Olivia Sutton's Fanfic Journal

• Title:  Star Trek III The Search for Spock


• Director:  Leonard Nimoy


• Date:  1984


• Studio:  Paramount Pictures


• Genre:  SF


• Cast:  William Shatner, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, George Takei, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, Mark Lenard, Robin Curtis (Introducing credit), Christopher Lloyd, Leonard Nimoy, James B. Sikking, John Larroquette


• Format:  Color, Widescreen


• DVD Format:  R1, NTSC

• Title:  Star Trek (2009)
• Director:  J.J. Abrams
• Date:  2009
• Studio:  Paramount Pictures
• Genre:  SF, Action
• Cast:  John Cho, Bruce Greenwood, Ben Cross, Simon Pegg, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Winona Ryder, Zoë Saldana, Karl Urban, Anton Yelchin, Eric Bana, Leonard Nimoy, Chris Hemsworth, Jennifer Morrison
• Format:  Color, Widescreen
• DVD Format:  R1, NTSC

"Emotions run deep within our race - in many ways more deeply than in humans.  Logic offers a serenity humans seldom experience, the control of  feelings, so that they do not control you."  -- Sarek

"Your aptitude tests are off  the charts so what is it?  You like being the only genius-level repeat offender in the Midwest?  ....  But you feel like you were meant for something better.  Something special.  Enlist in Star Fleet."  -- Christopher Pike

"Damn it, man, I'm a doctor, not a physicist.  Are you actually suggesting they're from the future?"  -- McCoy
"If  you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." -- Spock, quoting Sherlock Holmes (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Abrams' re-boot of  the Star Trek franchise re-casts everyone with a very, very young command crew.  However, this crew, barely graduated from Star Fleet Academy, earns their stripes in the midst of disaster and war, so one can forgive how young and inexperienced they really are.  Moreover, the film emphasizes the immediate connection between Kirk and McCoy and the somewhat more difficult road to friendship between Kirk and Spock.

The film opens with a bang, when George Kirk's ship is attacked by the Romulan, Nero.  George manages to evacuate the ship and protect the unarmed and unshielded shuttles by fending off  Nero's attack, but he loses his life in the process.  However, his wife survives the attack and James Kirk is born.  Yet, we don't see Kirk's mother again.  A few years later, young James Kirk is a hellion - borrowing a car before he can really drive, driving fast and hard, and then destroying the car and nearly himself.  Meanwhile, Spock undergoes typical Vulcan training - a enriched media multi-tasking experience where students are tested in individual pods.  However, he is also taunted by his school mates.

We next meet Kirk as a young 20-something (probably between the ages of 18 and 24), a townie who goes to a bar near Star Fleet's recruitment center to pick up women.  This doesn't go well when a couple of bruisers from security beat him to a pulp.  But he does meet Christopher Pike who gives him a different view of  his father's death.  Kirk decides to join Star Fleet.

Spock also, is at a turning point.  He's accepted into the Vulcan Science Academy, but when the  acceptance committee remarks that it's "amazing" how well he's done despite his "handicap" of being half-human, Spock turns down the position and instead joins Star Fleet.

Back at the academy, Kirk is preparing to take the Kobayashi Maru test for the third time.  The "no-win scenario" test is built as a test of character.  Kirk manages to win by changing the parameters of  the test.  He's brought up on charges of  cheating.  But before anyone can do anything, an emergency distress call is received from Vulcan.  All cadets are sent out on ships to assist.  Kirk, McCoy, Uhura, Spock, Chekov, and Sulu all end-up on the newly-built Enterprise, under Capt. Pike.

Arriving near Vulcan, the Enterprise encounters Nero.  As before with the USS Kelvin, Nero attacks, then invites the Captain onto his ship.  Pike, who did his dissertation on the loss of  the Kelvin, knows he's walking into a trap, but also knows there's nothing else to do.  But he has Kirk, Sulu, and an Australian space jump to a drilling platform the Romulans have placed on Vulcan that is also blocking transporters and communications.  The Australian dies, but Kirk and Sulu manage to shut off  the transporter/communications blocking and stop the drill itself.  They are rescued, but it's too late for Vulcan - the Romulans have injected Red Matter which will turn the planet into a Black Hole.

When Spock realizes this he beams down to Vulcan to rescue the Elders of  his planet, including his parents. He rescues Sarek and a hand full of others, but Amanda is killed.

After this tragedy, Spock is understandably a little off-balance, and he falls back on calm logic -- ordering that the Enterprise rendezvous with the  rest of  the fleet in order to plot their next move.  Kirk argues vehemently that they must do something to stop Nero, that they have no time to return to the fleet per standing orders.  Spock over-rules him, and then kicks him off  the ship via a life-pod.

Kirk lands on a frozen planet and encounters an unconvincing CGI monster (the only sequence in the entire film I didn't like) then takes shelter in a cave. There he meets Spock Prime and learns the plot.  Far in the future, Spock had been tasked with using Red Matter to turn a Supernova into a Black Hole and thus saving the planet Romulus.  But, he was two late and Romulus was destroyed.  Nero saw the destruction, went berserk and decided to make Spock suffer by destroying Vulcan.  He time-traveled back to the past, destroyed theUSS Kelvin, and twenty-five years later Spock arrived, having followed him through the Black hole.

But what shocks Spock more than anything else is that Kirk can't stand Spock's younger self and that Spock can't stand Kirk.  Spock gives a hint of  what their friendship means through his mind-meld with Kirk (while also explaining what's going on).  They leave the cave and hike through the snow to a Star Fleet outpost and encounter Scotty.  Spock gives Montgomery Scott the equation of  Transwarp Beaming, which Scott discovered, thus creating a non-invention paradox.  (EG -- If  Scott discovered it but hasn't yet, and Spock gave him the info to discover, which he then discovered - then where did the equation come from?)

