Spiderman 2

• Title:  Spider-man 2
• Director:  Sam Raimi
• Date:  2004
• Studio:  Columbia (Marvel)
• Genre:  Fantasy, Action, Drama
• Cast:  Tobey McGuire, Kirsten Dunst, Alfred Molina, Ted Raimi, Bruce Campbell
• Format:  Color, Widescreen
• DVD Format:  R1, NTSC

"Being brilliant's not enough, young man, you have to work hard.  Intelligence is not a privilege, it's a gift and you use it for the good of mankind."  -- Dr. Octavius

"The power of the sun in the palm of my hand."  -- Dr. Octavius

"My Rosie's dead.  My dream is dead.  And these monstrous things should be at the bottom of  the river, along with me." --  Doc Ock.

I preferred the title sequence to this film over the sequence for the previous one.  The sequence looks like actual comic book panels and catches the audience up on the plot from the previous film.

In Spider-man 2, Peter Parker is once again the nerdy guy with bad luck.  His commitment to being Spiderman, causes him to lose his job as a pizza delivery boy, to run into trouble at college, where he's late or misses classes entirely, and even to be late on his rent.  He even loses the chance to impress MJ (Mary Jane Watson) by missing her performance in a play (which looks to be The Importance of Being Earnest, though it's never mentioned by name).  To add to his troubles, Aunt May's house is in foreclosure.

Possibly because of  all this stress, Peter is beginning to have problems as Spiderman, with his web failing, and later his powers failing.  Several times in the film, Peter literally takes a fall as Spiderman.

For a college science report, Peter meets Dr. Octavius, a brilliant scientist, working on fusion power.  At the opening demo, Peter's there to take pictures for the Bugle, but, things go wrong.  The magnetic field breaks, the fusion reaction acts like a giant magnet, and chaos ensues.  Spidey arrives to try to help, but Dr. Octavius' wife is killed by shattered glass, and his activator arms ("smart" metal arms activated by the doctor's own brain) are fused to his spine.  Worse still, the inhibitor chip that prevents the nanotech in the arms from taking over the doctor's brain, is damaged.  When a surgical team tries to remove the fused exoskeleton, Doc Ock attacks them, and a new supervillain is born.

Peter and Aunt May try to get a re-fi loan, but she fails due to her lack of  income.  But, while there, Doc Ock attacks the same bank, and even kidnaps May.  Peter, as Spidey, saves his Aunt, and fights Ock.  The pictures from the fight make their way to the Bugle, and it's Hoffman (Ted Raimi) who comes up with a name for the new villain - Dr. Octopus, which Jonah Jameson shortens to "Doc Ock", blaming Spidey of course.

But Peter is still having problems balancing his life, and since his Spidey powers keep failing him at inopportune times, he gives up being Spiderman, and even throws away the suit.  A garbageman sells the suit to Jameson at the Bugle who keeps it as a trophy.  Although Peter's life becomes simpler, crime rates skyrocket, and Peter feels guilty when he walks past crimes in progress and does nothing.

Peter tells May an edited version of  the truth about the night Uncle Ben died, after May had blamed herself. At first May seems angry at Peter, but later she comes to her senses and patches things up, letting him know she loves him.

Doc Ock goes after Harry Osborn, who's still obsessed with destroying Spiderman, whom he blames for his father's death.  He sends Doc Ock after Peter, saying Peter will led him to Spiderman.

MJ kisses her new fiance (Jameson's son John, an astronaut) upside down.  From the look on her face, she's still in love with Peter or Spiderman.  Peter and MJ meet at a cafe'.  Peter tries to apologize and tell her he's straightened out his life, but Doc Ock throws a car through the plate-glass window they are sitting near.  Peter saves MJ's life but doesn't get to kiss her.

Peter's powers return, he takes back his Spidey suit, and there's a huge F/X CGI fight between Doc Ock and Spiderman on a train.  Spidey manages to just barely stop the train full of people from falling off the track, but he's now without his mask.  Normal people hand him hand-over-hand back into the car, when Ock threatens again, all the people stand between the villain and Spidey.  A kid gives Peter his mask back.

Ock brings Spidey to Harry, Harry gives Ock the Tridium (an ultra-rare element used in Octavius' fusion reactor).  Harry's about to kill Spidey, but when he pulls off  his mask, he's shocked to discover it's Peter.  Spiderman must then rescue MJ and stop Doc Ock's fusion reactor before he blows-up half of  New York.

Spiderman and Doc Ock have their final confrontation.  Despite his plans to make it work, the fusion reactor again becomes a huge magnet, causing havoc. Doc Ock is electrocuted, and he and the reactor core are dropped in the river.  Spidey saves MJ during the battle, but she sees him without his mask.  Peter explains to MJ that they can't be together.

MJ plays the runaway bride at her own wedding, and goes to Peter to tell him they should make a go of  it anyway.  Meanwhile, Harry is hearing the voice of  the Green Goblin.  He breaks a mirror and discovers a secret lab with the mask, glider, pumpkin bombs, and enhancing formula.  Will he take it?  Only the sequel can tell.

