a bad thing - I wanted to share something about that. I'm a former atheist/agnostic, and so I remain sensitive to groan worthy or preachy scripts. This movie is quite good, actually, no reason to wince. As a professional person who came to Christianity as an adult, I want to confirm that the script of No Greater Love is extremely realistic. Not corny or overdramatic or clicheed. The plot line is certainly unusual, that makes it entertaining, you want to see how it all turns out. You care about the characters. But the conversations, the people's thoughts and reactions, all of these are what I've seen in my life journey.

I mean exactly what I'm writing here; I've lived or seen these kinds of things. The kinds of conversations you might have with a pastor, or a close friend, or a Christian relative when you're not Christian - all of these do take place and this movie presents them unvarnished. Similarly the marital conflicts, the pain of loss (in several ways in the movie), the awkwardness of recontacting - all of these came through clearly as intensely real. The kinds of feelings people have when they are long time Christians, relatively new Christians, or thinking about becoming a Christian - the script sets them up, and these actors wonderfully conveyed those feelings as real people.

It's a very thoughtful movie. I congratulate everybody involved in making it, and I encourage people to watch it. Actually, watch it alone, as I did. You'll get into the story and think more about it.

A Blue Ridge Mountain Christmas (2019 TV Movie)

Visually Beautiful !

[8/10 · 10 November 2019]

From the very beginning I noticed how visually lovely are the sets, scenery, decorations, even the outfits people are wearing. The women's hair and makeup are perfect.

The story is a little predictable in the Hallmark genre. So much beauty, care, and refinement in the cinematography made me want to watch every minute, sometimes stopping the DVR recording just marvel.

It occurs to me that the soundtrack was also crystal clear, with just the right amount of music.

Very nice show.

Heaven Sent (2016 TV Movie)

This Movie Works - Top of its Class

[9/10 · 14 January 2017]

We live in a movie age that prizes high power special effects and depicts countless criminal acts from theft to robbery to torture to murder to mass murder. So the non-vicious, non-violent movies that are made can seem tame, maybe boring.

Don't let the insanity of evil and violence fill your every entertainment moment. Try a movie that explores the human condition played out in normal lives, one that explores the spiritual dimensions, one that makes you think and laugh and cry a little, too.

Wife and I were gripped and held by this movie, start to finish. Others here have written about the plot and the strengths of the acting and directing -- and we agree with those positive reviews. Heaven Sent is a family-friendly movie that blends some levity with serious life challenges, triggering something deeper in the process.

This movie ranks at the top of movies among the Lifetime and Hallmark channel offerings, and in our view, is nearly as good a film as Family Man. We'll watch it every year from here on.

The Terrible Children (1950)

Great Example of Existentialism in Cinema

[2 January 2015]

I recently saw this movie, titled The Strange Ones in English, with English subtitles on TCM. I know a little French, and it seemed the English translations may not have captured all the nuances, but I'm not sure.

Before writing my review I wanted to see what more experienced or better informed people were saying, and I gather that most of the favorable reviewers liked the daring themes presented in stark black and white format with highly dramatic acting and artistic camera work. No doubt about it, this movie features all of those, and I did watch the whole thing because of those elements.

As with many French films I've seen over the years, this film presents an amoral view of life, i.e., there is no right or wrong, in fact in this movie there is no real consideration of right or wrong in the script or the story at all.

Minutes before my sister learned that her fiancée had been killed in a car accident, she asked me "what is existentialism?" I had a sense for the concept but I struggled to make it concrete. That awful phone call ended the conversation about literature, but I never forgot that moment. Now I know the answer, and The Strange Ones could well serve as a teaching tool in literature or philosophy classes; a person actively watching and thinking about this movie will "get" what existentialism is (in cinema anyway).

This film brilliantly presents strange people, maybe "weird people" better says it, going through unusual events in an unusual context. In existentialism nothing really has overarching meaning, so whatever happens, happens, and the results yield not so much tragedy as very dark farce.