Kirk and Scott beam onto the Enterprise, and Kirk provokes Spock into an emotional reaction to take him out of command.  He then orders a direct warp to Earth.  At Earth, Nero is using the drill to attack near San Francisco (home of  Star Fleet) and destroy Earth with Red Matter.  Kirk and crew stop him and rescue an injured Pike.

Upon returning to the Academy, Kirk is given command of  the Enterprise, and Pike retires.  Kirk's crew will include Spock as first officer who is convinced to do so by Spock Prime and Scotty.

I loved this film when I first saw it, and I still love it now.  Karl Urban is a wonderful, angsty Bones McCoy, still smarting from his divorce, though they changed the origin of  Kirk's nick-name for him.  Chris Pine mimics Shatner's body language, but gives us an edgier Kirk, still smarting from the loss of  his father.  Quinto's Spock is much more emotional, especially after the loss of  his mother, a parent he was quite close to.  It's interesting that in Abrams' re-imagining of  Star Trek - both the principles have lost a parent.  When I saw this film in 2009 I wanted a sequel, and it looks like one might be coming in 2013, we'll see.

This film also has some wonderful special effects sequences in space - the space dock, the launch of  the Enterprise and other ships, even the destruction of  Vulcan are all realized well.  And I liked all the classic characters:  Sulu and Chekov are both great, the classic trio of  McCoy, Kirk, and Spock, though young and new at their jobs are already showing the hints of  great friendship, and Scotty is amusing and promising.  Uhura has been updated to be confident, bright, and an expert in xeno-linguistics.  She's also having an affair with Spock, but you can't have everything.

Recommendation:  See it!  Highly Recommended.
Rating:  Five out of  Five Stars
Next Film:  Star Trek II The Wrath of  Khan

• Title:  Spiderman
• Director:  Sam Raimi
• Date:  2001
• Studio:  Columbia (Marvel Productions)
• Genre:  Fantasy, Action, Drama
• Cast:  Tobey MaGuire, Kirsten Dunst, Willem DaFoe, Cliff Robertson, Bruce Campbell, Ted Raimi
• Format:  Color, Widescreen
• DVD Format:  R1, NTSC

"Some spiders change colors to blend in with their environment, it's a defense mechanism." -- Peter Parker
"Peter, What makes you think I would want to know that?"  -- Harry Osborn
"Who wouldn't?" -- Peter Parker

"This guy, Flash Thompson, he probably deserved what happened, but just because you can beat him up, doesn't give you the right to.  Remember -- with great power, comes great responsibility." -- Uncle Ben

Peter Parker is painfully shy, and a bit of a nerd but he's also a talented photographer and has the mind of a scientist -- curious about the world and always wanting to know more.  He's being raised by his aunt and uncle, and no mention is made of  what became of  his parents - I assumed they were dead.  Mary Jane, or MJ, is the proverbial girl next door, who's harassed to the point of abuse by her father and boyfriend (MJ really doesn't know how to stand up for herself).

One fateful day, Peter's class, including MJ and Peter's extremely wealthy friend, Harry, are on a field trip to a New York City genetics lab, which has been working on combining genetic traits from different spiders to create a "super spider".  The spider gets loose and bites Peter.  Harry also starts talking to Mary Jane, at first to show Peter how easy it is -- later, because he likes her.

That evening, Peter feels sick, but the next day he wakes up with extraordinary spider powers.  He and Mary Jane talk briefly (he's bringing out the trash, she's escaping her abusive father) only to have MJ run off when her boyfriend Flash Thompson shows up with his new car which he received as a present.  Peter thinks of getting a car, and makes himself a simple costume so he can enter a wrestling match to win some money.  He wins, but the fight promoter cheats him out of  the majority of  his cash prize.  Just after Peter leaves the manager's office, another man rushes in and robs the guy at gunpoint.  Peter could have stopped the thief, but he lets him get away (in part because he's mad at the loss of  the prize money).  Later that night, Peter returns to the library where his Uncle Ben is supposed to pick him up and discovers Ben dying.  Peter, in his masked outfit, tracks his uncle's murderer -- it was the same man he let go.  Peter throws the man through a window and he falls several stories to his death.

But Peter, remembering Uncle Ben's words about responsibility, decides to become the crime-fighter Spiderman.  He's improved his costume, refined his techniques, graduated from high school, and moved to New York City with Harry.  MJ has also moved to New York, but her dreams of  becoming an actress have hit the harsh reality of  being a waitress, just to eat and pay rent.

Spiderman is introduced to New York by a montage of  scenes of  him stopping crime, and "man-on-the-street" interviews.  Eventually always cash-poor Peter Parker sees an ad in the Daily Bugle requesting pictures of  Spiderman.  Peter rigs an automatic shooting camera and sells his pics to Jameson, the Bugle's cigar-smoking editor.  He gets a $300 freelance fee.  Well, it's a start.

Meanwhile, Norman Osborn, Harry's father, is having troubles.  His company is about to lose a lucrative military contract.  Seeing no other choice, Norman tests the human enhancing formula on himself.  He nearly dies and it gives him a "split" personality -- turning him into the evil green goblin.  The Goblin bombs his company's rival, Quest, destroying their Ironman-like exoskeleton (not to mention several people who work there, a pilot, and the general who wanted to take away Oscorp's military contracts).  Upon returning, as himself, to Oscorp, Norman Osborn discovers his board is ready to sell the company to his rival and oust him as CEO.  Osborn goes bananas.

During the "World Unity Festival" the Green Goblin attacks, threatening and killing innocents as well as members of  the Oscorp board.  Spiderman arrives and tries to save as many people as possible (and he saves Mary Jane, who is now dating Harry Osborn).

Aunt May gets Harry, Norman, MJ, and Peter together at Harry and Peter's New York apartment for Thanksgiving.  It's a disaster.  Everyone nearly finds out who Peter is; Norman accuses MJ of  only being interested in Harry for his money; and MJ hears Norman's accusations and Harry's lack of  protests.  A good time is not had by all.  Shortly thereafter, the Green Goblin puts it together that Peter is Spiderman and attacks MJ and May.  Both survive but only just.