I found Doctor Octavius to be a strangely compelling and sympathetic villain.  His own personality breaks through the Doc Ock madness much more often than say, the Green Goblin's (who's just nuts, even when he tries to act sane).  Even after he's become Doc Ock, he's still trying to get his fusion reactor working - something to benefit "mankind" (well, OK, it should be "humanity" but that's how Octavius puts it).  And he never seems to realize that it's the lack of working magnetic containment that causes his experiment to fail.  He also loses everything:  his standing as a scientist, his wife, his sanity, and eventually his life.  At times, compared to what Doc Ock goes through, Peter Parker seems like a whiny teenager, which goes to show you just what a good actor as villain can due for a piece.

Recommendation:  See it, it's better than the first one.
Rating:  4 out of 5 Stars
Next Film:  Stardust

Spider-man

• 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

Spaceballs

• Title:  Spaceballs
• Director:  Mel Brooks
• Date:  1987
• Studio:  MGM
• Genre:  Comedy
• Cast:  Bill Pullman, Daphne Zuniga, John Candy, Rick Moranis, Mel Brooks, Dick Van Patten,  George Wyner, Joan Rivers
• Format:  Color, Widescreen
• DVD Format:  R1, NTSC

"You idiots!  These are not them!  You've captured their stunt doubles!" -- Spaceball Officer

"Preparing ship for Metamorphosis, sir."  -- Col. Sanders
"Good, get on with it."  -- President Skroob
"Ready, Kafka." -- Dark Helmet

Spaceballs is a bit disappointing for a Mel Brooks film.  The best moments are the tiny references to other classic films, and most of the Star Wars references don't quite work.  There's also a lot of juvenile humor in the film.  One of  the more successful things in the film is the use of music, for example when the extremely long Spaceballs ship is first seen at the beginning of the film, the Jaws theme is heard. Later, when Lone Star and company crashland in the desert, the theme to Lawrence of Arabia is heard.

The film opens with the Spaceballs plotting to steal the air from the peaceful planet of  Druidia.  Over population, huge city complexes, and the complete destruction of nature and industrialization of the planet have used up the air on Planet Spaceball.  Meanwhile, on Druidia, Princess Vespa is to be married to Prince Valium, who is as boring as his name suggests.  Vespa, wisely runs away from her own wedding.

Vespa is caught by the Spaceballs, and King Roland, her father, offers to pay one million Spacebucks to Lone Star.  Lone Star needs the money to pay off Pizza the Hutt, a notorious gangster.  Pizza the Hutt is a disgusting character.  Lone Star flies through space in his Winnebago, with his best friend, Barf, a "Mog", half-man/half-dog character played by John Candy.

Lone Star succeeds in rescuing the princess and escaping the Spaceballs, but runs out of gas and crash lands on a desert planet.  They are rescued by "Dinks" who appear to the Seven Dwarfs music from Snow White. The dinks bring Lone Star, Dot Matrix (the princess's personal droid), Princess Vespa, and Barf to a secret temple, where they meet Yogurt, practitioner of  The Swartz.  The scene where the four approach the huge statute of Yogurt, terrified, is reminiscent of  The Wizard of Oz.

The transformed Spaceballs ship, which had turned into a gigantic maid, starts to remove the air from Druidia, but Lone Star uses the power of  the Swartz to reverse the air flow, then he flies into the ship, finds the self-destruct and destroys it.  The head and arm land on another planet, where two apes on horses are disgusted by the Spaceballs claiming out of  it's nose.  Yes, it's a reference to the original Planet of  The Apes.

Soon, Lone Star takes Vespa and Dot back to planet Druidia.  Once again, Vespa is ready to be married.  She, however, has doubts when she's told by her father than Lone Star turned down the one million spacebucks.  At the last minute, Lone Star arrives and he and Vespa are married.

A constant joke throughout the film pokes fun at Star Wars merchandise, as nearly everything is "Spaceballs the _____ blank", where blank is the actual item, such as "Spaceballs the towel", etc.  This joke gets old quickly and is over used.  Another slightly funnier joke, that's still used a lot, is not only is there a "Mr. Coffee" but also a "Mr. RADAR", etc.  And several characters, especially among the Spaceballs, talk to the audience and break the fourth wall.

Overall, not the best of  Brooks' films by a long shot, but it still has some very funny moments.  If  the leads had been Gene Wilder and Madeline Kahn the film may have been much more funny, but that wasn't possible.

Recommendation:  Eh, see or not, doesn't much matter
Rating:  3 out of 5 Stars
Next Film:  Spider-man

The Sound of Music

• 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 clasic

Rating: 3.8

Next Film:  Spaceballs

The Sorcerer's Apprentice

• Title:  The Sorcerer's Apprentice
• Director:  Jon Turteltaub
• Date:  2010
• Studio:  Disney
• Genre:  Fantasy, Children's Film
• Cast:  Nicolas Cage, Jay Baruchel, Alfred Molina
• Format:  Color, Widescreen
• DVD Format:  R1, NTSC

"You've heard how people use only ten percent of their brains?  Sorcerers can manipulate matter because they're born with the capability to use the entire power of their brains.  Which also explains how molecular physics comes so easily to you."  - Balthazar

"The truth is you have a very special gift, you need to see that." - Balthazar

"OK, the first thing you need to know about me is I'm a sorcerer." - Dave

Nine-year-old Dave is on a field trip to New York City when he's separated from his classmates and ends up in a very bizarre magic store run by Balthazar (Nicholas Cage).  Balthazar tests Dave and realizes he's the Prime Merlinean.  Balthazar has been searching for the Prime Merlinean for over a thousand years.  However, before he can start to train the young sorcerer, they are attacked by an evil sorcerer name Horvath.  Dave escapes the store, and both Horvath (Alfred Molina) and Balthazar are trapped in an urn for ten years.

