I thought it would be fun to share with you guys my latest videos on my channel. I have a new camera and an external microphone! This should improve the quality of the videos a lot, so if you aren’t subscribed please do. Thanks!
Big Channel Annoucement
My Blu-ray Collection- K and L’s.
The M’s of my Blu-rays
My I and J video was done without the new camera.
Would love your feedback and comments. What movies you like or don’t like. Thanks so much!
People have asked me so here goes- the worst movies I’ve ever seen. You may enjoy these movies. That’s awesome. I’m sincerely glad someone got something out of them. This is just me and my reaction, so please don’t be offended.
1. Drop Dead Gorgeous-
There are 2 movies I have walked out of in my life. Drop Dead Gorgeous was the first. It was so hateful and mean spirited all in the guise of a comedy I couldn’t take it any more and with about 20 minutes left I went into the lobby of the theater (on a date no less) and cried my eyes out.
It’s a mockumentary about beauty pageants that has one girl after another blown up, shot, murdered, burned and attacked. A character mimics the crucifixion, a girl becomes deaf for laughs, a near dead anorexic girl is wheeled out in a wheelchair with an IV, the mentally ill are mocked, all the girls get food poisoning with its accompanying effects. It’s gross, dark, cold and hateful so much so that 15 years after I saw it I still remember it far too vividly.
2. Superstar-
Meet the second movie I’ve walked out on. One of the horrible Saturday Night Live skits turned into a feature length movie with some of the most annoying characters ever put on screen. But what made this movie especially upsetting was a scene where Mary Catherine prays and see’s Jesus who is then mocked and made to look silly as part of an extended joke. I’m sorry but NO! You do not go there. Clearly nothing is sacred in the movies and that crossed a big line for me and I was done. This is the movie that convinced me I couldn’t just wing it at the movies but had to research content, quality and everything else before going to the theater (even the dollar theater!).
3. Last Airbender-
When people claim Fantasia is boring I want to ask them if they have ever seen The Last Airbender? It’s Shyamalan at his Shyamalanalist and holy cow is it BORING! I’m told the series is amazing and I mean to watch it someday but this movie is nothing but long segments of exposition followed by pan shots and the most boring fights ever filmed accompanied with terrible CG and special effects. It looks like a toddler yoga class and the slow motion and the story and acting and all the contemplative pauses when nothing interesting has been said makes you want to will yourself to sleep because your dreams will be much better than this movie. Kill me now.
4. Pearl Harbor-
Picking the worst Michael Bay movie is tough but Pearl Harbor will always get the edge because it is about real people, real heroes who deserved better. The historical details are lazy, dialogue awful, women dopey, romance worse than a bad soap opera, and explosions that dehumanize war more than the actual war. Everything is a caricature. Every line is predictable and stupid and been said in a million other movies. It feels like it was written by a Middle School drama club and the acting isn’t any better. It sucks.
For the debate of who is worse Michael Bay or M Night Shyamalan. Go to http://rachelsreviews.net/2014/12/22/michael-bay-or-shyamalan/
5. Brothers Grimm-
This movie has the potential to be great. You have artistic filmmaker Terry Gilliam, cool visual look, interesting premise and 2 solid leading men in Heath Ledger and Matt Damon. Unfortunately that potential was never met. The story can’t decide whether it is a comedy or horror movie and the tone switches all over the place. The female character doesn’t make sense and the story is muddled. Are they swindlers? Where does the magic come from? Only bad magic is shown and why aren’t more of the Grimm characters shown? It doesn’t make any sense and my brain hurts thinking about it.
Let’s just say there is a scene in this movie where a horse swallows a little girl and you can see said girl wiggling around the extended bowels of the horse. That scene alone makes this on my list. It’s just so unpleasant and confusing.
6. Contact-
This may be my most controversial choice but Contact was the first movie I saw in the theaters that I walked away hating. It’s about a woman who finds a portal that will lead to aliens if she can build a satellite type machine. Sounds like an interesting premise but at 2.5 hours it drags and becomes very preachy.
I despise the way religious characters are treated in this film. Matthew McConaughey plays a minister who is painted as condescending and foolish. But it doesn’t stop there. That could actually be subtle. Religion is the villain that literally tries to destroy science and its progress. And another movie where the religious characters are the most judgmental and uncharitable. What a cliché.
7. The Smurfs-
You could say I am being too hard on poor kids movie The Smurfs. I disagree. I think I should be HARDER on The Smurfs because it is a kids movie. Kids have a limited time period to mold their intellect, creativity and personality and lazy crap like The Smurfs is wrong. Yep, it pisses me off.