In the final conflict between Spiderman and Green Goblin, the Goblin gives Spidey a choice -- save MJ or save a tramcar full of  kids.  Spiderman manages to save both.  Goblin and Spidey fight.  Spidey loses half  his mask, Norman takes his off  and tries to convince Peter he's somehow not in control.  But, it's a trick -- Peter's Spidey-sense warns him in time and he moves out of  the way and the glider's spikes miss him.  Norman Osborn isn't so lucky, host by his own petard, he dies.

At the funeral, Harry blames Spiderman for his father's death, but promises to remain friends with Peter.  Mary Jane also tells Peter she loves him, but he tells her he only wants to be her friend.

For some reason, the first Spiderman film seemed better the first couple of  times I saw it, but in later viewings, including this one, I saw it's faults.  Going backwards through the film -- the scene between MJ and Peter at the cemetery seemed so fake that I almost expected Peter to wake-up and realize it was a dream.  Peter's pined after MJ since he met her (at the age of  six), yet when she tells him she's completely in love with him, he tells her "let's just be friends"?  Uh-huh, right.  And Mary Jane's throwing of  herself at Peter also didn't feel right.  Second, Jameson is a bit of  a cardboard/cartoony secondary villain -- sure, we know he only wants to sell papers, and painting Spiderman as a villain will do that -- but it makes no sense, given the evidence.  Third -- I have never bought Spiderman's origin story.  A bite from a genetically-enhanced spider would probably kill you from it's venom.  (Or a radioactive spider would give you cancer).  I really don't think it would transfer "spider powers" to a teenager.  But I can suspend disbelief on that, you often have to for superhero movies.

The performances, on the other hand, are good.  I liked Tobey McGuire's Peter Parker -- he made the nerdy photographer/science student seem real, as well as flawed.  Kristin Dunst did the best she could given how Mary Jane was written.  And honestly, she often lights-up the screen.  MJ often seems like a victim of everyone around her, but it's not her fault  she's given three boyfriends, an abusive father, and a complete inability to stand up for herself or fight for the right to own her life.  I also enjoyed the bit players and cameo artists, especially Ted Raimi, Bruce Campbell, Stan Lee, Cliff  Robertson as Uncle Ben, and Aunt May.

Recommendation:  See it.
Rating:  3.5 out of  5 Stars
Next Film:  Spider-man II

• Title: The Sound of  Music

• Director:  Robert Wise

• Date:  1965

• Studio:  20th Century Fox

• Genre:  Musical, Romance

• Cast:  Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Angela Cartwright

• Format:  Color, Widescreen (70mm film)

• DVD Format:  R1, NTSC

"Fraulein, were you this much trouble at the abbey?"  - Capt Georg von Trapp
"Oh, much more, sir." -- Maria

"Activity suggests a life filled with purpose." - Capt. von Trapp

"Maybe the flag with the black spider makes people nervous." - Greta

The Sound of  Music is a big showy musical film, which appears to be shot at least partially on location rather than being studio-bound, like most MGM musicals.  However, it is also long, at least three hours.  When the intermission card came up, I was ready for the film to be over.  yet, despite it's length, The Sound of  Music is a good film, and one that many consider a classic.

Julie Andrews is Maria, a young noviate at a convent -- it's clear to the Mother Superior and other nuns, that, while she is likable, Maria is not quite nun material, so the Mother Superior suggests she at least attempt to make her way in the world before returning to the abbey to take her vows.  Not quite ready to put the young woman out on the street with nothing but the clothes on her back, the Mother Superior sends her to Capt. von Trapp to become governess to his seven children.

A widower, Capt. von Trapp has become increasingly cold and withdrawn since the death of  his wife.  This is shown with the scene where he introduces the seven children to Maria by blowing their call signs on a whistle.  Maria finds this ridiculous.  The Captain then criticizes Maria's clothes.  When she tells him she doesn't have any others, she gave hers away when she went into the convent, he buys her fabrics to make new dresses.  He also has new drapes put in her room in his villa (it's a small castle).  She takes the old fabric and makes play clothes for the children.

Soon Maria becomes the best governess the children have ever had, taking them on field trips and teaching them to sing.  At first, stern Capt. von Trapp is appalled at Maria's light-hearted way, but eventually she draws him in too.  However, he's seeing Baroness Elsa, a cold-hearted widow.  At first, it seems like the Captain and the Baroness are a perfect couple, but eventually it's clear that he belongs with Maria.

Eventually, Elsa breaks off  her engagement with Capt von Trapp, as she realizes she's just not capable of being a mother of seven.  Capt. von Trapp then immediately proposes to Maria, they marry and leave for their month-long honeymoon, leaving the children in the care of  "Uncle Max".  The Captain and Maria return to discover that the Captain's beloved Austria has been annexed by Germany.  Not only that, but he is ordered to report to a naval base and become an officer in the German Navy.  Capt. von Trapp would literally rather die, and he and Maria plot their escape.

Here, Max comes to the rescue -- the von Trapp Family Singers will sing in the Salzburg Folk Festival, something the Captain had been against, and their escape will be arranged after the performance.  The plot eventually works, they escape, hide in the abbey, then go first by car, then by foot through the mountains and into Switzerland.

List of  Musical Numbers

• The Sound of  Music

• How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?

• When You're 16, Going on 17

• My Favorite Things

• Doe a Deer / Do Re Mi

• The Lonely Goatherd (during the children's puppet show)

• Edelweiss

• So Long, Fare Well, Auf  Wiedersehen, Goodnight

• The Sound of  Music (reprise, slower version)

• My Favorite Things (reprise)

• I Must Have Done Something Good

• How Do  You Solve a Problem Like Maria? (reprise)

• When You're 16, Going on 17 (reprise)

• Doe a Deer / Do Re Mi (at the folk concert, reprise)

• Edelweiss (at the folk concert, reprise)

• So Long, Fare Well, Auf Wiedersehen, Goodnight  (at the folk concert, reprise)

The good things about The Sound of  Music -- the full frame (though widescreen) filming of  the singing and the few dance numbers ("When You're 16, Going on 17" and the folk dance Maria and the Captain dance together during his grand party) is very nice, though the dances aren't as complex as either a Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers musical or an MGM musical.  The location filming is gorgeous -- and it's nice to see a musical that isn't so studio-bound.  However, the film is overly long.  The second half (post the intermission card) does actually move faster, and I'm not sure what I'd cut if  I was the editor (well, yes I do -- I'd dump a lot of  the montages between Maria and the children and show more concrete examples of  how she reaches them).  Anyway, over three hours is really pushing it for a musical.

