From The Past: October 1, 2008

9-5-08 One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest – When I watched this movie released in 1975, I fully expected to see Jack Nicholson who I have viewed in countless movies and also Louise Fletcher who I recognized first from playing the Grandmother in Flowers in the Attic, however I did not expect to see so many other familiar faces!

I will name a few and tell you what movie I remember seeing them in first:

* Christopher Lloyd who played Dr. Emmett Brown in Back to the Future

* Danny DeVito who played Ralph in Romancing the Stone

* Scatman Crothers who played Dick Hallorann in The Shining

* Vincent Schiavelli who played Subway Ghost in Ghost

This film is about a man, played by Nicholson, who has been sent from a work farm to a mental institution for evaluation. He believes he can get out of work if he is pronounced crazy. However, inside the institution, he found more than he bargained for in many ways.

9-5-08 Jumper – This was a movie about a guy who could teleport himself anywhere. It was good, although I was expecting it to have more action than it did.

9-5-08 The Other Boleyn Girl – Since we never read this book, Kevin and I found the film enthralling. Natalie Portman plays Anne Boleyn and Scarlett Johansson plays her sister, Mary. This movie is based on Henry VIII. Ashley, having just finished the book, hated the movie. She said many things were inaccurate and she was not impressed with any of it. I do plan to read the book as soon as I find the time.

9-10-08 Tower of Terror – This movie is based on the Tower of Terror ride at Disney, therefore it was written after the ride was created. I didn’t know exactly what to expect from this movie, but it was actually very entertaining. I had no idea when I chose to watch this film that Kirsten Dunst was one of the main characters. It seems I have been watching a lot of her movies lately. This movie was clean and had a very good storyline. It is perfect for the entire family and I would watch it again.

9-12-08 The Savages – This movie is not for everyone, although I did laugh at some of the more macabre things which were said and done. It is about a brother and sister who find themselves responsible for their father’s care even though they haven’t been in touch with him for many years. It is slow-moving and that is why I say it is not for everyone. This is not something the kids would enjoy watching on a Friday night, though I do believe adults will have a deeper, understanding respect for the events in this film.

9-15-08 Awake – To those of you who paid to see this in the theatre, you have my apologies. This film lasted only 78 minutes. It was decent and came with a twist, but it wouldn’t have been worth seeing in the theatre. In a nutshell, it’s about a guy who undergoes surgery. He can still hear and feel pain, but he cannot move, open his eyes, or talk. It sounds interesting, and it is, but there just wasn’t enough meat to it. In many ways, it was a “let’s show how pretty Jessica Alba is” movie. Yes, she IS beautiful, but the story was lacking.

9-16-08 The Green Mile – I thought for sure I had reviewed this movie before, but I cannot find it, so I will review it again. Maybe I’m just remembering talking to other people about it. This is a memorable film. If you haven’t seen it, you need to. If you are a reader more than a movie watcher, then read the book. It was written by Stephen King. It can be purchased in one large book or six short serial volumes. Now, don’t let the author throw you off; this is no ordinary King novel. This story was not intended to scare; I believe it was written to make the reader think just a little deeper than he/she ordinarily would. The Green Mile is death row. John Coffey is the latest person sent to the mile to wait until his execution date. I will let you read or watch the movie to get the full story. It is better if you know nothing at all when going into it. I don’t believe I would even read the back of the box.

9-17-08 Little Women – I have an ugly confession to make. When I first saw this movie, I am guessing sometime in 1995, I didn’t like it. I thought it was the most boring movie I had ever watched. Thirteen years later, I watched this film and found it totally enthralling. I did not remember the entire story-line, but this made it that much better. When it was first viewed, I was too young to appreciate the story, the closeness of the family, and what it meant to go through trials. Now that I have a little more experience with life, I see the value in this movie. It is touching to say the least.

9-22-08 The Hand That Rocks the Cradle – This is a psychological thriller from 1992. It is about a woman who comes to be a nanny for a family, but the family doesn’t know her horrible secret. She’s making their lives miserable and they aren’t even aware of it. Sixteen years later, this film is still just as gripping.

9-24-08 Coal Miner’s Daughter – I love this movie and as many times as I have seen it, I have never tired of it. This is the story of Loretta Lynn, the country music singer, however in the movie, Sissy Spacek and Beverly D’Angelo who played Patsy Cline sang all the songs themselves. When they sing “Back in Baby’s Arms” together, they sound terrific! I think they did a remarkable job! Tommy Lee Jones who played Loretta’s husband, Doolittle, also did a phenomenal job.

9-25-08 Flowers in the Attic – This film is based on the book by the same name. It is about four children who, because of their father’s death, are forced to live with “The Grandmother” who is evil incarnate. If you have seen this movie and thought it was just okay, please don’t let that stop you from reading the series of books. There were so many inconsistencies between this movie and the book, I lost count! I am very surprised V.C. Andrews (the author of the book) allowed the film to end the way it did. There were five books in this series; however the movie left no room for the other books to be made into movies. You never learn why the Grandmother is the way she is or anything. As you probably know, this is one of my favorite books. Ashley has also enjoyed them.

9-29-08 Stella – Bette Midler plays the leading role of a single mother raising a daughter on a small income. She was not raised in good conditions herself and worries about her parenting abilities for her daughter. This is a very touching film. Trini Alvarado plays the part of the daughter. She also played Meg March in Little Women. She looks just like a girl Andrew used to date.

9-30-08 Four Weddings and a Funeral – It is hard when you’re always attending weddings and not the bride or groom yourself. That is exactly what this film is about. It is a very humorous look at a group of friends who would like to be married one day, but haven’t found Mr. or Mrs. Right.