Ten years later, shy, nerdy, Dave has almost out-grown the embarrassment of  his experience at the magic store, and is now a physics student at NYU.  While making a presentation to a 101 class, he re-connects with Becky, a girl from his fourth grade class that due to the mess and the magic store he hadn't managed to impress.

Dave also meets Balthazar again, who convinces him that he is a sorcerer and begins to train him.  Meanwhile, Dave starts to date Becky.  He impresses her by fixing the electrical system of the college radio station where she works as a DJ, and later by treating her to a private Tesla coil concert in his private lab.  Dave's Tesla coil project is very coil, and the scene where he plays music with the coils to Becky, complete with indoor lightning is awesome. I've been to a Tesla coil concert before -- and they are awesome and very cool.  Becky becomes suitably impressed with her new boyfriend.

While Dave learns how to control his new-found powers, and starts his relationship with his new girlfriend, Horvath is not idle.  Also released at the same time as Balthazar, he begins to release evil sorcerers from the Grimholt a perpetual prison that resembles a Russian nesting doll.  With each sorcerer released in becomes smaller and smaller, until finally only Morgana -- the queen of evil sorcerers and nemesis of  Merlin and Veronica, Balthazar's lover and fellow apprentice of  Merlin who sacrificed herself  to capture Morgana.  Horvath also finds one modern magical "soldier", Drake Stone, a modern-day celebrity magician (think David Copperfield or Criss Angel).  But, as Horvath releases the evil sorcerers, he uses a parasite spell to take their powers.

Finally, Balthazar goes to stop Horvath and the newly-released Morgana from enacting a spell called, "The Rising", which will raise evil sorcerers from the dead and destroy the world.  Dave and Becky also arrive at the final conflict.  I won't spoil the finale.

Nicolas Cage makes for a great slightly scary slightly nutty sorcerer.  Jay Baruchel comes off as slightly whiny, but considering he's playing a self-professed "physics nerd", it's not that bad of  an acting job.  Alfred Molina plays a fun, over-the-top bad guy.  Teresa Palmer is a surprisingly spunky, non-annoying girl-next-door type, who is surprised but non-plussed when confronted with "real magic".  I liked that a somewhat "scientific" explanation was given for how magic works (matter isn't created or destroyed, merely re-arranged; for example -- an object is set on fire by rapidly vibrating the molecules in it).  The special effects consist of lots of computer morphing and "liquid object" effects.  However, practical in-camera gags were used at times at the beginning and end of  a specific effect.  Also, real fire effects were used, for example, in the sorcerer's training circles and spell circles.  (Obviously, "cool gel" was used for the fire).

Yes, as the title of  the film suggests, this film is based on the Mickey Mouse "Sorcerer's Apprentice" episode in Fantasia.  However, the film's opening sequence and voice-over add an intriguing backstory and setting to the main characters, creating a fantasy world that seems new, before moving forward in time to modern-day New York.  Overall, this film has a "pilot episode of a TV series" feel to it, or opening film in a series, rather than an individual separate film, which is too bad.  I would like to see more in the series, but it appears to be the only film Disney made.  Also, I enjoyed this film the most the first time I saw it, it loses some of  it's spark when it's re-watched.

Recommendation:  Pre-teens and Teenagers will probably enjoy this the best. Still, it's watchable.
Rating:  3.5 Stars
Next Film:  The Sound of  Music

Singin' in the Rain

• 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

Shrek Forever After

• Title:  Shrek Forever After
• Director:  Mike Mitchell
• Date:  2010
• Studio:  Dreamworks
• Genre:  Animation, Romance, Comedy, Musical
• Cast:  Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderes, Julie Andrews, John Cleese
• Format:  Color, Widescreen Animation
• DVD Format:  R1, NTSC

"You have three beautiful children, a wife who loves you, friends who adore you, you have everything.  Why is it that the only person who can't see that - is you?"  -- Fiona

I bought the Shrek films in a complete set, and it turns out the only one I hadn't seen was this one, the fourth and final Shrek film.  This time around, Shrek goes through a mid-life crisis, fearing he has lost his "roar".  He makes a deal with Rumplestilskin to have one day as an fierce ogre again in return for giving up one day of his own life.  However, Rumplestilskin takes the day Shrek was born, creating a weird alternate universe where Fiona's parents no longer exist, Rumplestilskin rules Far Far Away with an Iron Fist and the help of a troop of  evil witches, and Fiona Warrior Princess leads a band of  less than successful ogre rebels.  Donkey pulls a wagon for a pair of  evil witches, meanwhile Puss-in-Boots no longer wears his boots and hat, no longer fights, and has gotten very over weight.  Moreover, since Shrek was never born, after 24 hours he will cease to exist, making all the changes permanent.  It's sort of Shrek does "It's a Wonderful Life".


