August 2

As you can see from the date, this should have been posted before the August 9th posting, but I don't know how to reorder, my apologies.

Well it happened, someone actually beat Yolanda to the punch, it must be noted that she did indeed correctly identify the quote, but Howard Kamen did it first by correctly identifying "The point is, ladies and gentlemen, that greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right. Greed works" coming from Wall Street starring Michael Douglas. Eric was the first west coast person to identify it as well.

Since we saw Yoo-Hoo Mrs. Goldberg this week ( see review below), I thought I'd ask some trivia from the film. What was Gertrude Berg's real first name?

In local Theaters:

Yoo-Hoo Mrs. Goldberg - This documentary tells the story of Gertrude Berg. She truly was the Oprah of her time as she wrote, acted and oversaw everything that had to do with her program from radio to TV. Her dynasty also included clothing lines, a cookbook and product endorsement. The documentary follows Berg from her beginnings writing playlets for children in the Catskills to starring in our her show. Showing clips from her ground breaking sitcom "The Goldbergs" made the film very enjoyable. The comment all of us made after seeing the film was it played like something we would watch on cable. In fact, I believe it will be on a cable station shortly as the audience is quite limited. So when you see it listed, give it a look see. It is worth the 90 plus minutes.

On Netflix and Instant Play

Alice's House - I watched this foreign film on my computer and all I can say is don't waste your time. It was so slow moving and the story left lots of unresolved issues. How it was an official selection at the 2007 Chicago International Film Festival is beyond me. The blurb was inviting; manicurist Alice living with her selfish husband, mother and three sons goes through her mundane life until an innocent flirtation changes everything. There was no excitement or engaging drama for me here. Spend you time better reading a book or watching some inane show on TV.

New on cable TV:

Drop Dead Diva - Although I don't usually tune into the Lifetime channel, The Washington Post had a review of this new TV show and I thought I'd give it a try. It has already aired three times as it is shown on Sundays at 9:00, but you can catch up online by going on to the Lifetime site, It is a dramady in the style of The Starter Wife. This show doesn't have any familiar stars, but it is extremely entertaining. In a nutshell, a very slim not too bright blond dies at the same time an overweight brainy attorney is shot. Next scene is in a Heaven/Hell holding room. By pressing a button on the gatekeeper's computer, the blond is transported into the attorney's body. She retains the attorney's brains, but her own memories. Far fetched, but engaging. The law cases are interesting and not too heady so far. Tune it in and decide for yourself.

Looks like it will be another sticky, hot, rainy Sunday on the east coast, so catch up on a movie.

Roberta

August 6

I guess no one saw the Yoo-Hoo Mrs. Goldberg movie or just didn't have a chance to answer the trivia question. Gertrude Berg's first name was Tillie. In fact, all of her family referred to her as Grandma Tillie or Aunt Tillie. So if this question ever comes up as a Jeopardy question, you'll have the answer at your fingertips.

Let's get back to quotes from the movies. Try this one:

"Then you jump first. No, I said. What's the matter with you? I can't swim. Why, you crazy? The fall will probably kill you."

This week both of my films are based on true stories: one a World War II event and another lighter one of the wines of California.

On Netflix:

Vallkyrie - This WWII movie starring Tom Cruise is based on actual events. Apparently there were 15 attempts on Hitler's life during this reign and this film recreates one of them. Tom Cruise does an admirable job as Col. Claus von Stauffenberg who not only took a leading role in the coup, but was personally assigned to kill Hitler. Once again it is refreshing (an odd word to use to describe a WWII movie) to see that there were good people who thought Hitler was out of control. Sy pointed out that many people were killed in that last year of the war and had this coup been successful, many more would have survived. I was surprised that many of the major players in the film did not even attempt a German accent even though they played Germans. Perhaps the director felt that it was better to not do one than do one poorly. The movie is slow. Sy and I watched it over two nights an hour at a time. Although the story is important and the second hour was a bit more engaging, it could have been edited to 90 minutes.

On Netflix or Instantly on your Computer:

Bottle Shock - This film is based on a true story about how California wineries were put on the map. A blind test was done in France between French wines and California varieties. To the shock of the judges, who were all French, they chose a California chardonnay as the winner. The cast is engaging with Bill Pullman and Alan Rickman who a lot of you know as the Snape character of Harry Potter fame. They throw in dysfunctional family dynamics and a love story, but those are secondary to the main story. If you like wine, but more importantly a nice, pleasant movie, either rent, or watch it on your computer as I did.

Remember if you ever want to catch up on older reviews, they are posted on robertasreviews.blogspot.com

July 19

Well once again Yolanda was first with correctly identifying "She's wonderful! Wherever did you find her? 976-BABE." from Pretty Woman, 1990 starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere.

Try this one: "Can't help it! A girl has her feelings. But, Dil, you're not a girl. Details, baby, Details." (hint: I've already used a quote from this film before.)