Recommendation:  See it, at least once, it is a classic
Rating: 3.8
Next Film:  Spaceballs

• Title:  Singin' in the Rain
• Director:  Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen
• Date:  1952
• Studio:   MGM
• Genre:  Musical, Romance, Comedy
• Cast:  Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, debbie Reynolds, Jean Hagen, Cyd Charisse, Rita Moreno
• Format:  Standard, Technicolor
• DVD Format:  R1, NTSC

"Dignity, always dignity."  -- Don Lockwood

"What do you think I am?  Dumb or something?"  Lina

"Everybody's always making speeches for me, well tonight I'm going to do my own talking, I'm going to make the speech!" -- Lina

It should come as no surprise that I'm a big fan of  Fred Astaire (see links on left to his many films that I own) so, even though I think it's perfectly possible to like both, I'm much less of  a fan of Gene Kelly.  Kelly definitely has a very different dancing style -- he's athletic, and dances like a gymnast but he's also very heavy.  While Astaire dances on air -- and seems to float with grace and style, Kelly is very down to earth and almost working class, even when playing a rich, successful, film star as he does in Singin' in the the Rain.

The film starts with a 1927 film premiere, which is reminiscent of  an Oscar Red Carpet night, complete with a female commentator, who announces the stars as they arrive.  Soon, one of  the film's stars arrives, Don Lockwood (Kelly), who is convinced to tell his well-known story to the audience.  He does, but the pictures in the resulting montage are the exact opposite of  his words.  It is a very nice piece of  ironic humor to start the film.

However, it is also ironically, and unintentionally, a comment on the studio system of  film-making, of which MGM was a prime (but not the only) example.  The studio would create background stories, publicity images, even the names of  their stars, as well as choosing which films their stars made and who their co-stars were.  Studio system actors, in a very real sense, were "just doing a job" -- they showed up, made that month's picture, then the next, and the next, and the next.  This is one reason why film stars of  the 1930s, 40s, and 50s, racked up huge numbers of  films if  they stayed in the business.

Just as Lockwood and Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen), the stars of  Monumental Pictures, start their new film, "The Dueling Cavalier", Warner Brother's "The Jazz Singer" comes out and is a smashing success.  "R.F.", the head of  the studio, decides "The Dueling Cavalier", will be a talking picture.  Don and Lina are given voice / diction lessons, but whereas Don takes to it like a duck to water, Lina, whom the studio has not allowed to speak in public, has trouble.  Her voice is loud, squeaky, obnoxious, and her manner is rude, self-centered, and shrewish.  Not only is her voice a distraction, but she is unable to figure out she must direct her voice towards the microphone, or that playing with her costume (notably a strand of  fake pearls) will cause extra noise that's a distraction on the film.  In short, Lina, is a disaster, though probably not entirely due to her own fault.

The new film is shown to a preview audience, and the crowd roars with laughter (for a serious, historic romance), and many complain it's the worst they have ever seen when leaving the theater.  RF, Don, and Don's friend, Cosmo (Donald O'Connor) are devastated. But, Kathy (Debbie Reynolds), a young starlet and acting hopeful, that Don has been pursing, has an idea -- make the film into a musical.  Cosmo points out that  Lina also can't sing or dance.  Then he gets an idea:  Kathy will dub Lina's lines, and sing for her.  They take the plan to RF, who loves it.  Don suggests they save what they can of  the film by making it about a "young hoofer" (that is, a dancer) who goes to New York to seek his fortune on the stage, while backstage he's hit by a falling sandbag, and dreams he's in the French Revolution (the footage already shot of  "The Dueling Cavalier"), the title of  the film will be changed to "The Dancing Cavalier".

Everything goes to plan until Lina finds out what's going on, and about Kathy dubbing for her.  She's extremely angry and releases a story to the press about her phenomenal singing voice.  She also points out to RF she's in charge of  her own publicity.  Therefore, RF's plans of  giving Kathy screen credit, and making it plain in the press she was a new star and would star in new films with Don goes up in smoke.

The new film's premiere is a success, and Lina insists she will make Kathy dub her voice for the next five years, ruining Kathy's own career.  She makes a speech to the crowd, which goes over only so-so, then at the crowd's insistence, sings the reprise of  "Singin' in the Rain", getting Kathy to dub it for her.  However, Don, Cosmo, and RF pull the curtain back, revealing that the excellent voice is, in fact, Kathy.

List of  Musical Numbers

Fit as a Fiddle

All I Do is Dream of  You

Make 'Em Laugh

You Were Meant For Me

Moses Supposes

Good Morning

Singin' in the Rain

Would You?

Broadway Melody / Broadway Rhythm

Singin' in the Rain (Reprise)

You Are My Lucky Star

Most of  the music from Singin' in the Rain, isn't original at all -- it's from Warner Brothers and RKO musicals from the late 1920s up to the mid-1930s.  Even the title tune is from the Hollywood Review of 1929, while "Good Morning" is from Babes in Arms (1939).  However, "Singin' in the Rain" with Gene Kelly gleefully walking, striding, singing, and dancing in a cold, rainy street is an excellent number.  I also liked the less-than-serious "Moses Supposes" (Kelly and O'Connor, partner tap) and the energetic "Good Morning" (Reynolds, Kelly, and O'Connor, trio partner tap).  The finale is typical of  big, technicolor, MGM musicals, with several moods, changes of  set and costume, lots of show dancing, and even two lovely ballet numbers starring Cyd Charisse dancing opposite Gene Kelly.