The thing that makes Smurfs so particularly disgraceful is the constant product placement. I am aware all movies have product placement these days but most of the time it is a car being driven or a phone being used. That’s more subtle. Not here. We have many scenes of Smurfs using Sony products, next to Sony billboards, on top of Sony laptops. I would bet no longer than a minute goes by without a Sony advertisement somewhere in the shot. They should be ashamed of themselves.
And even worse the story is stupid. The laughs are moronic and only for kids and it looks awful. It’s the worst in awful Hollywood cynical, make a buck, film-making.
8. Film Socialisme-
All right artsy film lovers challenge me on your Godard fandom. I love artsy movies. I love Tree of Life. I love Where the Wild Things Are. I love Fantasia. I could go on but this is just mind numbingly awful.
It isn’t even a movie. It is clips of people on a cruise, children playing, and a llama at a gas station. How deep and profound. Groan. There are confusing title cards and subtitles that aren’t translations but words in ‘pigeon English’ and sometimes it will just say 1 word. Certain shots are taken with an amateur camera and edited poorly and I guess this is supposed to be all deep but I didn’t get it and I think I’m a pretty smart person?
Well, Roger Ebert didn’t get it either and he won a Pulitzer Prize:
“This film is an affront. It is incoherent, maddening, deliberately opaque and heedless of the ways in which people watch movies. All of that is part of the Godardian method, I am aware, but I feel a bargain of some sort must be struck. We enter the cinema with open minds and goodwill, expecting Godard to engage us in at least a vaguely penetrable way. But in “Film Socialisme,” he expects us to do all the heavy lifting”
It is unwatchable.
9. All Dr Seuss Movies-
I realize this is a bit of a cheat for a top 10 list but I hate all the Dr Seuss movies so much I couldn’t pick one. Horton Hears a Who is definitely the least awful but the live action Grinch and Cat in the Hat are jaw droppingly bad. They take the whimsey of Seuss and turn it into garishness. They take the magic and make it mean-spirited and ugly.
The Lorax perhaps annoys me the most and it is probably my least favorite animated film I’ve ever seen. Why? Well, it takes a subtle story about conservation and only using what we need and turns it into a greedy capitalist condemnation bore. Any reader can walk away from Seuss’ book and feel like they can and should do something to help the environment. Even something small will make a big difference. People walk away from the Lorax movie thinking ‘those greedy CEO’s. Boy, I’m glad I’m not like them’.
Plus, it looks like neon threw up all over it and the songs are awful. The voicecast is Ok but kind of shouty and annoying. I also have to hold it accountable for being an anti-greed and capitalist story and yet when the movie came out it was pimped out to everything from IHOP to Mazda. What a joke. Again Hollywood thinking we are all stupid and showing they will do anything to make an extra buck even stomping on Seuss’ genius.
10. What Women Want-
I would like to remind you that I am actually a defender of the romantic comedy. I made a whole video about it on youtube.
That said, there are a lot of terrible romcom’s I could have put on the list. I could have gone with Failure to Launch, What Happens in Vegas, Ghost of Girlfriends Past, Fools Gold, etc.
What Women Want is especially putrid because of what it claims to say about women. The gimmick in the film is that Mel Gibson can hear what women are thinking after an accident. Could be cute right? Well, according to this movie all women think about is being with men, lusting after men, being dumped by men and how well endowed men are.
Even Gibson’s daughter is preoccupied with sex and wondering if she should sleep with her boyfriend at prom and if she will be pretty enough for him.
The absolute worst part is Marisa Tomei who is a conquest of Gibson’s but in hearing her thoughts he realizes he needs to be extra good in the sack for her because she deserves it. Groan. Women in this movie have all their ‘wants’ met if they are satisfied sexually. That sounds like what men want to believe women want. That’s how shallow a movie it is.
It’s just distasteful, uncomfortable, embarrassing, and awful and I don’t know what usually reliable Nancy Meyers (that’s right it is directed by a woman) was thinking. Not one realization he has is anything that I want. I must be some kind of mutant because here all women are exactly the same. Shame, shame, shame.
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Honorable Mention-
The movie I hated the most as a little girl was Return to Oz. I recognize this movie has a certain visual style but it was my most unpleasant experience at the movies and I don’t know how I ended up seeing it.
We take our lovely story of Dorothy and her journey home and add electroshock therapy, restraints, mean family members, wheelies, a hallway of heads, and an overall look and feel that is ugly and mean. I see why some who like that aesthetic like it but I hate it.
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So there you go. You asked for it and I delivered. Now let’s get back to positive happy movie reviews!
