ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT

ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT - 1930

RATED - NR. Plenty of war violence but not graphic. Mature themes. Would likely be PG today.

RATINGS - 110 Amazon (4.5/5), 13,086 IMBD (8.1/10), TV Guide (5/5)-'Best anti-war picture ever.'

AWARDS - Two Academy Awards for BEST PICTURE & BEST DIRECTOR plus two more Academy nominations. AFI TOP 100 nominee.

STORY - Based on the best selling novel of the same title by Erich Maria Remarque, which is based on his personal experience during WWI. But it is a story for all time, all nations and all wars. Just a reminder, that though the U.S. entered the war late, we still lost 120,000 soldiers in the waning months of the war. The film begins with German soldiers marching triumphantly through a German city with dozens of young women running up to hug and kiss the young men. As the camera pans back you see that you are looking through the windows of a university classroom out onto the streets. The older professor lecturing to the all male class begins to talk passionately of patriotism and giving one's life for the Fatherland. Before long, the entire class (except one who reluctantly joins in later) is shouting and singing patriotic slogans and songs. They all march down to enlist thinking among other things that this will be a great way to avoid class for awhile, that this is just a matter of having some fun and picking up where they left off down the road. The first rude awakening is reporting to their quarters and discovering their CO is the postman in their area who has just been called up. Thinking he's there for fun, also, they quickly learn he's as mean and tough as any CO. It goes downhill from there as they go through basic training and are assigned to that earthly version of hell called trench warfare. Being on the front line means long periods of boredom holed up in a bunker followed by intense bursts of violent combat and then dealing afterward with the physical injuries and psychological wounds incurred. The movie is not about WHY they went to war, it is simply showing the incredible horror of war and when it is waged that the lives of those involved are forever changed. It is said that some countries would prohibit the showing of this when they were preparing for war because of the impact it made on people's thinking about war. A classic. Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 11/23/2007.

LINKS - AMAZON, IMBD, TRAILER

3:10 TO YUMA

3:10 TO YUMA - 1957

RATED - NR but probably PG for non-graphic violence. Family friendly.

RATINGS - 49 Amazon (4.5/5), 2,083 IMBD (7.7/10)

STARRING - Glenn Ford & Van Heflin

AWARDS - 1959 BAFTA Best Film nominee

THEMES - Justice, moral choices, courage, family.

STORY - This is the prequel to the current 3:10 TO YUMA starring Russell Crowe. The endings are different and the 2007 version earns its R rating with some very graphic violence but Crowe does a great job and it might be an Oscar nomination(s). Having seen both, I like the original. The story is about a hard working rancher/farmer (Van Heflin) who is down on his luck due to the drought and is barely supporting his wife and two young sons. He and his sons accidentally witness the robbery of a stagecoach and the murder of the coach driver. It's the infamous Ben Wade (Glenn Ford) and his ruthless gang. Wade is captured and the owner of the stagecoach line offers $200 to anyone who will guard Wade until they can put him on the 3:10 TO YUMA to take him back to prison from where he had escaped. Heflin, desperate for $200 after having been turned down by the bank for a loan, sees this as an opportunity for the money and as a chance to prove himself to his wife & sons who he believes are disappointed in him. Alone together for almost 4 hours in a hotel room as they await the train there is a kind of mutual admiration as well as hatred. Heflin admires Wade for his material success and self confidence but despises his lack of morality. Wade admires Heflin for his family and moral character but sees him as weak and vulnerable and is totally confident in his ability to bribe Heflin to let him go as well as in his gang who will rescue. The tension builds until you hear the whistle of the 3:10 TO YUMA and Heflin must make his way against great odds from the hotel to the train station. In the tradition of HIGH NOON, this is a well acted and written movie. You can watch this one with the entire family unlike the Crowe version. Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 11/18/2007.

LINKS - AMAZON, IMBD

THE IRON GIANT

THE IRON GIANT - 1999

RATED - PG for fantasy action & mild language.

