Monthly Archives: November 2015

“Mr. Holmes,” a Treasure With McKellen and Linney

drama, movies, mystery, , , , ,
Mr. Holmes

Mr. Holmes interested me because it is a movie about the legendary Sherlock Holmes.

My daughter praises the series on cable television, so I wanted to watch it with her. As the opening credits rolled, I noticed the director was Bill Condon. I thought to myself, “That is a familiar name. I recall he has directed some notable movies.”

So, I knew we were in for a treat.

Mr. Holmes is an extraordinary movie about getting old gracefully. We get to meet Sherlock Holmes, played by Ian McKellen, at an age when we probably never saw him. I was quite intrigued by his ability to play the middle-aged Sherlock in flashbacks and the older Sherlock on the edge of senility.  Mrs. Munro, his housekeeper, is played by Laura Linney, a fantastic actress. She did a great job as a homely, uncomfortable, and dissatisfied widow, caring for Mr. Holmes. Though he did not treat her poorly, he came across as harsh and mean.  In the long run, he showed his warmth through her son, which eventually reached her heart as well.

There is a wonderful young actor who plays the housekeeper’s son, Roger, played by Milo Parker. He’s smart, intriguing, and likable. Other characters, such as the bees, add spice to the story. Each character plays an important part in the whole story as it all comes together at the end.

There’s also a mystery in the story, which I really liked. However, in the long run, the mystery is easy to figure out. It could have been better, but I felt as if the movie moved along quite well. At the end of the movie, I felt satisfied.

I felt that everything having to do with the production and direction was wonderful. Bill Condon has a great reputation as a director, having helmed movies such as Gods and Monsters, Dreamgirls, a couple of Twilight films, and other notable films.

His talent was clearly demonstrated in the movie.  I recommend Mr. Holmes for adults. Though my daughter is 15, she watched it and enjoyed it because she is a fan of the current Sherlock Holmes series.

“Christmas Trade” Similar to “Freaky Friday” and “18 Again”

children, family, holiday, movies, ,
christmastrade

Directed by Joel Souza, Christmas Trade is similar to 18 Again or Freaky Friday. Only this time it’s during Christmas.  Mitch Taylor, played by William Baldwin, is a workaholic attorney and widower with a 12-year-old son, Robbie, played by Michael Campion.

Of late, Mitch has been having a hard time balancing his life as a dad and a breadwinner. He is really trying to be a good dad, keep his demanding, hard-nosed boss happy, and make partner at the law firm.  Even his impatient girlfriend is a great effort for him to maintain the relationship. He feels he can’t keep up with it all.

Add to the fact that Robbie has troubles of his own with the school bully. Robbie has become the bully’s most recent target.  That is not all. There is a girl he likes while trying not to be a complete geek in front of her.  There is nothing he can do as he has unwillingly been cast as the lead role in the Christmas Pageant.

Robbie hopes his dad will celebrate Christmas the way they should, but he didn’t last year and isn’t certain about this year. They both think the other has the best life, from growing up and being independent to being young without any responsibilities. Then, a strange toy mysteriously causes them to switch bodies. The father and son are required to experience what it’s like to spend the holidays in each other’s bodies.

This was an amusing, family-friendly movie in tandem, but the acting was not impressive. The story was enjoyable and brought a bit of fun to an evening with my family.

“Ancient Aliens: Season 7”

documentary, history, mystery, science fiction, television, ,
ancientalienblu

This is a great series, and I look forward to each new set when they are released. This particular set, I am inclined to tell you that some of the episodes were really farfetched in their theories.

Yet, if you are a true believer in what the producers bring to bear, then there are so many other things they bring up that just cannot be proved wrong.  I am talking about the historical and physical evidence. It is quite amazing.

The series raises questions that are hard to answer, though you have to consider whether the ancients were more technologically advanced than we are today, or whether they had help.  Unless we know where the technology they used is located, because we don’t have it today, these points are hard to determine, and they are among the questions that come up.  That is why the show is out of the ordinary.

You get a chance to explore the fascinating idea that ancient aliens formed our history. According to the series, humans have told stories about beings with superhuman strength since humans could paint on walls.

The series introduces ideas like tales about Zeus, Thor and Hanuman and even contemporary subjects like Superman and Batman and more, which helped form the world we live in today. Did these tales originate from oral legends about extraterrestrials? Whether you believe it or not, it is fun to speculate.

Moreover, ancient myths from around the globe, gods are often found intervening in human affairs, from Sumerian myth to the story of Moses. Where these supernatural visitations are the work of aliens using advanced technology to shape our civilization? We’ll also consider whether the reptilian alien, a fixture of science fiction, is reflected in the serpent gods of ancient myth. Could they have been living beings? Find out, and much more.

Another good aspect of the set is the special features, such as English subtitles for the hearing-impaired, 3 discs, 12 episodes and no extras.