However, I still enjoyed this film.  Overall, the first film is the best, but all four, including this one, manage to keep the characters in character and true to themselves.  Even the alternate universe Fiona, Donkey, and Puss, all ring true to themselves.

Shrek discovers that if  Fiona experiences "True Love's Kiss" her curse will be broken, and Shrek also will be freed from his contract with Rumplestilskin.  However, when Shrek finally kisses her -- she hasn't fallen in love with him.  However, never fear, the film has a happy ending, and Fiona kisses Shrek a second time, having fallen for him, she and everyone else is returned to the birthday party that Shrek had stormed out of.  The ending credit music is, "I'm a Believer", as in the first film.  This is found by a montage of  "best of" scenes from all four films.

Again, I enjoyed the film.  This time the theme is more about being grateful for what you have, rather than themes of self-acceptance,  but it's still a well-thought out movie.

Recommendation:  See it!  May as well complete the set.
Rating:  3.8 out of  5 Stars
Next Film:  Singin' in the Rain

It Could Happen to You

• 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, Stanley 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

Shrek the Third

• Title:  Shrek the Third
• Director:  Chris Miller
• Date:  2007
• Studio:  Dreamworks
• Genre:  Comedy, Romance, Musical, Animation
• Cast:  Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas, Julie Andrews, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Justin Timberlake
• Format:  Color, Widescreen Animation
• DVD Format:  R1, NTSC

"I know what it's like to not feel ready for something.  Even ogres get scared, you know, once in awhile."  -- Shrek


"OK, girls, from here on out, we're gonna' take care of  business ourselves." -- Fiona

In the third Shrek installment, Fiona's father, the King, dies, and leaves Shrek as his heir.  But Shrek isn't ready, and thinks the kingdom won't accept an ogre as king -- so he finds out, on the king's deathbed, that there is another heir, Arthur.

Shrek decides to go with Donkey and Puss-in-Boots to find this lost heir.  Just before he leaves, Fiona tells him she's pregnant.  Shrek is nervous and slightly terrified at the prospect of  becoming a father.

Meanwhile, all the princesses and her mother give Fiona a baby shower.  This is thankfully interrupted by Prince Charming, who has gathered all the evil-doers in Far Far Away to attack the castle.  Charming, a frustrated actor who was failing at dinner theatre, is still trying to impress his mother, Fairy Godmother, by becoming king and taking over the kingdom.

Although Fiona, the Queen, and the princesses initially escape, they are betrayed by Rapunzel (who has made a deal with Charming to become his wife and defacto queen of  Far Far Away).  Once in a dungeon room, the princesses (Snow White, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty) all announce they will wait to be rescued.  Fiona thinks they should rescue themselves, but isn't sure how.  The Queen breaks them out of the dungeon cell -- and Fiona liberates the Princesses.  I loved this scene, especially the bra burning.  The Princesses, the Queen, and Fiona then attack the castle to rescue Shrek, and defeat Prince Charming.

However, during the final conflict at Charming's show (a play starring Charming and Rapunzel in which Charming defeats Shrek and wins the Princess), Shrek and Arthur convince all the villains they should be who they want to be, and fulfill their dreams.  Charming, however, is not taken in by this - as all he wants is control of  the kingdom.  Shrek and Artie  manage to defeat Charming.

Instead of the big musical number to end the film, this one has a montage of Shrek and Fiona as new parents to three little ogres.

Overall, I really liked the Liberation of  the Princesses part of this film (including the combat montage to "Barracuda"; the second plotline -- Shrek and Donkey (with Puss-in-Boots) on yet another quest to a distant  land felt like it had been done.  Charming's rousing of the villains was interesting - but by the end of  the film I actually felt kinda' sorry for Charming.  I think the film could have done a better job of  being fair to his character -- he almost became a cardboard villain so to speak.  Also, with a lost boy king named Arthur, I expected Arthurian/Holy Grail/etc type gags, but other than a psychedelic Merlin the film completely ignored that opportunity.

There also isn't as much in the way of  sight gags and verbal wordplay as their has been in the previous two films.

Recommendation:  See it
Rating:  3.5 out of 5 Stars
Next Film:  Shrek Forever After

Shrek 2

• 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

Shrek

• Title:  Shrek
• Directors:  Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson
• Date:  2001
• Studio:  Dreamworks Pictures
• Genre:  Animation, Musical, Comedy, Romance
• Cast:  Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, John Lithgow
• Format:  Color, Widescreen, Animated
• DVD Format:  R1, NTSC

"Bachelorette Number Three is a fiery redhead from a dragon-guarded castle surrounded by hot boiling lava.  But don't let that cool you off.  She's a loaded pistol who likes pina coladas and getting caught in the rain.  Yours for the rescuing, Princess Fiona!"  -- Magic Mirror


"You know, Donkey, sometimes things are more than they appear."  -- Shrek


 "It's the world that seems to have a problem with me.  People take one look at me and go, 'Oh help, run!  A big, stupid, ugly, ogre.'  They judge me before they even know me.  That's why I'm better off alone."  -- Shrek

Shrek takes the typical Disney-style Fairy Tale and inverts it, casting the Ogre as the hero who must rescue the Princess.  But not only that, Shrek pokes great fun at Disney and as traditional Fairy Tales and even nursery rhymes.  It's almost lie watching a parody of  the Disney Fairy Tale genre; and the sight gags and verbal humor work very well.  But what Shrek is also about is being true to yourself, seeing yourself as beautiful for who and what you are, and coming to terms with the "real you".  And that is a very good message to be sending to kids and teenagers -- especially girls, but boys too.  Because, for all that Shrek seems to be comfortable with his Ogre lifestyle -- he's also completely alone.  And although at first he seems happy that way, very early on in the film, Donkey becomes his friend, and eventually Shrek and Fiona realize their feelings for each other and are married.  Or, at least, become a couple.