Tonight is the beginning of season 5 of Downton Abbey. I have been a fan of the show since 2011. Here is a post I wrote about it in February 2012.
http://smilingldsgirl.com/2012/02/23/downton-abbey/
The Show:
I don’t watch that many dramas on TV because most have gotten too R rated in their content (too much nudity, profanity, violence etc). I did watch a little of Gothem this year and enjoyed that but most of the time I end up watching either reality TV (Survivor, Big Brother, Amazing Race) or comedies (Goldbergs, The Middle, Simpsons).
So when I found Downton Abbey on PBS I was thrilled. It is a show about the aristocratic family The Crawley’s in early 1900 Great Britain. It is considered the post-Edwardian era by historians and it was a time of change away from the old caste systems to a more equal playing field.
The first episode of the show starts in 1912 and by the end of season 5 we are at 1925. The show maintains a ton of characters both upstairs and down and the acting is across the board great.
Writer Julian Fellowes does a great job of integrating all the characters with the immaculate costumes and sets. The tone is soapy but always with real heart. Even a character like Mary Crawley who under a less capable pen (and actress) would be a one-note snob but here she is more nuanced and tough to pin down. One moment you hate her and then she does something really likable.
A lot of people have turned off the show because in season 3 they had 2 big castmembers who left the show and were killed off. Then in season 4 a rape occurs which is brutal and tough to watch but I thought well acted and probably pretty realistic to what would happen to a raped servant in that age.
It will be interesting to see what happens in Season 5. Very excited!
Character Profile:
It was hard to decide a character to profile because I love so many of them but I decided to pick a person who in a way bridges both the upstairs and downstairs world- Isobel Crawley.
A working class relation by marriage to the Crawley’s, Isobel is the widowed wife, daughter and sister of doctors and is a trained nurse, a skill that comes into play frequently on the show. She also interacts often with Dr Clarkson who may be a potential love interest?
Isobel is played by legendary British actress (and dame I think?) Penelope Wilton. She is lovely in her performance managing to pull of a strength and hidden vulnerability. On one hand you feel she is more noble than some of the Crawleys but on the other it seems like she is way over her head.
What gets her into trouble on occasion is her desire to help people. Being from another class than the Crawley’s she often fights for people in the servant class whether it insisting on a new treatment for a man with dropsy in season 1 or helping shunned Ethel who is reduced to prostitution after meeting hard times (in that plot line even the staff is violently opposed to the hire).
Her relationship with the entire Downton staff is lovely. She is on a different level but kind of like Branson she both dines with the family and has worked with Mrs Hughes and others on a pretty equal playing field. I like that she both obeys conventions and defies them at the same time.
In fact, when they arrive at Downton she tells Matthew “What they expect is that we won’t know how to behave so if you don’t mind, I would rather not confirm their expectations”. I think that sums up how she lives her life- self-aware, confident, willing to please others, but also wanting the best for herself and her son. I would say she wants to defy expectations by both the staff and family of the house.
Isobel is also at constant war with Lady Violet played unforgettably played by Dame Maggie Smith. The writing between these two dynamic women (both characters and actresses) is the best in the show.
In season 4 we got to see a new side of Isobel who has lost her Matthew, her only son. There was a new vulnerability and a sense she does not handle grief with the perfection we might have expected. She isolates herself and only comes out to see little George. I am very curious to see where her story goes and what Fellowes does with her as both a lonely but independent woman.
I do have one plea to the show. It started out with a good mixture of light humorous banter mixed with drama and soapy conflict. With the deaths in season 3 and rape in 4 the show got considerably darker and I miss the wit and fun. I hope we can get back some of that lightness. Not that I want the show to be silly but a lighter tone would be nice. There are plenty of shows on TV with anti-heroes and conflicted, wounded creatures. I watch Downton for the great writing and bubbly look at a different era. The drama should absolutely be there but give us a break from time to time.
But even if it continues to be dark I know I can count on Isobel Crawley to be one of the most fascinating and hard to pin down characters on the show. That’s what great writing, production values and acting can do for a character. Can’t wait for tonight!!!
Who is your favorite Downton Abbey character? What do you think of Isobel? Do you agree with me on the tone of the show?
I finally got a chance to see Begin Again tonight, the musical dramedy written and directed by John Carney creator of indy smash Once. With the current dearth of romantic comedies I was looking forward to this movie and while it is not terrible I was disappointed.