However, the film is very anti-feminist in it's attitudes.  Lina, is made fun of  and gets her come-uppance, not only because she's a "shrew" but because she insists on being in charge of  her own career, and speaking for herself.  Whereas Kathy is a good girl and always does what she's told - by Don and RF especially.  Lina's goal, speaking for herself, making her own career decisions, and basically not being pushed around, isn't so bad.  Yes, she misbehaves (especially towards Kathy whom she sees as a threat to her relationship with Don), but you know what they say about well-behaved women (they rarely make history).  There's also the inherent age-ism of  a young starlet replacing a more mature actress.  Overall, what she wants and her behavior isn't that bad, considering, and the way she's belittled, made fun of, and embarrassed -- not to mention the complete loss of  her career is a bit harsh of  a punishment.

Recommendation:  See it (if only for the dance sequences)

Rating:  3.5 out of  5

Next Film:  The Sorcerer's Apprentice

• Title:  It Could Happen to You
• Director:  Andrew Bergman
• Date:  1994
• Studio:  Tri-Star Pictures
• Genre: Romance, Comedy
• Cast:  Nicolas Cage, Bridget Fonda, Rosie Perez, Isaac Hayes, Red Buttons, Stnaley Tucci
• Format:  Color, Widescreen
• DVD Format:  R1, NTSC

"A promise is a promise."  -- Charlie Lang

"Hey, we've got a cop [that] gave a waitress a $2 Million dollar tip!" -- Reporter

The original title for this film, reportedly based on a true story, was "Cop Gives Waitress $2 Million Tip", which I like better than It Could Happen to You. However, the film is still an enjoyable feel-good movie.  The film has a fairy tale feel to it, especially when it cuts to "Angel" (Isaac Hayes) who provides some narration to explain the plot and the characters.

Charlie Lang is a cop in Queens, New York.  He's happy in Queens and enjoys his job as a police officer.  One day he and his partner are in a coffee shop for lunch, when they get a call.  They are unable to get their lunch, and he's short for paying the bill (two coffees).  The waitress, Yvonne, offers to have the coffee on the house, but her attitude almost suggests that she thinks Charlie is trying to get out of  the bill because he's a cop.  Charlie explains that he can pay for the coffee, but not a tip.  He then tells her he feels really bad about being short, and promises her that he will split his lottery ticket with her if  he wins, and pay her tip the next day if  he doesn't.  She thinks he's a goofball and doesn't expect to see him again.

Yvonne, meanwhile, is having the worse day of  her life when she first meets Charlie.  She had gone bankrupt that morning, when she couldn't pay the $12,000 on her Mastercard (run up by her ex-husband).  Technically, she's only separated, not divorced, because she can't afford a divorce either - and thus by New York law she's responsible for her husband's debt on her card in her name.  She also has a terrible boss who berates her and charges everything he can against her check (from her missing time due to the bankruptcy hearing to customers walking out without paying their check).

That night, Charlie discovers to his surprise that he and his wife actually won $4 Million with the lottery ticket.  Charlie's not sure what to do, but he wants to give the waitress the $2 Million he promised her.  He goes back to the coffee shop the next day, and Yvonne is her normal self -- kind-hearted, sweet, and warm. Charlie is impressed.  In the end, he gives her a choice -- her tip, or half what he won in the lottery.  Thinking he won nothing, she still plays along and says - half of the lottery ticket money.  Then Charlie tells her he's giving her $2 Million.

Charlie continues to be a cop, because he enjoys it, and he's in a Korean grocery when he realizes the place is getting robbed.  He tells his partner, then sneaks in through the back as his partner covers the front.  He's able to stop the robbery but gets shot in the shoulder during the tussle.  He's decorated for bravery and retires.

Charlie is quickly getting bored out of  his mind since he's not working.

Meanwhile, Muriel, Charlie's wife, a ambitious, spiteful, greedy woman, is wildly spending the money.  She talks Charlie into going on a millionaires cruise in New York harbor.  He goes with her, but gets off the boat when he sees Yvonne.  The two miss the boat, but have dinner together and dance.  The next day they go out on a "date".  Meanwhile, on the cruise, Muriel chats up an investment broker who tells her he's made $44 Million with his investments.

Tensions rise between Charlie and Muriel, and eventually she demands a divorce.  Unhappy, and miserable, and realizing he no longer has anything in common with his wife, Charlie agrees.  He ends up going to the plaza hotel.  Yvonne meanwhile is having her own problems -- her ex, not satisfied with asking her for money over the phone, shows up at her apartment.  When she can't get him to leave - she leaves, and goes to the Plaza Hotel.

Needless to say, Charlie and Yvonne run into each other.  But their "tryst" becomes front page news.  Muriel gets an expensive lawyer to demand the lottery money.  Charlie offers her his half, but explodes when she also demands Yvonne's money.  The case goes to court and Charlie and Yvonne lose.

That night Charlie goes to see Yvonne at the coffee shop.  She's bought the shop, but without the lottery money she won't be able to hold on to it.  Charlie asks her if she cares for him.  Yvonne realizes she does.  The two hold each other and make tentative plans to move to Buffalo.  While they are taking, the character of  Angel comes up to the window and mimes eating.  Yvonne lets him in, and feeds him some soup.  The man takes photos of the couple with a miniature camera.  However, he doesn't expose them; rather with the headline of  "Their Darkest Hour", his article is about the kindness the two show towards a stranger, even while mired in their own problems.  The next day, tons of  letters arrive at Yvonne's coffee shop, with small amounts of  cash and checks ($5.00, $10.00 each etc).  In all, the two end up with a $600,000 Good Samaritan fund.  Yvonne keeps her coffee shop, Charlie goes back to the force to be a cop, and the two of course marry.