Signed, Sealed, Delivered for Christmas (2014 TV Movie)

Extraordinarily Well Crafted - The Meaning of Christmas

[10/10 · 30 November 2014]

My wife and I saw this program when it was first aired on Hallmark a few days ago (Nov 2014). We had watched all the previous episodes of Signed, Sealed and Delivered, and had enjoyed them for their story lines as well as for the individual characters who are nicely developed and who also form an effective ensemble.

This Christmas special is almost breathtaking. I'd love to know more about the writer(s) involved and how the director and actors viewed the project also. Particularly good is how this Christmas episode provides enough background and details about the characters so that a first-time watcher of the series is not lost or bewildered.

I plan to add to this review after I watch the program again (on DVR). The actors in this series and the guest stars all deserve recognition for their work.

Right now I can say this beautifully filmed and edited show offers a lovely composition of interesting characters, dynamic and subtle relationship issues, tension and pathos, familiar cinematic devices that older viewers will recognize and all can appreciate ... and ... some clear, eloquent expressions of doubts about Christmas and then a stirring vision of the most basic true meaning of the Christmas message.

Whether the viewer is secular, Christian, or of another worldview, the overall presentation is at once intriguing, uplifting and satisfying. This two-hour program showcases the best of what the Hallmark Channel aims to offer viewers.

Love Simple (2009)

Meet these people - share their journey - arrive at love

[8/10 · 1 July 2013]

Just saw this movie on Netflix. It's an independent and relatively low budget film, and like many good "indies," Love Simple is raw, non-homogenized and intriguing.

The initial credits give that "indie" feeling immediately; yet the initial soundtrack music foreshadows unbalance, uncertainty and creative sparks by using an upbeat rock instrumental in a strange time signature you can't count. Only at the end of the movie did I fully realize the brilliance there.

(There are some other interesting elements to the music soundtrack as well – listen for them. There's a transitional music fragment played on a tired upright piano, for example, that is just perfect for the scene. Kudos to the music composer, Danny Mordujovich.)

Another reviewer here thought the acting was poor. I respectfully but totally disagree, because like many good indies this film presents an unpolished vision of real people in challenging, painful situations. "Reality" shows have "real people" and they don't act very well or at all, but that makes sense. Here in Love Simple, however, the director and the actors create the characters to communicate certain ideas and feelings in the persons of otherwise seemingly real people. The rough edges in the acting reinforce the realism while the story proceeds along its message path.

At first, the story line seemed to fall in the "things get bad to worse" genre of many indie screenplays. I enjoy the character studies in such films, but many times feel disappointed with the story line's downward spiral or, sometimes, the ultimately "same BS, different day" fatalistic outlook on life.

Love Simple, however, is not that simple. Indeed, as the film progresses, the story becomes at once clearer and more nuanced. I won't spoil it by giving it away – but this film is worth watching carefully. Some of the audio (as in many indies) is under volume or the lines are rushed, so you might stop and replay parts. It is worth hearing every line.

There is a philosophy of love in this movie that you rarely see in film. If you have read Harville Hendrix's book, Getting the Love You Want, then you'll especially recognize (at the end of the film) some deeper psychological insights. If you know the term agape love from the Christian view, then the internal struggles of the characters in Love Simple become quite dramatic.

Love is not just liking. Love is not necessarily admiring. Love does not rest upon a checklist of sellable qualities. To truly love is to desire to heal and restore another human being, and to carry on for as long as it takes.

Watch Love Simple with a thoughtful person, or the person you love, and then explore the film's story and ideas in conversation. Involve your hearts and minds. Enjoy the journey.

Man on the Flying Trapeze (1935)

Fabulously Funny -- But don't let them cut the DVD !

[9/10 · 12 January 2007]

So many reviewers have already detailed the many funny features of this seldom-seen film -- I don't want to duplicate their comments. If you liked The Bank Dick and It's a Gift, then you will like Man on the Flying Trapeze. Guaranteed.