The film begins with a musical introduction of Shrek, a content and happy ogre.  When townspeople show up with pitchforks and burning torches -- he runs them off.  Meanwhile, all the fairy tale, magical, and even nursery rhyme characters are being rounded-up by Lord Farquaad.  Farquaad dumps these "unwanted creatures" in Shrek's swamp.  Shrek wants peace and quiet, so he goes off to Lord Farquaad's castle, fights off  the Lord's champion knights, and agrees to take on a quest:  he will rescue Princess Fiona, in return for Farquaad giving him his swamp back.

In a fairly standard fairy tale way, Shrek and Donkey get to the castle where Fiona is being held, rescue her and escape from the dragon.  However, the dragon is female and develops a crush on Donkey.  This will be important later in the story.

The way back to Farquaad's castle will take three days and nights.  And Fiona has a secret -- she refuses to let anyone see her at knight because of  a curse.  At night, Fiona turns into an ogress and thinks she's ugly and unlovable.  She wants to marry and experience "True love's first kiss" to break the curse.  Fiona also is adept at martial arts, doing the "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" thing to take out  Monsieur Robin Hood and his Merry Men.  Gradually, over time, Fiona and Shrek come to like each other, but there's a horrible misunderstanding, and Fiona chooses Lord Farquaad.  Meanwhile, Donkey has learned Fiona's secret.  Shrek also rejects Donkey, mostly due to the same misunderstanding.  Donkey, though, goes to confront Shrek and the two make-up and become friends again.  Donkey then sets Shrek straight, and the two are flown to Lord Farquaad's castle to stop the wedding.  Shrek interrupts the wedding, Fiona chooses Shrek and kisses him, and the curse is broken -- revealing her true form to be that of  an ogress.  Shrek and Fiona drive off  in an onion-shaped carriage.

Overall, Shrek is an excellent film.  It's very funny, it's got a good story, and the "moral" of  being true to yourself and learning to love who you really are is good for children, teens, and adults.   I recommend it.

Recommendation:  See it!
Rating:  4 out of  5 Stars
Next Film:  Shrek 2

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)

Ironman 2

• 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

Ironman

• Title:  Ironman
• Director:  Jon Favreau
• Date:  2008
• Studio:  Paramount, Marvel
• Genre:  Action, Fantasy
• Cast:  Robert Downey Jr, Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltrow
• Format:  Color, Widescreen
• DVD Format:  R1, NTSC

"So you're a man who has everything and nothing."  -- Yinsen (when Tony tells him he has no family)


"Thank you for saving me."  -- Tony Stark
"Don't waste it.  Don't waste your life."  -- Yinsen


"I saw young Americans killed by the very weapons I created to defend them and protect them.  And I saw that I had become part of a system that is comfortable with zero accountability."  -- Tony Stark

When we first meet Tony Stark, well, when we first meet him -- he's getting blown up by one of  his own weapons manufacturing company's weapons -- but the film quickly flashes back and shows us the previous thirty-six hours of  Tony's life.  Tony Stark is rich, powerful, irresponsible, a playboy, and a bit of a jerk.  He has no idea what his own company is doing, though he thinks he does, and he probably doesn't care.  On a publicity trip to Iraq or Afghanistan to demonstrate his company new weapon, the Jericho missile (a multi-warhead missile that reminds me of  the "probes" in Stargate:  Atlantis), Tony's convoy home is attacked.  And thus we are back where the teaser to the film starts - the convoy is blown-up, and Tony is blown-up by a Stark Industries weapon.

Tony wakes in a rebel camp, the multi-national Ten Rings group.  He's tortured, but his life is also saved by an electro-magnet installed in his chest by a man also being held captive, Yinsen.  Yinsen is learned, a doctor, and had met Tony before at a lecture, though Tony doesn't remember him.  The rebels demand that Tony build them a Jericho rocket.  Tony refuses.  Then he agrees, but instead of  building the rebels a weapon, he builds a suit (and a miniature arc reactor to power the electro-magnet in his chest keeping the shrapnel from entering his heart).  His plan is for he and Yinsen to get out of  there.  Yinsen dies in the attempt, but Tony not only gets out, he uses a flame-thrower to burn-up the cache of  weapons and several of the rebels.

Rhodey, Tony's friend from the Air Force, rescues him and returns him to Pepper Potts, his administrative assistant.  Tony refuses medical attention, asks for a cheeseburger, and has Pepper arrange a press conference.  At the conference, he announces Stark Industries will no longer manufacture weapons.  Obadiah steps in and shuts him up.  Tony isn't pleased.