What makes It Could Happen to You such a feel good movie and a step above the average romantic comedy is that Charlie and Yvonne are just good people.  On one of their days together, the two buy an entire bag full of subway tokens and treat everyone to free rides home.  Yvonne's first impulsive act when Charlie tells her she's won and he's giving her the money is to treat everyone in the coffee shop to free ice cream on their pie.  Charlie gives a few bills to a homeless guy as he and his wife walk into one of the  expensive shops when she goes on her first spending spree.  Both both are just kind, wonderful people who liking helping others.  Charlie loves his job as a beat cop because he can help people.  He also mentors and plays stickball with a group of street kids on his block.  Yvonne, also, is a good person even though she's gone through some tough times and bad luck on her own.

The style of  the film is very much like a fairy tale, and like any good fairy tale it has a good lesson about showing kindness to strangers and not being selfish.  I highly recommend this movie!

Recommendation:  See It
Rating:  4 out of 5 Stars
Next Film:  Shrek Forever After

• Title:  Shrek 2
• Director:  Andrew Adamson, Kelly Asbury, Conrad Vernon
• Date:  2004
• Studio:  Dreamworks Pictures
• Genre:  Animation, Musical, Romance, Comedy
• Cast:  Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Julie Andrews, Antonio Banderas, John Cleese, Jennifer Saunders
• Format:  Widescreen, Color Animation
• DVD Format:  R1, NTSC

"Stop!  I have misjudged you!" -- Puss-in-Boots
"Join the club -- we have jackets."  -- Shrek
"On my honor, I am obliged to accompany you until I have saved your life and you have spared me mine." -- Puss-in-Boots
"I'm sorry, the position of annoying talking animal has already been taken."  -- Donkey

In the second Shrek movie, Fiona and Shrek return from their honeymoon to an invitation from Fiona's parents to go visit them in Fiona's home kingdom of  Far Far Away.  Fiona thinks this is a great idea and is sure her parents will love Shrek.  Shrek is considerably less sure, and is convinced meeting his in-laws will be a disaster.  They make the long and boring trip to Far Far Away (depicted as Hollywood) only to have the King and Queen be shocked that Fiona has married an ogre, especially the king.  Fairy Godmother, meanwhile, a conniving woman, plots to get her son, the swarmy mama's boy, Prince Charming married to Fiona, as the King had promised.

This round, it's Shrek's turn to show his insecurities, especially about his looks as an ogre.  He takes a potion which turns he and Fiona human (and Donkey into a white horse).  Fairy Godmother and the King try to get Fiona to fall for Charming, but in the end -- she tells Shrek she loves him.  And she wants to be with the ogre of  her dreams.

Like the first Shrek film, Shrek 2 is filled with great sight gags, inside jokes, word play, and reversals of typical Disney-style fairy tales.  It also pokes fun at the Hollywood Fairy Tale as well.  Puss-in-Boots, voiced by Antonio Banderas is a great addition to the cast.  And, like the first film, the music is great (particularly Fairy Godmother belting out a jazzy rendition of  "Holding Out for a Hero").

Recommendation:  See it!
Rating:  4 of 5 Stars
Next Film:  Shrek The Third

Originally published on my movie review blog on 14 June 2012.

• Title:  Ironman 2
• Director: Jon Favreau
• Date:  2010
• Studio:  Paramount, Marvel
• Genre:  Action, Fantasy
• Cast:  Robert Downey Jr, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sam Rockwell, Scarlett Johansson, Don Cheadle
• Format:  Color, Widescreen
• DVD Format:  R1, NTSC

"You want my property, you can't have it.  But I did you a big favor, I've successfully privatized world peace."  -- Tony Stark

"You are running out of  both time and options.  Unfortunately, the device that's keeping you alive is also killing you."  -- Jarvis

"You want to do this whole lone gunslinger act, and it's unnecessary.  You don't have to do this alone." -- Rhodey
"You know, I wish I could believe that, I really do.  But you gotta trust me.  Contrary to popular belief, I know exactly what I'm doing."  -- Tony

The film does open with a re-cap of the audio from Tony's press conference at the end of  the first Ironman film -- played out against a man in Russia assembling his own arc reactor and Ironman-like suit.  We will later discover this is Whiplash.

Tony, as Ironman, literally drops in to a rock concert-like opening for Stark Expo, complete with screaming fans and Rocketts.  He's back to the arrogent, ego maniac -- wild, and irresponsible, challenging anyone and everyone who is in his way, including a Senate sub-committee.

Normally, in a sequel to a heroic adventure, I would expect that the hero, having learned his true path in the first film (or book) would spend the second film facing down a bigger, badder, meaner challenge.  It's nice if there's  more character interaction and development; or if  the world opens up, so to speak, widening the area where the hero plays.  However, in Ironman 2, Tony seems to have slipped backwards -- once again becoming the irresponsible playboy, without a thought for how his actions affect others.

It's soon revealed that Tony is dying.  The Palladium core of  the arc reactor in his chest that keeps him alive,  is also slowly poisoning him.  Tony begins to give away his things, such as donating his modern art collection to the Boy Scouts of  America.  He also makes Pepper the CEO and chairman of  his company.  Their conversation when he does so, is at breakneck speed and great fun to watch.

Tony then goes to the Grand Prix race in Monaco.  Pepper, Happy, and a new Stark Industries employee named Natalie Rushman (later revealed to be a Shield agent, named Natasha) accompany Tony to Monaco. There he's challenged by Justin Hammer, CEO of  Hammer Industries - a weapons manufacturing company and former business rival of  Stark's.  Hammer wants to build his own Ironman suits as well to sell to the US Armed Forces.

Tony slips away from the meeting, and tests his blood toxicity (with a device that looks very much like the type of  portable blood sugar monitor used by diabetics).  Next you see him, he's preparing to drive the race car he was only supposed to be sponsoring for the Grand Prix.  Pepper is livid and has Natalie find  Happy so they can try to stop Tony from getting himself  killed.   During the race, Whiplash arrives and causes havoc -- attacking cars and then deliberately crashing Tony's race car.  Tony manages to free himself, and with a little intervention from Happy and Pepper is briefly rescued.  Pepper throws him a red suitcase, and Tony steps into the Ironman suit and challenges Whiplash.  He wins and the villian is carted off  by the police.