RATINGS - 415 Amazon (5/5), 25,008 IMBD (7.8/10), Roger Ebert (4/4).

AWARDS - 19 wins & 14 nominations.

THEMES - Friendship, loyalty, sacrifice, justice.

STORY - It's 1957 in Maine. The Cold War is heating up and people are getting paranoid about Russia especially with Sputnik orbiting the earth. Hogarth lives in a wooded area outside a small Maine community with his single mother who works long hours in a restaurant. This gives Hogarth plenty of time to explore and develop his imagination. There is a crash nearby in the woods and rumors start about some giant creature. When Hogarth is watching TV alone at night the picture suddenly turns to snow. Hogarth climbs up on the roof to adjust the antenna only to find part of it missing. He sees a trail of destruction and follows it to the nearest power station where Hogarth finds the unconscious Iron Giant, a 50 foot tall robot like character who must find metal and lots of it to eat to survive. Trying to eat a chunk of the high voltage tower was bad for indigestion. Hogarth saves his life and the adventure begins of trying to protect this friendly giant from the community and a very paranoid government agent determined to destroy first and ask questions later. Unfortunately, many people will skip this wonderful film because it is animated. Don't make that mistake. It's as entertaining for adults as it is for children, particularly if you remember the days of Sputnik, the Cold War, etc. Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 11/17/2007.

LINKS - AMAZON, IMBD, TRAILER, ROGER EBERT

FRIENDLY PERSUASION

FRIENDLY PERSUASION - 1956

RATED - NR but likely PG for some adult themes. VERY family friendly. Some minor war violence.

RATINGS - 63 Amazon (5/5), 1,594 IMBD (7.5/10)

STARRING - Gary Cooper & Dorothy McGuire

AWARDS - 6 Academy Award nominations including Best Picture & Best Music. Other awards and nominations.

THEMES - The Civil War, pacifism, forgiveness, Quakers, family.

STORY - FRIENDLY PERSUASION (1956-NR) was nominated for 6 Academy Awards including Best Picture. Starring Gary Cooper and Dorothy McGuire as Jess & Eliza Birdwell, Quakers living in Southern Indiana during the Civil War. Pacifists according to their Quaker beliefs, they have avoided participating in the Civil War but now the war is infringing on their homes and they must decide whether or not to defend themselves. The tension among the family heightens when their son (played by Anthony Perkins in the role that would make him a star) decides he must take up arms to defend their community. While the film is about a serious, philosophical subject, it is filled with humor and romance. This film is the definition of FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT. The music is great and the characters are portrayed as very human, not too harshly or too lightly. Gary Cooper is great as the straight-laced Quaker father who has a streak of 'worldliness' that keeps coming out-especially on the way to the meeting house (church) when a fellow neighbor Methodist causes a case of 'road rage' between their horse and buggies. Dorothy McGuire is the mother who is also the minister of their Quaker meeting house and takes pacifism as well as straight living very seriously. You almost believe she's as good as she appears until one of the Confederate soldiers attempts to take her pet goose. A long time classic you will be entertained and challenged to think watching this film. Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 11/15/2007

LINKS - AMAZON, IMBD

THE KING OF MASKS

THE KING OF MASKS - 1999

RATING - NR but probably PG for mature themes and some minor violence & brief language.

RATED - 66 Amazon (4.5/5), 1,300 IMBD (7.3/10), Roger Ebert (3/4)

AWARDS - 16 Film Festival awards.

THEMES - Culture, family, love, tradition.