Tony has shown himself  to be an excellent engineer -- with the ability to not only plan how to make something, but to actually assemble it -- with skills in welding, forging metal, building things, and improving things.  He uses the paladium from some of  the weapons in the rebel cave to forge a ring that powers his arc reactor, as well as making the Mark I  Ironman suit.

Tony returns to "The Orphanage", his home in presumably California, and begins working on improving his Arc Reactor.  Obadiah tells him "the board" thinks he has PTSD, and orders an injunction against him, freezing him out.  Tony still insists Stark Industries will no longer make weapons.  He returns to his workshop and starts the Mark II  Ironman suit.  Tony, again, is an excellent engineer -- and some of  the best scenes in the film are of  him working, by himself, to solve a problem.

And by the bye -- I WANT a Jarvis!  A computerized butler, assistant, and 3-D computer interface.  Jarvis goes on my short list of SF inventions I want (along with, say a TARDIS), but I digress.

Tony goes to the Fire-Fighters ball that one of  his charities sponsors, and dances with Pepper, but then discovers (a) Stark Industries is selling weapons to the enemy, (b) Obadiah froze Tony out so he could continue to do so.  Finding about about Stark weapons being used to target Gulmira, Yinsen's home town, Tony gets into the Ironman gear and decides to do something.  He kicks butt, basically.

More confirmation that Obadiah is not Tony's friend:  he's paying the rebels (in cash and weapons), and asked them to kill Tony Stark.  And this was before Tony becomes Ironman.  Obadiah takes the pieces of Tony's original survival suit (which were left in the desert) to Level 16 of  Stark Industries, so he can make more suits.  Tony needs proof of  this so he sends in Pepper to get that proof.  But she doesn't immediately agree -- that their conversation says a lot about both characters and their relationship.

"There is the next mission and nothing else."  -- Tony
"Is that so?  Well, then, I quit."  -- Pepper
"You stood by my side all these years while I reaped the benefits of destruction.  And now that I'm trying to protect the people I put in harm's way; You're going to walk out?" -- Tony
"You're going to kill yourself, Tony.  I'm not going to be a part of  it." -- Pepper
"I shouldn't be alive, unless it was for a reason.  I'm not crazy, Pepper.  I just finally know what I have to do.  And I know in my heart that it's right." -- Tony

Tony is learning responsibility, and he's starting to acknowledge his feelings for Pepper.  Feelings she's returned but for the fact that he's her boss.  But there is a caring between the two.

Pepper gets the info and runs into Agent Coulson of  S.H.I.E.L.D.  But Obadiah gets to Tony first, stuns him, takes the arc reactor, threatens to kill Pepper, and informs Tony he's going to make an army of  Ironman suits to sell to the highest bidder.  Dying, Tony tries to get to his workshop to put the old arc reactor in his chest.  Meanwhile, Pepper is frantic -- worrying about Tony.  She sends Rhodey to him.

Tony is able to get in the Ironman suit and fight Obadiah.  Though S.H.I.E.L.D. prepares an alibi for Tony - he admits before a press conference that he is Ironman - cut to end credits.

Ironman walks the path of  many more traditional hero stories -- the hero (to be) is a jerk, with problems understanding the real world.  The hero faces a life-altering threat.  A mentor helps the hero see his true path, but dies.  The hero emerges in a new guise but isn't quite ready or the completed/perfect hero yet.  There's another crisis.  By walking through the fire of  the second crisis -- the hero becomes the final, complete, perfected hero he is meant to be.  However, the film does it with style -- and the artful talents of  Robert Downey Jr and Gwyneth Paltrow -- both of whom are excellent in this.  Enjoyable and fun!

Recommendation:  See it!
Rating:  4 out of  5 Stars
Next Film:  Ironman II

Sherlock Holmes

• Title:  Sherlock Holmes
• Director:  Guy Ritchie
• Date:  2009
• Studio:  Warner Brothers
• Genre:  Action, Mystery
• Cast:  Robert Downey Jr, Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong
• Format:  Color, Widescreen
• DVD Format:  R1, NTSC

"My mind rebels at stagnation, give me problems, give me work.  The sooner the better."  -- Sherlock Holmes

"Holmes, you must widen your gaze.  I'm concerned you underestimate the gravity of coming events.  You and I are bound together on a journey that will twist the very fabric of  Nature.  But beneath your mask of  logic, I sense a fragility that worries me.  Steel your mind, Holmes.  I need you."  -- Lord Blackwood

"It is a huge mistake to theorize before one has data.  Inevitably, one begins to twist facts to suit theories ... instead of theories to suit facts."  -- Sherlock Holmes

I loved this movie when I originally saw it, and it really loses none of  it's appeal upon subsequent re-watchings.  Robert Downey Jr is playing Holmes as an action hero, as he should be played.  And his relationship with Watson (Jude Law) is perfect!  They complement each other perfectly, and one can see how they drive each other crazy but still have a strong friendship and caring for each other.  Thrown also into the mix is Irene Adler (Yes, her name gets mis-pronounced -- it should be "I--REIGN-ah"), but anyway -- she and Holmes have known each other for awhile, and Watson tantalizingly says that Holmes and Adler ran into each other twice and she beat him both times.  But Irene Adler still has secrets, and she's working for a mysterious man.  Even once she tries to get out from under his clutches -- she is pulled back in, and can only warn Holmes about Professor Moriarty.