On the flight back to the US, Pepper does ask Tony what he's not telling her.  He talks about cancelling his birthday party and going with her to Venice.  Again, their dialogue together is cute, but Tony isn't really telling her what's going on.

Whiplash escapes prison, and is convinced to work for Justin Hammer.  He, does, however, have his own agenda.

Meanwhile, the night of  his birthday party, Rhodey finds Tony in his workroom, alone, and in bad shape.  Tony gives a wild birthday party, and when Pepper tries to stop him -- he goes even more wild, destroying things.  Rhodey shows up in one of  Tony's old Ironman suits and the two go at it.  In the end, Rhodey escapes with the suit and takes it to the Air Force.

The next day, Fury, of  S.H.I.E.L.D., arrives and gives Tony lithium dioxide to counter the effects of  the Palladium poisoning.  He also introduces a more important part of  the plot; that Howard Stark said the arc reactor was only a stepping stone to something greater, and Tony was the key.  Tony's confused by this, but takes his father's trunk and returns to the Orphanage (his home) where he discovers Agent Phil Coulson will be his body guard and babysitter.

Going through he father's things, he discovers an old 16mm film of  his father's speech for the opening of  Stark Expo.  At the end of  his practicing the speech, Howard Stark addresses Tony directly.

Tony goes to see Pepper at Stark Industries and again is incapable of  telling her how he feels (partially because she cuts him off) or that he's dying.  But when he sees the Stark Expo model leaning against a wall, he realizes there's more to it than meets the eye.  He brings it back to his workshop, and has Jarvis render it into a 3-D working model.  Working with the model, he realizes it's an atom for a new element.  Tony builds a Large Hadron Collider in his workshop and creates the new element.

As before, Tony is at his best, when he is alone and working on a problem or to build something.  The man is most definitely an engineer.  And I still love Jarvis and the 3-D holographic displays as Tony figures stuff out and manipulates parts of  the rendered drawing with his hands.  (I use AutoCAD at work -- I wish it was that easy!)  The final shot of  Tony surrounded by dots of  blue light, representing his new element is absolutely gorgeous!  I loved it!  Tony puts the new element in his arc reactor core which will help his "dying" problem.  In other words, he's no longer being poisoned slowly.

Justin Hammer turns out to be a bully -- taking Whiplash's pet bird when he isn't delivering fast enough on making suits that imitate Tony's Ironman.  Rhodey delivers his suit to the Air Force who deliver it to Hammer.

At Stark Expo, Hammer introduces his battle drones, and his VTRB (Variable Threat Response Battlesuit).  But Wisplash takes control of  the suits remotely and chaos reigns.  Even Rhodey in his own VTRB suit can't control it.  Tony has Jarvis hack into Rhodey's suit, granting him control at least.  Pepper contacts the police to try to bring some control to the chaos.  Eventually, Tony and Rhodey defeat Whiplash and his drones, but Whiplash has one final act to play -- all the drones contain bombs.  Tony rushes off and rescues Pepper.  She quits as  CEO of  Stark Industries.

Ironman 2 has some fun moments, and I liked the advancement of  Tony and Pepper's relationship.  I also found the one step forward two steps back approach to Tony and Pepper's relationship to be frustrating almost to the point of  annoyance.  Tony and Pepper are cute together.  She can improve him, but they also seem to be always moving in opposite directions, unable to stand still long enough to really meet and know what the other is saying.  But I also found it odd that dying was used by Tony as an excuse to go back to his irresponsible playboy ways.  And, in a sense there was too many "big action scenes" and not enough character development (even for the villian -- the only place his name was used was the back of  the DVD box).  A sequel should further develop the main character's arc, but in this film it seems to go backwards instead.   However, Robert Downey Jr and Gwyneth Paltrow again knock it out of  the park, doing their best with what they are given.  And I like Tony when he's alone and acting as an engineer.  But overall, a little disappointing.

Recommendation:  See it.  May as well to keep up with the various Marvel movies leading up to The Avengers.
Rating:  3.8 out of  5 Stars
Next Film:  Sherlock Holmes:  A Game of  Shadows

• Title:  Sherlock Holmes A Game of Shadows
• Director:  Guy Ritchie
• Date:  2011
• Studio:  Warner Brothers
• Genre:  Action, Adventure, Drama
• Cast:  Robert Downey Jr, Jude Law, Jared Harris, Noomi Rapace, Rachel McAdams, Kelly Reilly
• Format:  Color, Widescreen
• DVD Format:  R1, NTSC

"Oh, how I've missed you, Holmes." -- Dr. John Watson

"It's so overt, it's covert." -- Sherlock Holmes

"What better way to conceal a killing, no one looks for a bullet hole in a bomb blast." -- Dr. Watson

"They're dangerous at both ends, and crafty in the middle.  Why would I want anything with a mind of  its own bobbing about between my legs?" -- Sherlock Holmes (on horses)

It isn't often that an adventure film sequel is as good as or better than the original, but Sherlock Holmes A Game of  Shadows is one brilliant film, just as good if  not better than Sherlock Holmes.  Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes films are proving to be crack to the SH fan -- doing things any fan of  Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's writing has always wanted to do (Who hasn't wanted to push Mary off a railway bridge?  Or to not only have Watson see Holmes' fall at Reichenbach, but to have a hint that he knew Holmes wasn't dead?)  Holmes and Watson were the original "buddy cop show" (though neither was a cop) and Holmes the original geek (used in the best sense, not the pejorative one) Ritchie's films have come about at the most appropriate time, here's hoping to a long and successful series.

In Sherlock Holmes A Game of  Shadows, we immediately see the close friendship between Holmes and Watson.  They finish each other's sentences, know each other's moves, and have complete trust in each other when it really counts. Holmes doesn't discount Watson's abilities, especially as a soldier, or as a doctor.