STORY - THE KING OF MASKS (1999-NR) is the story of Wang Bianlian, an aging street performer, who is a master of the art of rapidly changing face masks (figure out how he does it) and has no heirs to pass on his art. In 1930's China, only males are deemed worthy of this inheritance and Wang has none (you learn why later in the film). He lives in poverty on his houseboat traveling from city to city in Sichuan along the river. He is proud of the fact he has never asked for money but always supported himself. A famous female impersonator (only men were allowed to perform so all women's roles were male impersonators) opera star is impressed with his art and becomes his friend and encourages him to find a son, so that his art will not die with him, even offering to partner with him and split the take if Wang will teach him the art but custom was that only a family member could inherit this craft. Wang goes into the black market to find a son. There are many girls for sale (nobody's buying them) and even being given away but he's looking for a son. He finds one and pays top dollar for him only to find out later that he should have checked all the parts because he has a daughter not a son. He is enraged and distraught at having been deceived. The rest of the story plays out what happens between him and 'Doggie', his daughter that he tries to disown, along with a few surprises thrown in. It apparently is based on a true story and gives you a wonderful look at China and its people and geography. Except for brief language this is a family film and children will love 'Doggie' and her struggle to survive in a male dominated world. A heart warming story of two people trying to make sense of the culture they live in. 5 STARS. Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 11/10/2007.

LINKS - AMAZON, IMBD, TRAILER, ROGER EBERT

THE INN OF THE SIXTH HAPPINESS

THE INN OF THE SIXTH HAPPINESS - 1958

RATING - NR but probably G. VERY family friendly.

RATED - 68 Amazon (4.5/5), 1,010 IMBD (7.1/10)

AWARDS - One Academy Award & two BAFTA nominations.

STARRING - Ingrid Bergman

THEMES - Love, self-sacrifice, justice.

STORY - THE INN OF THE SIXTH HAPPINESS is an Academy Award nominee epic starring Ingrid Bergman as Gladys Aylward, a young British maid who, despite being turned down by the China Mission in London, is determined to go to China as a missionary. Based on the novel, 'The Little Woman', which is based on the true story of Aylward, this is the story of her life in a small village in the heart of China. There she meets up with an older missionary lady who is trying to restore an old inn into an inn for the mule caravans that pass thru the village. The two women finally get it fixed up and then they must attract their customers, a very amusing scene. At first not trusted by the locals, she eventually wins their confidence thru her sacrificial lifestyle and even sees the conversion of a powerful Mandarin in a very moving scene. When the Japanese invade, the lives of many orphans are threatened and Gladys (now Jenai) must find a way to lead the 100 children to safety. This is a wonderful film with adventure and drama and, of course, a little romance thrown in. Well worth watching. They just don't make these kind of films anymore where virtue and self-sacrifice are emphasized the way they are in THE INN OF THE SIXTH HAPPINESS. Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 11/10/2007.

LINKS - AMAZON, IMBD

THE BELLS OF ST. MARY'S

THE BELLS OF ST. MARY'S - 1945

RATED -NR but a VERY family friendly film

STARRING - Ingrid Bergman & Bing Crosby

AWARDS - One Academy Award (Best Sound) and seven other Academy nominations including Best Picture.

RATINGS - 39 Amazon (4.5/5), 1,633 IMBD (7.4/10) TV Guide (5/5)

THEMES - Faith, reconciliation, teamwork, love

STORY - Probably saying Bing Crosby & Ingrid Bergman in the same sentence would be enough. They were both at the top of their game. Crosby is Father O'Malley who is the new pastor assigned to help the financially troubled St. Mary's. Bergman is Sister Benedict who runs the school. She has great faith that all of their problems will be resolved by praying and O'Malley sees the solutions from a more worldly view. They immediately clash when O'Malley gives the students a holiday his first day on the job, much to Bergman's frustration. That is only the beginning of their differences. They both live under the tension of financial pressure that may force them to sell the school. They had already sold their playground to raise money to repair the ancient building. Will the school survive and will they survive each other? Will faith and prayer carry the day or will it be up to O'Malley to work a more practical solution? A wonderful story and, of course, a few songs thrown in. A reminder that 'feel good' movies can be entertaining and while the 'realism' of the 1940's may not be the 'realism' of today, it is a very worthwhile film. A genuine classic. Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 11/3/2007.

LINKS - AMAZON, IMBD