I did buy a VHS copy of the film from moviesunlimited.com in 2006. It was a nice clear copy, but it was *cut* ! Several minutes were missing from the initial scenes that are among the funniest. (The "maternity hospital" parts, for example, were missing.) Universal has announced a WC Fields boxed set in 2007 that will include "Trapeze" as Disc 3. If you want this great film, please contact Universal and ask that they include the full, not cut, version on the DVD. The only e-mail address they have, to my knowledge, is: [e-mail]

Don't Worry, We'll Think of a Title (1966)

The Last Vaudeville Show

[2/10 · 12 January 2007]

I believe this movie represents the last gasp of vaudeville. Shot in beautifully clear black-and-white, on a set that is so obviously a set and not at all realistic, this film presents a stage on which we see the last great vaudeville act for the very last time.

It's all about slapstick physical humor where the victim is hurt only for the length of the shot. It's all about one-liners, where the straight-man responds by making an exasperated face or rolling his or her eyes.

And gimmicks stolen from other acts (e.g. Get Smart) that are familiar to the audience.

And the long pauses between action moments -- giving time for the folks in the back of the theater to realize what just happened and start laughing before the people in front have stopped laughing.

And the walk-on cameos of famous performers to keep the people interested, lest they realize that there is no plot worth caring about.

Apparently many people watched the film (based on the rash of reviews) on its single showing on TCM. Robert Osbourne did not introduce the film, which is regrettable. I really would like to have seen how he characterized this piece of work.

Fans of the The Dick Van Dyke Show (like me) may remember episode 40, "The Secret Life of Buddy and Sally" in which Morey Amsterdam's character and Rose Marie's character create and put on their own show at a club on the weekends. Well, this film is what would happen if Buddy and Sally sneaked off to make a movie on a long weekend, and Mel Cooley (Richard Deacon's character) actually produced and directed it. Vaudeville, filmed in noir, on the cheapest set money could rent.

No offense to any of the terrific veteran actors in the movie -- most of them had great roles elsewhere. But you do need a cup of strong coffee and a curious mind to enjoy what they were attempting in ... whatever its title was.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: Lowdown (2004) Season 5, Episode 20

Wow! Bethany Butler's Performance!

[9/10 · 14 September 2006]

Bethany Butler guest co-stars in this episode, and she delivers a world-class performance. You expect consistently good work from the regular stars and guest stars on this show, but I have seen this episode twice and on both occasions, Bethany Butler steals the scenes.

There is very little information about her on IMDb.

Nevertheless, she is not just a beautiful black woman. Ms. Butler gives her character a power punch that you won't forget, from her very first brief appearance to the climactic last scene. She delivers a range of emotions that are crystal clear and unforgettable.

I give the episode a 9 because the plot itself is a little bizarre and strains credulity, although it is delivered competently. I would have given it a 7, but for Ms. Butler's captivating performance. She doesn't depend upon sex appeal or stereotypes -- this is acting at its finest! Wow !

The Private Life of a Cat (1946)

Fascinating and true to life

[10/10 · 14 May 2006]

The photography in this film is fabulous. It's amazing how they got the cats to "do their thing" unselfconsciously. If you've ever tried to actively film cats, you know that they somehow figure out that you're messing with their minds, and they don't do what you hope for. These cats acted as though they were totally unaware of the camera. That is a feat unto itself! I'd recommend this to any cat lover, any animal lover, and anybody interested in nature.

Great intro to the subject of reproduction for kids. I remember watching this process when I was 10 -- never forget it -- and this is the real thing. Nothing offensive at all.

(Film can be found on-line at the Internet Archive. Apparently it is in the public domain.)

Whisper of the Heart (1995)

Perfect family entertainment -- great cultural insights, too

[10/10 · 21 January 2006]

Whisper of the Heart is the perfect English title of this masterpiece.

It was such a joy to watch an animated film so effectively produced that you start to forget it is an animation. Characters become real; situations and thoughts and feelings come alive. The story is clean, decent and uplifting in every way. Plus, American viewers get an accurate glimpse into the way younger Japanese teens are viewed and view themselves.

