Friday Film Review

Friday Film Review: Bernard and the Genie

Friday Film Review: Bernard and the Genie

Bernard and the Genie (1991 BBC TV) Genre: Holiday Grade: Very cute While trying to decide on the next movie of this holiday season, I realized we were getting a bit top heavy with animation films. So a few are just going to have to wait until later. But what to review next? I wanted(…)

Friday Film Review: Ziggy’s Gift and A Wish for Wings that Work

Friday Film Review: Ziggy’s Gift and A Wish for Wings that Work

Ziggy’s Gift (1982) Genre: Holiday Animation Grade: B “Love is the answer.” Ziggy’s Gift is a 1982 TV special about Tom Wilson’s cartoon character Ziggy and his dog Fuzz trying to do the right thing. Ziggy wakes up one morning and while getting ready for the day, first hears a TV reporter doing man-on-the-street interviews(…)

Friday Film Review: Tokyo Godfathers

Friday Film Review: Tokyo Godfathers

Tokyo Godfathers (2003) Genre: Anime Dramedy Grade: B+ Looking for a Christmas themed movie that’s not gushy or overly sentimental? Or do you like anime? Then check this one out. Three homeless people, an abandoned baby and it’s Christmas in Tokyo. Ho, ho, ho. Gin – a middle aged man who takes refuge in drink,(…)

Friday Film Review: Die Hard

Friday Film Review: Die Hard

Die Hard (1988) Genre: Action Adventure Grade: B+ Three years ago I did a group review of some of my favorite Christmas movies. A number of you listed your own holiday standbys and for many of you “Die Hard” seems to top the list. When I was thinking about what movies to review this year,(…)

Friday Film Review: Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

Friday Film Review: Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

Miracle on 34th Street (1947) Genre: Holiday/Comedy/Romance Grade: B+ “Faith is believing in things when common sense tells you not to.” I had resisted watching this movie until now due to what I feared would be a schmaltz fest of gooey, sugary pulling of heartstrings. But when another movie I had tentatively selected as a(…)

Friday Film Review: Different for Girls

Friday Film Review: Different for Girls

Different for Girls (1996) Genre: Romantic dramedy Grade: B-/C+ Frankly, I’d forgotten I had this movie in my Netflix queue until I noticed that it was due to be taken off the streaming option. With a viewing deadline looming, I first pulled up the information to refresh my memory of why I’d decided to save(…)

Friday Film Review: John Carter

Friday Film Review: John Carter

John Carter (2012) Genre: SF Action/Adventure Grade: C- I’m coming at this movie from the standpoint of someone who’s never read any of the books on which it’s based nor even read much about the books on which it’s based. I was a John Carter/Barsoom virgin and I don’t think that was a good thing.(…)

Friday Film Review: Genevieve

Friday Film Review: Genevieve

Genevieve (1953) Genre: Comedy Grade: B Originally I had another film lined up for today but yesterday I was reading that this coming weekend is the annual London to Brighton Rally. “That’s it,” I said. “Genevieve is on.” From a little film that the studio heads didn’t think much of and didn’t want to release,(…)

Friday Film Review: Arachnophobia

Friday Film Review: Arachnophobia

Arachnophobia (1990) Genre: Thriller/Comedy Grade: B- “My God, it’s just a spider!” In casting around for this year’s Halloween movie, I remembered this little gem about the numerous offspring of a butt ugly, venomous Venezuelan spider and a hot little Californian babe spider who terrorize an idyllic small town. Yeah, those bastards end up making(…)

Friday Film Review: Pride and Prejudice (1940)

Friday Film Review: Pride and Prejudice (1940)

Pride and Prejudice (1940) Genre: Romance Grade: C+/B- What?! A grade less than fabulous for one of Jane’s masterpieces? Sorry but yes. While I enjoyed some aspects of this interpretation there are just too many eye popping, “oh, tell me they didn’t just do that!” issues for me to overlook. Had I seen this before(…)

Friday Film Review: Shelter

Friday Film Review: Shelter

Shelter (2007) Genre: GLBT Romance Grade: B This movie had been mentioned so many times on other movie reviews here and at Netflix that I knew I needed to see it. I’m probably going to disappoint a lot of people with my grade but while I liked it, it ultimately comes across to me as(…)

Friday Film Review: The Princess Bride

Friday Film Review: The Princess Bride

The Princess Bride (1987) Genre: Fantasy/Fairy Tale/Romance Grade: A- “Death can not stop true love.” “Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.” I’ve actually been a little scared to write this review. It’s been such a favorite story of mine – both the book which I read yonks ago(…)

Friday Film Review: The Triplets of Belleville

Friday Film Review: The Triplets of Belleville

The Triplets of Belleville -Les triplettes de Belleville (2003) Genre: Animation dramedy Grade: B If you haven’t seen this film or any stills from it, prepare yourself for a surrealistic animation style radically different from Disney or Pixar. Not better, not worse but very different. Things are heightened, elongated, exaggerated and unforgettable. My personal feeling(…)

Friday Film Review: Emma (A&E 1996)

Friday Film Review: Emma (A&E 1996)

Emma (1996 A&E TV) Genre: Novel adaptation/Romance/Regency Period Grade: B I was reluctant to watch this adaptation mainly due to the fact that I’m not a great Kate Beckinsale fan. Something about her struck me as distant, controlling and snobby. But my curiosity overcame me and I finally took the plunge and realized that she’s(…)

Friday Film Review: The Three Musketeers (1948)

Friday Film Review: The Three Musketeers (1948)

The Three Musketeers (1948) Genre: Romantic swashbuckler Grade: D+ Am I the only one who doesn’t like this version? True it’s not the absolute horror of the latest Musketeers x steampunk movie. And I liked it better than the Charlie Sheen one – never could get past my feeling that I was watching those actors(…)