On Netflix (and on the Disney Cruise boat)

Hannah Montana, The Movie - While we were on our Disney Cruise they ran first run movies. Movies like The Proposal, Up in 3D and Bolt in 3D were shown. The "big" movie one night was indeed Up, but since I had seen it, my granddaughter Amanda and I went to the second feature which was Hannah Montana, The Movie. Although I've already reviewed Up Eric, Lisa, Wendy, Howard and Sy really liked it as well. I had little expectations for our movie, but was pleasantly surprised. Miley Cyrus is a very likable character and this predicable storyline did have a good lesson. Miley or Hannah (those in the know know what I am talking about) gets too big for her britches and her Dad (Billy Ray Cyrus in real life and on the screen) takes her back home to Tennessee. The story goes from there. She does sing in the movie and some of the same characters from the TV show are in this movie as well. It is a good picture to see with your children and young relatives.

At Your Local Theaters:

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince - I have to start out by saying that I am a Harry Potter fan and have read all of the books. I've been waiting for this movie and was disappointed that the release date was delayed from the Christmas season to summer. That being said, Sy and I went to the movie and I was surprised to see the theater so crowded as it was playing on three screens in this theater alone and it was a beautiful day. This film starts with Harry, Ron and Hermione starting their sixth year at Hogswart School. It sets the stage for the final book which will be made into two movies. The relationships between the main characters and love interests were explored without a lot of special effects. A word of caution, if you haven't read the books, this film might be hard to follow. For the readers of the book, lots of it was left out, but then again the film would have gone on for at least another hour. With running time of 2 hours and 33 minutes, it is long enough, but not so long that it didn't hold my interest. (Sy did think there were a few slow spots) Most people know what happens, but some of my favorite characters have limited screen time mainly Hagrid, but Jim Broadbent playing Professor Horace Slughorn was a wonderful addition to the familiar cast. Alan Richman as Professor Snape still portrays him as the evil character so well and Michael Gambon as Dumbledore is Harry's father figure once again. True to the book and a good way to spend a hot summer afternoon.


I must give a plug to our recent vacation. As some of you know the entire Sherman clan from Virginia and California met in Disney World and spent three days at the park. Since all of us had been to a Disney park before, the Virginia contingency spent the first day at MGM. On our second day the entire group went off to Epcot. The last time I was at Epcot I was disappointed, but they must have done major renovations as we all really enjoyed it. The next day we all went to the Magic Kingdom, what is a Disney vacation without going to the original park. Our last day was spent at the Animal Kingdom. We only stayed for a few hours as we had to join the Disney Cruise. Animal Kingdom too was great. My strong recommendation is to purchase the dining plan. It is well worth the money. We all were entitled to a counter meal, sit down meal and snack each day. It will save you a lot of money and your have numerous choices. Make sure to check with the restaurants to ascertain if they accept the card. Most do and they are good restaurants. Disney is marvelous with allergies. When we mentioned that Amanda had a dairy allergy, at every restaurant the chef came out and told her if she could have the item she chose. They even had tofutti for dessert and special bread for her. We then made our way to the cruise which is a wonderful way to spend a family vacation having people of various ages and different interests. The girls had the opportunity to spend as much time in the Disney camp which started most days at 9 and went to one in the morning. There were activities exclusively for families and adults only. They even an adults only pool and cove. Evening entertainment was quite professional and my granddaughters loved seeing the familiar Disney characters and the added bonus were the Disney stars including Corbin Bleu from High School Musical fame who performed a concert. On the cruise as well th e wait staff was very attentive to Amanda's allergy to the point that they had Wendy order her dinners the night before to make sure they would be good for her.

If Disney ran the country, there would be a lot less chaos. They are so organized. We checked bags at Dulles Airport and the next time we saw them was in our hotel room on the Disney property. Next we left our bags in the room before the cruise and magically they appeared on the cruse ship and finally the last night of the cruise we left our bags outside our stateroom door and magically again they appeared at Dulles Airport. It is the best way to travel. I know I have gone on about this vacation, but when I find something that works, I like to pass it along.


Now I am back to reality, but still enjoying the movies!

Roberta

July 6

Just a short review before we head out of town.

On Netflix or Instant View



JCVD - In this film Jean-Claude Van Damme plays himself as a aging action hero who finds himself mixed up in a bank robbery and a custody battle.  At

first I wasn't sure I would like it, but it does grow on you.  Van Damme is a very likable character and the story though implausible, kept my

attention.  I did watch it on my computer which is not the best to view films, but would either watch it that way or look for it on an Indie cable

station. 

July 5

If there was a prize for the most correct answers, Yolanda would be the winner, but she'll just have to settle for bragging rights.  Once again she was
correct in identifying  "I love you more than any woman's ever loved a rabbit."  came from Who Killed Robert Rabbit released in 1988 starring Bob
Hoskins.

Try this one this week: "She's wonderful! Wherever did you find her? 976-BABE."