Trailer:
Cast:
Keira Knightley as Gretta James, a songwriter
Mark Ruffalo as Dan Mulligan, a music producer
Adam Levine as Dave Kohl, Gretta’s ex-boyfriend and a successful musician
Catherine Keener as Miriam Hart, Dan’s estranged wife
Hailee Steinfeld as Violet Mulligan, Dan and Miriam’s daughter
James Corden as Steve, Gretta’s best friend
CeeLo Green as Troublegum, a successful rapper who was discovered by Dan
Mos Def as Saul, Dan’s long-time business partner
Spoiler Alert! I will discuss some details of the movie.
Begin Again has a lot in common with Once. Both movies are about new artists, one male, one female, that are idealistic and pure believers in music and them creating their first album.
But there are some big key differences.
First, I’m sorry but the songs in Once are just better. I did not believe any of the songs in Begin Again were legitimate hits where Once had several including the actual hit Falling Softly (and Oscar winner for Best Original Song) .
The songs in Once were so good they could be used to make a Tony winning broadway musical. You couldn’t do that with the Begin Again songs, and since the whole point of the movie is that Kiera Knightly’s songs are somehow so brilliant it doesn’t feel genuine.
Second, the singing isn’t as good. Mark Ruffalo doesn’t actually sing like Glen Hansard does in Once and Kiera Knightly is not nearly as good a singer as Marketa Irglova. All of the songs are written with a small range and she still doesn’t sound very good. Certainly nothing that would make a record executive stop in a drunken stupor and drop all and work with this ‘amazing’ talent.
Third, in Once the ‘Guy’ and ‘Girl’ are so likable despite not having names. In both movies they are in love with music and not really each other but it comes off so much more of a real and meaningful relationship in Once.
Part of the problem is that Ruffalo is such a mess that I didn’t like him or find him charming. In fact, there was a side of me that was nervous for Knightley’s character that he might take advantage of her (borderline creepy persona). Knightly was bland, niave and kind of preachy about people who actually want to make a career out of music (the shame!). I found her to be a little insufferable.
In Once ‘Girl’ has a child which gives her warmth and keeps you rooting for her. In Begin Again Ruffalo is estranged from his daughter played quite well by Hailee Steinfeld. When we first meet him he picks his daughter up clearly inebriated. This makes me instantly dislike him, where in Once I love the characters who are trying so hard for the chance to record. Ruffalo is an executive who has blown his chance and is fired. It’s not as motivating a character arc and we don’t see as much growth.
Fourth, in Once they are shown practicing so they are ready for the big recording session. They practice outside, in apartments, piano stores etc. In Begin Again the conceit is that they are going to screw the traditional recording studio and record an album in New York live.
It is an absolutely laughable idea that a releasable album could be filmed in and around the city of New York in one or two takes and with all back up willing to work for free! We officially cross the line into a fairytale with scenes of recording in the Subway and officers ‘catching’ them mid song and them running away. You can actually get permits to play in the New York Subway but the idea that a band of that size could get all the amps and everything set up and then record a track and then the cops come? Give me a break!
Maybe it isn’t fair to compare it to its younger, fairer cousin but when you have the same director, writer and a nearly identical premise it’s tough not too. Begin Again is just not as good. It feels like a lame sequel where they just kind of spew out a weaker version of the original. It’s not offensively awful and people are trying but why settle for sloppy seconds when you can easily enjoy the real deal first course?
The only part that surprised me about Begin Again is Adam Levine as Knightley’s rock star boyfriend isn’t half bad. In the world of musicians turned actors he is pretty engaging on screen. Granted he is playing a rock star which isn’t much a stretch but certainly other stars haven’t been able to pull off similar feats as well. He has the one good song at the end of the movie (big surprise there!).
I just wanted a feel good romance and so was hoping at least the characters would be engaging but I didn’t get into it. The premise was too silly, characters patronizing or unlikable and the songs (a big part of the movie) weren’t very good. Overall let down…
There is a lot of swearing in the movie but not much else that is offensive. Not quite as much swearing as in Once (although much of that was in Irish accent which was hard to understand). But I would say Begin Again is adult only because of language.
Clean Content Score- D, Overall Grade- C, not terrible but extremely average.
I don’t know how familiar most of you are with youtube but the channel which will make a top 10 of everything (they literally have a top 10 evil despot list…,) watchmojo, has recently come out with a series on the top animated films by decade. I will share some of my thoughts of their lists and what I would change.
For starters, I wouldn’t factor in success or how it changed the genre. For my lists it would just be my favorites but I am sure for their channel they need more criteria. It just seems like there are too many things that are popular or groundbreaking without necessarily being good.