I lived in Japan for several years as a child, and a number of the background sounds (the peculiar insects singing in the trees, the electric trains passing) and customs (bowing to elders, enjoying the wonderful soups, singular focus on school success) struck a deep chord of remembrance. This film is fashioned with such detail and consideration for artistic elements -- I just loved it. I wish my kids were still under 10 and I could have shared it with them. Nowadays, I'm afraid the older boys (over 12) would lack the patience to enjoy the film because, frankly, it bears no relation to high-action animation from Japan or the U.S.

I found this film by accident on Turner Classic Movies, and viewed it the English-dubbed version. There is also a subtitled version, but if you want to enjoy it as a family with youngsters, you'll prefer the English language version. The English voices are clear and well done.

It's a beautiful story with a timeless theme presented with loving care. This film is so good, and so insightful, that I would suggest it could be shown in schools or home-schools for its cultural content alone. And if you have an ounce of sentimentalism, sense of wonder or appreciation for creative beauty, then you'll watch it all by yourself after the kids have gone to bed.

Innocents Betrayed (2003 Video)

The World's Least Known Horrors

[10/10 · 24 July 2005]

Innocents Betrayed shows what happens when ordinary people allow themselves to become powerless and give all of their trust to central authorities. Here's a fact that very few people know: the central authorities (usually known as the governments) killed more men, women and children in the 20th Century than did all of the wars combined. That's correct: 170,000,000 people were murdered by their own governments; in most cases, the victims had no power to defend themselves.

Most people have heard of the Nazi Holocaust -- but few know much about the massive genocides of Soviet Russia, China, Cambodia, Uganda and Guatemala. Only because of the recent film, Hotel Rwanda, do more people know about the calculated mass murder there -- Innocents Betrayed came out 2 years before Hotel Rwanda! The second half of the film shifts focus from the world's genocides to the American experience with citizen powerlessness. Viewers may be quite surprised ... I won't give it away.

Innocents Betrayed includes a lot of still photo and video materials, and enough facts and figures to prove its point. This is not a stodgy "educational video" by any means -- the stories move steadily with appropriate voice-over and music, so that viewers can follow them. As the end approaches, however, the pacing picks up quite dramatically.

I've seen the film several times: I am always stunned and amazed at the end. And very motivated to prevent such atrocities from happening again. See it -- lend it to others -- talk about it. Be part of the generation that says "never again" and means it.

Grindl (1963–1964)

Most Memorable Moment

[12 May 2004]

The one episode that my wife and I, quite independently, remember is the one where Grindl is working for a couple, and the wife insists that every object have a number sticker on the bottom, so that each item will be placed in the same place in the house after a house cleaning. The wife's compulsive trait drives the husband nuts. My wife (a child at the time) thought that numbering scheme was a brilliant idea, so she remembered it for decades. I (a child at the time) thought it was batty, and so I remembered it also for decades. Thank you, Grindl, for the memories.

I also remember an episode, I think, in which the husband puts the wife into a grinder. Maybe that's the same episode!

On a Perfect Day (1998)

"Victim of the State"

[9/10 · 17 March 2004]

If the film Enemy of the State intrigued you, then you'll find Un Dia Perfecto (A Perfect Day) a magnificently concentrated vision of the socialist dystopia that lies one step beyond.

Artistically directed without being "artsy," this film doesn't waste a word or a frame. The acting is convincing, the pacing builds suspense almost immediately and you never really know what is going to happen until it does.

This is one of the best "short" films that I've seen.

The only down side of the version I saw was the subtitles. I understand enough Spanish to know sometimes what is being said, and the subtitles I saw missed the nuances a few times. But the story is compelling enough that the subtitles don't really subvert the experience.

This film will make you pause and reflect every time you use your ATM card, credit card or social security number .... and whenever you think you can trust the bureaucracy to take care of you...