Christmas Movie “Paper Angels”

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paper angels

During the holidays, we will notice Christmas tree displays with paper angels hanging from their boughs. If you look closely, you will see the name of a child. Below the child’s name is a list of items the child wants or needs for Christmas.  The idea is for you to take one and buy the items on the list.  You, then, return the gifts to the location of the Christmas tree display.  The heartwarming tradition has been done for at least a hundred years.

Directed by David Winning, Paper Angels is based on the book of the same name by Jimmy Wayne, a Billboard Top Ten country music artist.  The movie is a gorgeous look at what happens to an abused wife, played by Josie Bissett, who leaves her alcoholic husband and moves with her children to another town.

The story follows her son Thomas, played by Rustin Gresiuk, as his mother tries to build a new life for her and her children.  Thomas sees her experience many of the challenges the whole family faces.  That is where the paper angels come into play. The Salvation Army enables a child to enjoy a blessed Christmas through its traditional paper angel program, which they run every year.  Thomas fills out a paper angel in hopes of making life easier for his mother.

Thomas encounters a disillusioned businessman, played by Mathew Settle, who picked his name from the tree.  As the story unfolds, we see through Thomas that there is more to a person than how they look on the outside.  The story gives us hope, resolve, love, commitment, and thoughtfulness. Sure, Thomas experiences disappointment, hurt, and anger. In the end, it is an uplifting story that highlights the season’s spirituality.

Paper Angels is one of the best Christmas TV movies I have seen in a long time.  It is well worth your time to watch and share with your family and friends.

Theron and Sheridan in “Dark Places”

book, drama, movies, murder, mystery, , , , , , , ,
darkplaces

French director Gilles Paquet-Brenner helmed Dark Places as a drama-mystery about an impoverished Kansas City farming family. All but two members of the family were murdered three decades ago.

The story is told through Libby Day, played by Charlize Theron, as she flashes back to a younger Libby Day, played by Sterling Jerins. Libby and her brother, Ben, played by Corey Stoll, are the two remaining family members from the night of the murders. Ben is serving a life sentence for the murders.

The younger Ben, played by Tye Sheridan, is seen in flashbacks. There are also present circumstances that keep the story interesting. A true crime club that solves crimes and proves those who are wrongly accused innocent. The club is headed by Lyle, played by Nicholas Hoult. The club holds strong evidence that Ben is innocent. It was younger Libby’s testimony that sent younger Ben to prison. Lyle leans heavily on Libby to prove her brother’s innocence. As the movie unfolds, past and present meet and the truth about the night of the murders is unraveled.

Dark Places is based on the book by Gillian Flynn, who wrote the bestseller Gone Girl and the screenplay for the same-titled movie. Gone Girl did well at the box office and nabbed some award nominations. Even though Dark Places had a limited release, I thought it played better than Gone Girl because the story seems more real in its circumstances and characters. Both stories are intricately folded and twisted, but Dark Places wraps up nicely while Gone Girl leaves a few points and characters entangled.

Theron makes the story believable because she is an outstanding actress.  Like Gone Girl, the film has minor storylines that drew me in. Paquet-Brenner led the cast with honest acting in a very well-paced movie. I am kind of surprised it didn’t have a wide release because it is so good. So, if you see the movie streaming or on the DVD shelf, I suggest you grab it and watch it. You will be entertained.

“Christmas at the Cartwright’s” Charming Hallmark Movie

drama, family, holiday, movies, romance, television, , , , ,
christmascartwright

Like most Hallmark movies, Christmas at Cartwright’s is a charming holiday film that airs each year around Christmas. Cartwright’s is a fine example that Hallmark movies are innocuous, amusing and heartwarming to watch.

Directed by Graeme Campbell, the story follows Nicky Talbot, played by Alicia Witt, who is a single mother and, without prior notice, becomes unemployed.  With Christmas just around the corner, being without a job is going to be tough. Finding a way to earn money to give her daughter, Becky, played by T.J. McGibbon, an engaging and cheerful Christmas with a few gifts.

Nicky learns that a local department store, Cartwright’s, is hiring extra staff for the holiday shopping season. She applies for a position. Nicky is happy because it appears she will have a job, but Fiona Aldrich, played by Gabrielle Miller, a senior executive at the store, puts the kibosh on her plans and turns her down.  Fiona is jealous of Nicky because she has seen her with Fiona’s would-be boyfriend named Bill.  Gabriel Hogan plays Bill, who is the store manager.

Along comes Harry Osbourne, played by Wallace Shawn, who suggests Nicky work as the store Santa. That way, she can keep her identity hidden from the other workers.  We are talking Hallmark magic here on the storyline. It is a little unbelievable for a young woman playing an older man as Santa. It gets funny at times, but still hard to believe.

Christmas at Cartwright’s is a fun movie to watch with the whole family.  All the actors are great. Their roles are believable and engaging. The movie is timeless because it is like a fairy tale, where you have to believe what is happening to get into the holiday magic. Like all fairy tales, the story is worth seeing again every Christmas.