1920-1970-
I understand having to go off of the decade idea but why not do a golden age list, xerox list, ect? You could do 1920-1950, 1950-1979. Even that would be better than 1920-1970 but whatever that was their choice. For the most part its hard to argue with the quality of films on this list; although, I kind of feel like Charlotte’s Web made the cut because they needed a non-Disney. I love Charlotte’s Web. I included it on my Top 11 Forgotten Animated Films. But in the first 50 years of animated films it wouldn’t make my top 10.
I also would definitely not include Peter Pan, which disappointed me probably the most on rewatch. Pinocchio and Bambi are artistic masterpieces but just not top 10 favorites for me, but I don’t mind them being on the list and I like them. I personally would add Jungle Book and Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (not even an HM?) in place of Charlotte’s Web and Peter Pan, but there isn’t a ‘bad’ movie on their list (too much to pick from over 50 years!)
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
– “Lady and the Tramp” (1955)
– “Dumbo” (1941)
– “The Sword in the Stone” (1963)
– “The Jungle Book” (1967)
– “Robin Hood” (1973)
1980-1989
Someone took a long drink from the anime train in creating this list. I can’t disagree with any of the Studio Ghibli picks and I have not seen Grave of the Fireflies or Akira but they are on my list to see. Fox and the Hound is so corny I struggle including it; although, it certainly is better than other 80’s Disney offerings like Black Cauldron (which I don’t hate but has big flaws) and Oliver and Company.
I personally would take out Fox and the Hound (and certainly never put it 3rd!) and put Transformers on the list (it’s really good! Blows the Michael Bay monstrosities out the window). I would also pick Secret of Nimh over An American Tail even though I like Tail, Nimh is sooo great with such a dynamic central female character and mother. You certainly will have no quibble with me on their #1 pick! Little Mermaid is my favorite movie of the 80s period animated or live action.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
– “The Transformers: The Movie” (1986)
– “The Secret of NIMH” (1982)
– “Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind” (1984)
1990-1999-
This is a really solid list with few quibbles from me. I have not seen Ghost in the Shell but will add it to the list of anime I need to see. The only other strange addition is James and the Giant Peach because on their 80’s video they said no live action/animated hybrids and so Who Framed Roger Rabbit was out. James and the Giant Peach has an extended section that is live action (not just a few minutes like Lego Movie). What’s up watchmojo?
I love Prince of Egypt so that would probably sub out for James but other than that no issue with this list. Solid picks. (The order I could squabble with but I’ll give them that). I loved Rescuers Down Under more than the average bloke so if it was solely on my preferences might have put that in and I really do like Tarzan but tough to argue with their choices
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
– “Antz” (1998)
– “The Prince of Egypt” (1998)
– “Tarzan” (1999)
– “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (1996)
– “Pocahontas” (1995)
2000-2009
This is another solid list with a lot of predictable choices. If I was just going off my personal preferences Shrek would definitely not make the list as I find those movies grating and obnoxious. I am also not the biggest Wes Anderson fan and his style in a children’s film with Fantastic Mr Fox wasn’t a huge fan of although the film looks great. I would have added The Triplets of Belleville, which is an animated french movie which blew me away. Corpse Bride absolutely belongs on the list and Howl’s Moving Castle. Both I think are much better than Monsters Inc even though I like MI).
I also love Emperor’s New Groove and Atlantis: The Lost Empire more than the average person, but I can see why they wouldn’t have made the list. Waltz with Bashir if a stunning adult animated film that I love and I think Chicken Run is better than the Wallace and Gromit; although I like WandG. That said, it is a solid list and I can see it totally being a popular opinion. For the record, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs wouldn’t get an HM from me! I have also found Lilo & Stitch to grow on me (own it on blu-ray now) even though I still hate Stitch’s design and personality. What I like I love!
Up is my favorite movie period, not just animated movie so no issue with me with that at #1 and Spirited Away, Finding Nemo, Incredibles, Rataouille, and Wall-e are masterpieces.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
– “Kung Fu Panda” (2008)
– “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” (2009)
– “Lilo & Stitch” (2002)
– “The Emperor’s New Groove” (2000)
– “Chicken Run” (2000)
2010-present
Another solid and probably very popular list (although Frozen haters will be up in arms. Go Frozen!). I am not a big fan of Wreck-it Ralph although I see why others like it and don’t dislike it just not as in love with it as others. It wouldn’t make my personal list. I have also not seen Rango as most of my friends hated it (not sure why but they did so I never saw it). Glad to see Ernest and Celestine mentioned as that is such a lovely film (although Secret of Kells is great too).