Meanwhile, Watson seeks to marry his Mary -- and Holmes seeks to stop the wedding, since he can't stand the thought of  losing his friend, even to marriage.  The Holmes and Watson relationship is intense; and on Watson's side - you can see how he puts up with Holmes' eccentricities because he truly cares for him, and he needs excitement in his life.

The plot of  this film involves Lord Blackwood -- who's killing women in Satanic rituals.  Holmes catches him in the opening act, and Blackwood is sentenced to die.  He's hanged and Watson confirms the death.  Later, Blackwood seems to come back from the grave and continues his killing spree.  But Holmes not only discovers exactly what is going on (all is not as it seems) but he stops a horrendous crime, confronts Blackwood, and insures he won't trouble London again.  To say more, would spoil the fun.

Director Guy Ritchie has Holmes talk through, in his head, what he's going to do during a fight sequence (filmed in slow motion) then he films it at normal to normal/fast speed as Holmes takes action.  This lets the audience in on how Holmes thinks and how fast he thinks.  I also liked the scene of  Holmes waiting in the restaurant for Watson and Mary, and we hear the over-whelming noise that Holmes hears.  It's almost as if rather than being a manic depressive as in the books or Jeremy Brett's portrayal, this Holmes almost is an autistic savant.  And, throughout the film there are visually stunning moments.

All in all, Sherlock Holmes, is a fun film.  It sticks to a lot of  the spirit of  the original short stories and novels by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, though the plot is more bizarre.  However, there were some bizarre plots in the later stories.  Also, the relationship of Holmes and Watson, always key to getting any interpretation of Sherlock Holmes correct was spot on.  A highly enjoyable and well-made film.

Trivia:  Jude Law also appeared in an episode of Granada's Sherlock Holmes series starring Jeremy Brett (as Holmes) for ITV.  The series title was The Case Book of  Sherlock Holmes, and the episode title was "Shoscombe Old Place", and Law played Joe Barnes.

Recommendation:  See it!  Highly recommended!
Rating:  5 out of  5 Stars
Next Film:  Shrek

Shall We Dance? (2004)

• 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

"I like it when my feet hurt ... takes my mind off my knees." -- John Clark


"Then I started dancing, and I found I really liked it.  It made me happy."  -- John Clark

Shall We Dance? is not a re-make of  the film Shall We Dance starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.  However, it is an American version of the Japanese Altamira Pictures film, Shall We Dance, written by Masayuki Suo.  In this version, Richard Gere plays John Clark, a Chicago lawyer specializing in wills and probate, who's wife, Beverly (Susan Sarandon) works as a buyer for Sak's.  They have one or two daughters, and a very nice life.  And John is increasingly bored with his nice, comfortable, safe life.

Every day he takes the L train back and forth to his job in the city, and on the way home he is increasingly captivated by a woman he sees in the window of a dance studio.  One day he gets off  the train at the stop near the dance studio, wanders in, and signs up for dance classes.

To his chagrin, his assigned teacher isn't the mysterious woman he saw in the window, but the owner of the studio, Ms. Mitzi.  He continues with the class anyway, with a guy who is trying to pick-up women, and another vastly over-weight guy who wants to lose some weight and learn to dance to impress his would-be fiancee'.  Also, at the small studio is Bobbi -- a loud, abrasive, but lovable woman who is trying to get into professional ballroom dancing.  She works at Mitzi's as an instructor because Mitzi allows her to practice there whenever she wants.

The lessons continue, with John getting more and more into dancing.  He discovers, by accident, that one of his co-workers (Link Peterson, played by Stanley Tucci) loves ballroom dance and works to compete as an amateur.  Meanwhile, John's wife, Beverly, notices he's absent on Wednesdays (the night of  his class) and that his shirts suddenly smell of perfume.  After one of  her colleagues finds out her husband is having an affair, she gets suspicious -- and hires a private investigator and his assistant.

Paulina (Jennifer Lopez), the mysterious woman, teaches the class one night, when Ms. Mitzi can't make it, and that night John innocently asks her to dinner.  She refuses, and reads him the riot act.  But when he returns to class anyway, she's impressed.

Later, while standing outside an electronic store window, with TVs showing Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse in The Bandwagon.  John is convinced to be Bobbi's partner for the novice class for the Tattinger Ballroom competition.  John tries to learn the Latin dances for the competition, but finds them difficult and confusing and prefers to stick with traditional ballroom.  He convinces Link to partner with Bobbi for the Latin dances and he will do the traditional ones (Waltz and Quick Step).

Meanwhile, the PI and his assistant have informed Beverly that he husband isn't having an affair, he's taking dance lessons.  The PI invites her to the competition.

At the competition, Link and Bobbi and then John and Bobbi are doing well.  Even though another male dancer had pulled at Link's wig -- which he removes.  However, during the quickstep -- John gets distracted when Bobbi mentions that she thought she heard someone yell "Go Dad!".  When another couple collides with them on the dance floor, and John manages to step on and tear off  Bobbi's skirt -- it ends their chances at the competition.