This film introduces Professor James Moriarty, as Holmes' equal and opposite.  Their conflict is played out in a metaphor of  chess, and both are very good at the game.  But, Holmes probably wouldn't have directly challenged Moriarty, even when he finds out, to his horror, exactly what Moriarty is up to, if  it wasn't for Moriarty's murdering of  Irene Adler, and threats against Dr. John Watson, and his wife, Mary.  The film also  plays with real historical events, including a series of  anarchist bombings in Europe (which did happen, especially in Russia) and the prelude to World War I.  Moriarty's plan, in fact, is to use the existing alliances and rivalries in Europe to start a world war -- twenty three years early.  This, after he has  bought-up every business that can profit from war from bandages (cotton) to bullets (weapons and chemical warfare).  Moriarty owns cotton, steel, opium (used to make morphine - the anesthetic of the time), and the aforementioned arms.  As Holmes points out when Moriarty is torturing him, "Now that you own the supply you intend to create the demand."


The film also introduces Mycroft, Sherlock's brother, played by Stephen Fry, as quite possibly more eccentric than Sherlock.  However, it is to Mycroft that Sherlock trusts the health and welfare of  Mary, after dropping her from a moving train into a lake to save her from Moriarty's attack.  Watson is quite distraught at Holmes' cavalier treatment of  his wife, until he realizes that Holmes was in complete control, timing things perfectly, and his actions were to protect Mary.  Quite a lot of  Holmes' actions in the film are to protect Mary and John; John because he is Holmes' only friend and Mary because she is important to John.

I, personally realized the film was doing "The Final Problem", when Moriarty's men attack on the train, but I still loved just how much Ritchie opened up that particular story and brought more to it.  That Holmes sends John on an errand so he can sneak into Moriarty's weapons factory in Germany speaks volumes of  how much he cares.  That John returns and immediately figures out how to rescue Holmes, not only shows his own intelligence, but his own feelings for Holmes.

The escape, with the gypsies through the forest was brilliant.  First the  direction, using a stop-motion technique to freeze the action briefly, enabling the audience to actually follow it was brilliant.  The complete chaos of  the explosions, gunshots, and use of  big guns (howitzers, etc) brings to mind World War I.  There is also complete trust between Holmes and Watson, when at one point, Holmes twirls the stock of  a gun, and Watson is right there to receive it as Holmes hands it off.  It's Watson who fires the weapon at Moriarty's men.

After escaping, Holmes, who's been tortured, Watson, and Sim, their Gypsy companion, are in a railway car.  Holmes stops breathing and his heart stops.  Watson beats on his chest (this is a little premature - I don't think even a doctor would know CPR in 1891) but is unsuccessful.  Then he has a lightning moment - and uses Holmes' wedding gift -- pure adrenalin, that Holmes had extracted in an experiment, and Watson had seen Holmes use to revive Gladstone (Watson's dog) after the dog ate something poisonous.  The adrenalin works and Holmes jumps up, babbling of  bad dreams.  But the entire scene is brilliant.  Watson pounds on Holmes' chest crying that Holmes,"Bloody well not going to die on me!" and shouting at him to "come on".  Watson's brief  devastation as he realizes that his best friend has died, before the light bulb goes off, perfectly illustrates his caring for Holmes.

Holmes, Watson, and Sim arrive in Switzerland and meet Mycroft, but discover the peace conference is still planned.  Holmes dances first with Sim, and then with Watson. (Another perfect moment!)  He points out that Rene has had his face altered by experimental surgery.  Holmes trusts Watson to find Rene, Sim's brother and stop the planned assignation that will touch off a war, while he goes to confront Moriarty personally.  Holmes and Moriarty plan a chess game together, without even using a board, while Moriarty both threatens Watson and Mary, and tells Holmes there is nothing he can do to stop him.  Holmes sacrifices his Queen in the game, to win.  The two then fight, first in their heads (each plotting out moves and counter moves, before doing a thing).  Holmes, knowing he is still weak from his injuries at Moriarty's hands, grabs Moriarty and sacrifices himself, dragging them both over a balustrade into the rushing waterfall under the castle of  Reichenbach.  Watson, having found Rene, and stopped the assignation attempt, opens the door, a smile on his face to tell Holmes of  their success.  But, his smile evaporates, as he sees Holmes and Moriarty fall into depths.  We then hear Watson reading the end of  "The Final Problem", as a voice-over, which then becomes Watson typing the story.  Mary comes to him, reminding him of  their planned honeymoon trip.  However, Watson gets a strange package in the post, Mycroft's oxygen breather.  Watson leaves, and Holmes appears, having been hidden by his camouflage.   He adds a question mark to the words, "The End", at the end of  Watson's story, cut to credits.  Simply brilliant!

Sherlock Holmes A Game of  Shadows is brilliant.  The directing is perfect.  I loved the ramped-up "Holmes vision", which really gets into Holmes' head and shows the audience how he thinks.  Also, it makes Holmes seem less arrogant or untouchable/non-understandable by allowing the audience to see just how his mind works, rather than letting his deductions and actions seem almost magical or like some sort of  trick.  The friendship of  Watson and Holmes was handled very well.  I loved that they finished each other's sentences, knew each other's moves, but also, at their core, Watson cares deeply for Holmes and Holmes cares deeply for Watson.  It is the male friendship that makes the pair timeless.  And the plot was extremely well put together.  Moriarty not merely as a master criminal, but an extremely crafty war profiteer, how appropriate.  All in all, I really don't think anything could have made this film better, I really loved it and highly recommend it.

Recommendation:  An absolute must see!
Rating: 5 out of  5 Stars
Next Film:  It Could Happen to You (a recent purchase) or Shrek (on list)

• Title:  Shall We Dance?
• Director:  Peter Chelsom
• Date:  2004
• Studio:  Miramax
• Genre:  Musical, Drama, Comedy
• Cast:  Richard Gere, Jennifer Lopez, Susan Sarandon, Stanley Tucci
• Format:  Widescreen, Color
• DVD Format:  R1, NTSC