I guess they were only going with children’s movies for these lists because Persepolis would have been cool to see. I also loved Big Hero 6 and would put that in the Despicable Me spot (not that big a fan of those movies but I like the Minions!). I also recently rewatched Paranorman and liked it even better on rewatch. That would have gotten my Wreck-it Ralph spot. But still a solid list. It is kind of strange they go 50 years in first year and only 5 in final list (bad planning watchmojo?). Definitely no arguments from me on their #1 movie. Toy Story 3 made me cry my eyes out and it was tense, exciting, scary, and gorgeous- a practically perfect animated film.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
– Wind Rises
– Monsters University
– Bolt
– Megamind
– Frankenweenie
– Secret World of Ariety
So what do you think of Watchmojo’s list and my comments? Where are they way off? Where am I way off? What do you agree with? As I well know nothing invites debate like the making of lists, so comment away. Thanks!
Here’s a little defense I did on my other blog of Where the Wild Things Are, a very polarizing movie. The group I went with 2 thought it was brilliant, 2 hated it. I was so moved by it. To me it conquered a side of childhood that is rarely shown in the movies- the brooding thoughtful side. I was that kid and so I bonded with this movie and it really spoke to me. Definitely in the running for top 20 favorite movies. The voice cast is brilliant. The puppets are so refreshing from CGI and the subtle message about accepting people for their best efforts even when it breaks are hearts they can’t be more, is lovely. I just love it.
Today I thought I would start a new series on the blog where I profile characters in television and movies that mean a lot to me.
There is nothing in television or movies that has consistently brought me more joy than The Simpsons. Yes, I realize its glory days are behind it but I still enjoy the show. It still makes me laugh and I’ve been watching it since it premiered in 1989. Think about that! The show has been on the air and part of my life for 25 years! Wow! It’s brilliant, funny, satirical, smart, beautiful, creative and full of heart.
The Simpsons has many great characters but my favorite is Lisa.
Lisa is a great character for so many reasons. I love her sincerity. She so wants the world to be a better place and unfailingly believes in other people. A great example is an episode called Lisa and the Old Man where she even believes that Mr Burns can change and become a good person.
Another great Lisa episode is called Make Room for Lisa where she gets a chance to go inside her father’s head and realizes how much he tries to do to make her happy. It’s sincere and funny and just everything I love about the character.
Lisa is really the moral compass of the show and there are many great moments of her standing up for what is right whether it be vegetarianism, environmentalism, feminism or just being honest. I love Lisa gets an A where Lisa gets distracted from her studies with a video game and cheats on a test. Her guilt at her unearned A eats at her and is a wonderful episode.
She is also by no means a perfect character. She is easily influenced by the desire to have friends and be accepted (who can’t relate to that?). Some of her best episodes are when she finally feels accepted like in The Summer of 4 ft 2. This is where the Simpsons go to the Flanders beach house and Lisa decides to put a new image to be accepted by the new kids. To her surprise they love her and Bart gets very jealous eventually exposing the real Lisa to the kids. It’s a great Lisa/Bart episode and one where she is in the end actually accepted.
In an episode from just last season Brick Like Me, she gleefully spends time with her Dad putting together Legos (she’s still a little girl on the show) until some friends come along and she drops him to go see the Hunger Games.
Other episodes I love for Lisa are Moaning Lisa where she finally finds someone who understands her (and her music). Who can’t relate to that desire to be understood by someone?
I love The Secret War of Lisa Simpson where Bart get’s sent to military school and Lisa sensing a better education decides to join him. At first marginalized because she is a girl Lisa is forced to overcome sexisim, loneliness and bond with her brother in a new way.
Lisa the Vegetarian is also a winner where Lisa realizes she doesn’t want to kill animals and eat them. At first she wants to bully people into seeing things her way and then she realizes she needs to let others make their own choices.
My Sister, the Sitter is another great one where Lisa tries so hard to be a good babysitter but Bart is insulted to have his younger sister babysitting him so he makes it difficult. If there is anything great about Lisa it’s that she tries so hard at everything.
Probably her most iconic episode is I Love Lisa in which Ralphie Wigham falls in love with her after she gives him a train valentine. Her temper (another great character attribute) gets her into trouble here.
Lisa can also be jealous, which is terrifically demonstrated in an episode called Lisa’s Rival in which a girl comes into town who is smarter, prettier and even plays the saxophone better than her.
Mostly I relate to Lisa because of her affection for people and the way she sincerely bonds with others, wanting the best for them. It’s a tribute to the show and Yeardley Smith’s great vocals that such a depth of feeling can be developed in such short period of a 22 minute episode. One example is Lisa’s Substitute where she gets a new teacher who inspires her and Homer almost ruins it. The ending is perfect and makes me tear up every time.
