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The ROOKIE
with
Dennis Quaid, Rachel Griffiths, Brian Cox, Beth Grant, and Jay Hernandez is a
true story about baseball pro pitcher Jim Morris. As a kid, he's caught up in
the merry-go-round of moving every year as a military family. He's drafted to
the minors, but never makes it out due to a shoulder injury-his fate brings
him back to Big Lake TX, marries, has kids, teaches science at the local high
school (most likely the only one-Big Lake taint too big, even for TX!) and
coaches high school baseball.
The theme of the movie is-it's never too late. He
instills winning in his team by making a deal with the kids-(actually, the
kids create the deal)-if they win the district championship, Coach Morris will
try one more time for the major leagues. The kids win. . .and Jim goes for it,
bringing his 3 kids to the try-outs.
Who Should See It?
-If you liked Remember the Titans, you will like this one. It's a feel
good, safe flick for the entire family. 4 Golden
Eggs.
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MONSOON WEDDING
delayers a wedding that includes family members from America and India-of
course, there are always secrets that pop up in these events and Monsoon
Wedding has its share. It's both comedy and a love story-underneath the
appearance that all is in order, is a tad of dysfunctional family tension,
intrigues and an affair or two. Three languages are used-English, Hindi and
Punjabi (the later two have sub-titles); the colors used throughout the movie
are brilliant, the contrasts of society evident; and the importance of family
is woven throughout as well as the sense that all will end well, with and
without the potholes of life. Who Should See It?
-not kids, this is an adult film. 4 Golden Eggs.
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BEAUTY and the BEAST
--IMAX version is back with a few new scenes and a new song. Seeing it on the
big, big IMAX screen creates a 3-D experience. Who
Should See It? -perfect for families of all ages...it's wonderful.
5 Golden Eggs.
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ICE AGE
is an
animated movie that has humor and shouldn't spook kids. With Manfried (Manny)
the woolly mammoth and protector of Sid the sloth, they set out to head south
for the winter. Manny will do just about anything to dump the pesky Sid. Along
the way, the two discover a human baby and Sid wants to return it to the
humans--Manny wants nothing to do with it. Sid gets his way and the two set
out to reunite the baby, only to be tracked by Diego, a nasty saber-toothed
tiger who fools Manny and Sid into thinking he wants to help them in their
quest. The fourth character, Scrat is some type of a prehistoric rat or
squirrel whose personal quest is to bury an acorn. As the story unfolds, the
viewer learns about working together, right and wrong and that families/teams
come in all kids of combinations. Who Should See It?
--kids and parents. I saw it surrounded by four and five-year olds-lots of
giggles. 4 Golden Eggs.
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HARRISONS FLOWERS
with Andie MacDowell, Elias Koteas, Brendan Gleeson, Adrien Brody, David
Strathairn, and Alun Armstrong is a drama about a Pulitzer Prize-winning
photojournalist Harrison Lloyd who is missing on assignment and presumed dead
in a far-off country-think Bosnia. Wife Sarah is sure her husband is not dead
and sets out to find him with camera. She is shocked at what she finds and
what war really is. The flowers? -hubby raises orchids and beautiful they are.
Who Should See It? --not kids-this is an
intense movie.
3 ½ Golden Eggs.
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SHOWTIME
with Robert
De Niro (Mitch) as the no-nonsense detective, Eddie Murphy (Trey) as a cop who
wants to be an actor and detective (if he can't make it as an actor) and Rene
Russo as the ratings obsessed TV producer of a cop reality show. There are
genuine laugh-out-loud scenes...others drag.
Murphy's Trey stumbles into De Niro's bust, screwing it
up. To eliminate the PR damage from De Niro shooting a camera out of the
cameraman's hands, his superiors toss him to the PR wolves to do a mini-series
about cops-Showtime. Murphy becomes his enthusiastic sidekick and an instant
media celebrity. The visual commentary on intrusive reporters is ongoing with
Showtime and is more truth than fiction. What De Niro does for a hobby is a
kick. Who Should See It? --The movie is
mixed, but if you like Murphy and De Niro, you will probably like this one.
2 ½ Golden Eggs.
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KISSING JESSICA STEIN
with Jennifer Westfeldt and Heather Juergensen has a little bit of Annie Hall
and Bridget Jones in it and looks at sex and the single girl. Westfeldt is
Jessica Stein, known by most of her friends as just Stein. She's a neurotic
perfectionist who wears the cap of a NY journalist and paints on the side.
Juergensen is Helen, an assistant director of an art galley. When Stein's
brother announces his engagement, she confronts the issue that there is no one
important man in her life. With a process of elimination of all the men she
knows, she turns to the personal ads...and meets Helen, the perfect
person...but she's a bisexual woman---what will others think?!
Who Should See It?
--For adults--this movie may be uncomfortable for some; the women enter into a
lesbian relationship (or attempt to, but.....)--the dialogue is great...Mom,
Grandma and Stein are a hoot along with her co-workers.
4 Golden Eggs.
© Dr. Judith Briles 2002, All Rights Reserved
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