On Netflix:

The Secret Life of Bees - Since I have been busy with catching up on my many TV episodes and going off to New Hampshire, I finally got to watch this
film.  I have to admit that Sy did not share my interest in it and didn't watch it at all.  It is an unlikely story, but still made me cry.  The all
star cast starring  Queen Latifa, Dakota Fanning and Jennifer Hudson tells the story of a little girl who felt unloved and finds it in the home of
Queen Lathifa.  It is set in the South in the 60's.  Watching this film reminds you how far we have come in the civil rights movement, but how far we
still have to go.   Would wait for this to come on TV and not even add it to your Netflix list as there are many more movies that are more worthwhile.


Rachel Getting Married - I just finished watching this film and am not sure how I feel about it.  Anne Hathaway plays a character that is so unlike
the ones we are used to her playing.  It is a tough role and she was nominated for the Academy Award for it.  Although she was good, I am not
convinced it was Academy Award worthy.  The story left me cold and certainly not feeling lighthearted.I don't think I can recommend it.  Wait for it
to come out on HBO if you get that service or regular TV and decide for yourself. 

We are headed out of town the end of this week so I am not sure if I will get a chance to post before I leave.  We won't be back until July 16 so in
the meantime, enjoy the movies.

June 24

Once again Yolanda Maldonado correctly identified the quote, "Water polo? Isn't that terribly dangerous? I'll say. I had two ponies drowned under me." coming from Some Like it Hot starring Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis, Marilyn Monroe and Joe E. Brown released in 1959.

This quote is simple, if you analyze the words. Good luck. "I love you more than any woman's ever loved a rabbit."

In your local theaters:

Up - Just in time for summer vacation comes a movie that both children and adults will love. I took my granddaughters to it and they both liked it. The movie theater was filled with kids and it kept their attention for almost two hours. As an adult, I not only enjoyed the story of loss and friendship, but thought the animation was wonderful. After awhile you could imagine the old man as EdAsner who provided the voice. It is a good way to spend a hot, humid day of summer.

On Netflix:

The Women - Although this film was panned by the critics, I found it delightful. I am a big fan of Meg Ryan and she is adorable as the suffering wife who turns her life around. Annette Benning, Debra Messing and Jada Pinkard Smith round out her group of friends while Eva Mendes plays the femme fatale. Candice Bergan, Debi Mazur and Bette Midler have smaller roles, but are quite funny especially Bette Midler. The interesting thing about this film is that there are no men in the movie, not even in the crowd scence. It was written by Diane English who wrote the Murphy Brown series so the dialogue is quite good. It is a nice movie to watch with your girlfriends - Sorry guys!

Local talent:

I just wanted to mention not to overlook talent in your own backyard. Last weekend I was treated to Haydn's "The Creation" preformed by three local church and temple choirs. It was glorious. Make sure to check your local papers for these types of concerts that are usually free. Although the members are volunteers, many of them are not amateurs, but professional singers by trade and do this for the simple joy of singing with a group.

There are many good movies coming out in the next few weeks. I was though shocked when I took the girls to the movies. I guess Sy usually gets the tickets and I was aghast that a matinee was $8.50 for children and adults. I did have Entertainment coupons that brought each ticket down to $6.50, but I am disappointed with the cost of a movie. So if you can wait, before you turn around, the movies are on DVD and with Netflix I only pay $9.95 for unlimited movies one at a time for a month. Now I realize what a bargain that is. I think I should be paid by Netflix. I know I digress, but it seems that entertainment is really pricing itself out of the hands of many.

Enough soapbox standing, enjoy the day and the movies.

June 13

Yolanda Maldonado was the first with the correct answer to "I'm loud, darling, but never cheap." coming from The Crying Game released in 1992. Did you know that Forrest Whitaker was in that movie?

Another oldie, but goodie. See if you know where this line came from: "Water polo?" "Isn't that terribly dangerous?" "I'll say." "I had two ponies drown under me."

In Theaters (Limited Distribution)

Easy Virtue - This English comedy stars Jessica Biel, Kristin Scott Thomas and Colin Firth plus a young man Ben Barnes. It is based on a Noel Coward play. The young son in the family comes home with a new bride who is not only a race care driver, but an American. Needless to say, she is not greeted with open arms by his dysfunctional family. It is a bit of a farce, but the actors pull it off. You will find yourself laughing out loud once you get used to the English accents. I love Colin Firth and he doesn't disappoint in this film.

On Netflix:

Brick Lane -This is another one of my indies movies set in the 1980s It is about a Bangladeshi woman who leaves for London for an arranged marriage to a middle-aged man. She is forced to leave behind her family who she adores. She makes a life for herself with some surprising turns. This is a story of different types of love. A bit slow to start, but a well thought out story.

On TV

"Royal Pains" - I suggested this new show last week and watched it. I truly enjoyed it. It is light and unrealistic, but fun to watch especially in the summer months ahead.

This week two of my favorite cable shows returned: The Closer and Raising the Bar. With network TV giving us more of the same i.e. reality shows and Jay Leno every night, I think the cable stations will overtake them. Tune into some of these shows and see for yourself

Although the theaters can be cold, they are a good respite from the hot humid weather we've been having this past week on the east coast so.....take in a movie!

Roberta