There are so many episodes I could list where I love Lisa. She is a wonderful creation and is perhaps taken for granted a little bit by even Simpsons fans who tend to focus on Homer and Bart. Without her the show would have lasted a couple seasons. She is the heart and soul of the show, and I just love her. Tip of the hat to Yeardley Smith for brilliant vocal work creating a character I love so much.
What are your favorite Lisa moments?
And for some reason people are always surprised to hear I love The Simpsons. Yep, this Mormon girl loves The Simpsons!
Hollywood’s latest stab at the Broadway musical adaptation, Disney’s Into the Woods, is mostly great, even brilliant, except when it isn’t. I’ve rarely left a movie feeling more befuddled and mixed in my responses. One side of me loved it and another was very frustrated.
In fact, if you had asked me at the 1 1/2 hour mark what I thought it would have been an enthusiastic A+ when it seemed like everything was ending and happy and then it took a turn. In the movie’s defense the play takes that same turn but it felt like one ending too many and honestly it was a part of the play I was hoping would be omitted or glossed over.
Well, let’s talk about the good things because there are a lot. Most importantly the singing. It is uniformly great. There is no Russell Crowe or Pierce Brosnan to suffer through. They all sound Broadway level quality. Some we knew could sing like Meryl Streep (Mamma Mia, Prairie Home Companion), Anna Kendrick (Pitch Perfect), and Johnny Depp (Sweeney Todd). Others were not familiar to me as singers but do very well like Emily Blunt and Chris Pine.
I have no complaints about the singing and that is saying something because Stephen Sondheim’s music is no easy task to perform. He is extremely challenging to sing because his musicals aren’t all that melodic and he loves minor keys and strange chords and key signatures. On the Steps of the Palace changes keys like 4 times in 1 song. It’s extremely difficult but they all did a great job.
The cast was also uniformly strong in their acting of these fairytale roles. Meryl Streep is great, and Oscar Winner Colleen Atwood deserves another for the amazing costume and makeup.
Johnny Depp was actually very good as the Wolf. It is the best I’ve seen him in since Finding Neverland. It is another fairytale like creature but in small doses I didn’t mind it (I’m so sick of Johnny Depp/Tim Burton pairing). He’s only in the movie for 2 or 3 brief scenes but he does them very well.
Anna Kendrick is also good as a very modern version of Cinderella. She can’t decide whether she wants to be a princess or not which is a clever take on the story.
Chris Pine and Billy Magnusson are also hilarious as the two princes’ singing the play’s best song Agony.
Like I said if the movie had ended at 1 and half hour in I would have been thrilled with it. It’s a tacked on 2nd act in the final 30-45 minutes that begins to lose me.
I don’t want to spoil anything but basically Into the Woods is a combination in one movie of Cinderella, Snow White, Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood and Jack and the Beanstalk.
The new characters are The Baker and The Baker’s Wife (Emily Blunt and James Drenton) who get told by The Witch there is a curse on their family and they must bring her back 4 items from the Woods to break the curse. Naturally each of these 4 items are a part of the 4 fairytales.
But the last third of the story that narrative is kind of abandoned and we get a bit of a disaster/fight the giant sequence where people die, are unfaithful and everything gets very serious. It just bummed me out because we were on such a high and then ended on a semi-high. Still good but not as excited as I was at 90 minute mark.
Oh well. What I did like I really liked. The look of the film is dark but with a certain cheerful spooky feel to it. Tracy Ulman is fun as Jack’s Mother and it’s fun to see her back on screen again.
The CGI looks fine because most of it is in the dark at night and I find darkness a bit more forgiving with CGI.
Basically I really enjoyed it until that last third. It’s a joke it got a PG rating when you have multiple characters dying, 2 being eaten, feet getting severed, characters blinded, and a woman who is unfaithful to her husband. Stupid MPAA. If I had kids those would all be points of concern. I mean I don’t want to be explaining to my little child why the Bakers Wife is kissing another man. I wish they had toned that part down from the original play. I haven’t seen the play in probably 10 years so I couldn’t remember. I just hate it when you feel like everyone in the movie is a jerk. Need someone to root for.
Well, I can’t really give much else away without spoiling it. Just keep in mind- I liked it, except that last 1/3rd when the personalities and tone shift.
Still a definite recommendation based on the great singing, costumes, and an overall entertaining movie
Overall Grade- B
Jeremy Jahns and I are on totally the same page on this one
I’ve divided my choices into 3 categories- so excited, cautiously optimistic, will probably suck but maybe?