Beverly confronts John.  However, eventually she gives him dancing shoes and a tux as a gift, and he shows-up at her job with a red rose.  They attend Paulina's going away party together.  Paulina returns to England and professional competitions.

The final montage sequence, starting with Paulina's party, and showing what happens to all the main players of the film is incredibly well done.  Even the PI is shown going to Mitzi's for dance lessons.

Shall We Dance? is a good film.  I enjoyed it.  Much of  the dancing, though, though they started and ended in full frame, was filmed in medium close-up with lots of  cutaways to other people in the scene, such as the people watching the dance.  Even scenes in Mitzi's studio had this problem, including a scene of  Paulina practicing by herself that would have been breath-taking if  the entire scene had been filmed full-frame.

I also liked Paulina's spoken description of  how she first found out about ballroom dance (her family works in a dry cleaner's).  A woman came in with a beautiful sequined costume.  Little Paulina was entranced by the dress, and was even more entranced when the woman invites them to see her compete and she watches the dance and falls in love with it.  Paulina had made it to the international competition in Blackpool, England, but something went wrong.  Teaching John and helping coach him and Bobbi for the competition, encourages her to go back to Blackpool with a new partner.

Recommendation:  See it
Rating:  4 out of 5 Stars
Next Film:  Sherlock Holmes

Shall We Dance (1937)

• Title:  Shall We Dance (1937)
• Director:  Mark Sandrich
• Date:  1937
• Studio:  RKO (Radio Pictures)
• Genre:  Musical, Romance
• Music:  George Gershwin
• Lyrics:  Ira Gershwin
• Cast:  Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Edward Everett Horton, Eric Blore
• Format:  Black and White, Standard
• DVD Format:  R1, NTSC

"I told ya' I haven't even met her ... but I'd kinda' like to marry her."  -- Peter


"If  we get married now, I can start divorce proceedings in the morning."  -- Linda


"I be your pardon, but what are grounds for divorce in this state?"  --  Linda
"Marriage."  -- Law clerk

Shall We Dance is one of my three favorite Fred and Ginger musicals -- the dialogue is wonderfully witty, the plot, involving a secret marriage than isn't, and then is, is great fun, and the Gershwin score is simply marvelous.  The dances are incredible (though I wish Fred and Ginger had actually danced to "You Can't Take That Away From Me" rather than Fred merely singing it to Ginger).  Be sure to take note of  the wonderful "Art Deco" set for "Slap that Bass", and Fred and Ginger tap dancing on rollar skates to "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off".  My other two favorite Fred & Ginger musicals are "Top Hat" and "Swing Time".  Though, I must say, there are parts of all their musicals I enjoy.

Fred Astaire plays Peter P. Peters, a dancer who's discovered by Jeffrey (Horton) and becomes the star of a ballet in Paris, under the name, "Petrov".  Ginger Rogers, is musical comedy / Broadway star Linda Keene who's sick of  the "life" and her stream of unsuitable suitors.

Astaire sees a picture of  Linda and falls for her, so he tries to meet her in Paris.  But when he over-hears her complaining to her maid about all the unsuitable men who see her picture and then try to win her over, he introduces himself as "Petrov", with a very bad Russian accent, rather than Peter P. Peters from Philadelphia, Pa.

However, both soon sail for New York on the steamship Queen Anne.  It takes Peter a while, but his persistence pays off, and soon Linda falls for him.  Yet, when Jeffrey (Horton) tells a unsuitable suitor of Petrov's that he is secretly married to Ms. Keene, and Peter confirms it -- she lets the news slip, and soon the "secret marriage" is headline news.  When Ms. Keene is seen knitting on the ship deck (she's actually making a sweater for her dog), it adds fuel to the fire.  She erupts in anger at the rumors -- and blames Peter for them.

In New York, Peter and Linda are booked into adjoining suites, by the concierge (Blore) -- who, none-the-less keeps locking the door and pocketing the key as he's told the couple is not married.  Linda, however, has her own troubles -- the news media hounds her about her secret marriage; her manager wants to keep her on the stage or he'll lose his theatre, and the man she thinks she wants to marry is angry at her for "lying" about her "marriage to Petrov".  When the manager uses a mannequin of Linda to take pictures of Linda and Peter in bed (a twin no less) and publishes the pictures -- Linda's anger only grows, especially as her boyfriend dumps her.

Linda and Peter go to the park, have a date, and decide to marry in secret in New Jersey, for real, and then publicly divorce so Linda can marry who she wants.  But Peter's now in love with her.  When Linda finally serves him divorce papers, he finds him dancing with a stage full of "Linda Keenes" (dancers with masks).  She's impressed, and in the end Linda and Peter dance together and decide to stay married.

Musical Numbers

• Slap that Bass  -- Fred, vocals and dance
• Beginner's Luck -- Fred, vocals
• They All Laughed -- Ginger, vocals; Fred and Ginger, dance
• Let's Call the Whole Thing Off -- Fred and Ginger, vocals, Fred and Ginger, tap dance on rollar skates
• They Can't Take That Away from Me -- Fred, vocals
• Shall We Dance

Also, an opening sequence of Fred "practicing" alone, that's tap and ballet; and various other sequences of ballet that are "rehearsals".

Recommendation:  See It

Rating:  4.5 of 5 Stars

Next Film:  Shall We Dance (2004)