So excited!!!- I’m on board and anxiously awaiting these films
Star Wars: The Force Awakens-
The trailer blew me away. I trust JJ Abrams to redeem the franchise. Don’t let me down!
Avengers: Age of Ultron-
I also trust Joss Whedon and Kevin Feige and the team at Marvel. After an amazing 2014 with Guardians and Captain 2 I’m expecting great things.
Song of the Sea-
Technically a 2014 release but doesn’t come to my theater till February. So excited. It looks stunning and I’ve loved everything Cartoon Palooza has done to this point.
Mission Impossible V-
Ghost Protocol was the strongest of the series so I’m optimistic about 5 even with the director change. Cast is all back and it should be a fun spy movie. Hopefully more Ghost Protocol and less MI 3.
Pitch Perfect 2-
Original was one of my favorite comedies in the least 5 years. Acapella was a big deal at my college so I loved the music and the trailer looks decent. I just want to laugh and hear some good acapella. Elizabeth Banks is directing this one so that is promising.
Tomorrowland-
Great teaser trailer, have no idea what it’s about I’m intrigued. You add the words ‘directed by Brad Bird and starring George Clooney’ and I’m on board.
Inside Out-
I was intrigued by trailer 1 but trailer 2 blew me away. I am so excited to have 2 original Pixar movies in 1 year but Inside Out excites me the most! Wahoo!
Cautiously Optimistic- They could be terrible but there are serious reason to hope they won’t
Jurassic World-
The idea of anyone going back to that island, let alone it actually opening is going to be tough to believe but the trailer looked ok and it has a pretty good cast with Chris Pratt, Bryce dallas Howard, BD Wong and Judy Greer, so I’m hopeful.
Fantastic Four-
Fox has yet to be able to make a good Fantastic Four movie so we will see if Chronicle (underrated but fabulous superhero movie) director Josh Trank can make it happen. Great cast with Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael B Jordan, Toby Kobbell and more. Enough to get me on board.
Minions-
I’m actually not a huge fan of the Despicable Me movies but the part I do like is The Minions so I’m hoping it will be good. Aside from Pixar it’s not looking great for animation.
Cinderella-
If a fairytale retelling is going to work for me it is going to be Cinderella as I have already seen it in Slipper and the Rose and Ever After and enjoyed those. I am very nervous they are going to ruin the mice and after Maleficent and Alice in Wonderland I have no faith in Disney.
The Good Dinosaur-
I still feel a lot of mystery about this movie. I have no idea if it is a comedy or drama. All I know is it is about the world if Dinosaurs had never gone extinct. Good voice cast and I will always be pulling for an original Pixar.
It has gone through development hell with talk of it going way back to 2009 but as many movies have shown production issues do not always make for a bad movie- Wizard of Oz, Star Wars, Jaws all had production nightmares and are considered by most as 3 of the cinemas great movies.
Pan-
I’m not the world’s largest Peter Pan fan and it feels a little unnecessary but I liked the trailer and director Joe Wright has made some good movies (Pride and Prejudice, Atonement, Hanna, Anna Karenina) where he has made interesting visual choices.
It also has a pretty good cast with Hugh Jackman as Blackbeard, Garrett Hedlund as Captain Hook and Rooney Mara as Tiger Lily (strange casting).
So we will see!
Jungle Book-
2 versions are eventually coming out but I believe only the Disney is coming out next year. Jon Favreau directs and he seems to be able to be successful in just about any genre creating winners in everything from Elf to Ironman so that’s good.
The cast is also very promising with Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley, Idris Elba, Scarlett Johansson, Lupita Nyong’o, and Christopher Walken.
I hope they will change that terrible ending.
Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel-
I don’t know if we needed a sequel but I enjoyed the first and the cast is back so I’m game.
Will Probably Suck But Holding Out Hope
Peanuts-
Mr Peabody and Sherman gave me hope that Hollywood may not destroy the franchises of my youth. I’m skeptical of the CG transformation but if the writing is good,it could be good like Sherman.
Paul Bart Mall Cop-
I actually though the first one was funny. This will probably be terrible but I always hold out hope that Kevin James and team will find a way to make me laugh. Cross fingers!
Paddington-
I usually hate CGI live action movies (don’t even mention the Smurfs around me…) but the buzz I’m hearing from youtubers over in Great Britain is really positive. The trailer looks terrible, so who knows!
What do you guys think? Doesn’t look as good a year as 2014 but I won’t be bedridden in 2015 so it all works out.
