Happy Birthday Colin Firth!

There are actors or actresses I tend to look for in movies and TV; if I see them I usually know whether it is going to be good or bad. One such actor I have admired for years, whose birthday is today, is Colin Firth. Whether he is wooing hearts, being dramatic or making audiences laugh Firth has always been an actor audiences have loved for many years. Today on his 58th birthday we are going to take a look at some of Firth’s film and TV career and what is worth watching.

Pride and Prejudice miniseries. Firth had been acting in films and television prior for some time, but his career skyrocketed after this 1995 miniseries about the beloved Jane Austin novel. Despite his objections at first Firth was cast as the male lead character Mr. Darcy, a man who becomes the main love interest and annoyance of Elizabeth Bennet. Critics and audiences loved him, particularly the famous scene at the lake, and Firth’s career has never been the same since. In a twist of fate if it wasn’t for this miniseries author Helen Fielding may never have written her famous Bridget Jones books and we wouldn’t have had some of the more memorable performances of Renée Zellweger, Hugh Grant and of course Firth.

Shakespeare in Love. It might be odd to see Firth in a villainous like role, but that is exactly what he was in this 1998 romantic drama film. Firth portrays Lord Wessex, an aristocrat who intends to keep his betrothed Viola (Gwyneth Paltrow) close by. However he might be thwarted because Viola, who disguises as a man to participate in a play, has fallen in love with William Shakespeare (Joseph Fiennes). Firth hasn’t played many villains in his career so it was interesting to see him in this role. I kinda hope he plays more villains in the future.

Bridget Jones Diary franchise. A more modern take on Jane Austin’s Pride & Prejudice, with Firth playing a very similar role. Here he is Mark Darcy (the last name speaks for itself), an old family friend of Bridget Jones (Renée Zellweger). In the first film, released in 2001, they at first do not get along, but anyone familiar with the story knows how it goes. Throughout the first film and the two sequels, released in 2004 and in 2016 respectively, Mark and Bridget’s relationship has ups and downs (and other men), but at the end of the day they were meant to be. Firth is spectacular as Mark and had excellent chemistry with Zellweger.

Love Actually. One of the go-to romantic comedies, as well as Christmas movies. This 2003 British film has so many stars and love stories, but Firth still manages to stand out. He stars as Jamie, a writer whose heart is broken when he discovers his girlfriend is sleeping with his brother. Retreating to his French cottage Jamie meets the new housekeeper Aurélia (Lúcia Moniz). Despite not speaking the same language Jamie and Aurélia fall in love. Firth is one of my favorite actors/characters in this movie and watching him overcome heartbreak and fall in love again is just so sweet to watch. Firth would reprise his role for the Red Nose Day special.

What a Girl Wants. If younger generations were not familiar with Firth they may have been after watching this 2004 teen movie. Firth plays Henry Dashwood, a wealthy lord running for the House of Commons with the promise of becoming Prime Minister. However his past comes back when his long lost daughter Daphne Reynolds (Amanda Bynes) arrives in England to finally meet him. Henry must come to terms with what he really wants, and Daphne might just the key to figuring it all out. Firth is downright hysterical in this movie (there is a scene with him in leather pants, enough said there.) He also comes off as a great father figure to Amanda Bynes’s character. This is a great movie for a girl’s night in.

Nanny McPhee. Like in the previous film Firth plays a father trying to do what is right for his children, but this time he gets a little help. This 2005 film stars Firth as Cedric Brown a widowed undertaker with seven nasty and unruly children during Victorian England. Desperate he hires Nanny McPhee (Emma Thompson) to help take care of his children; which she does with a little magic. Cedric is told by his late wife’s wealthy aunt if he doesn’t marry soon she will take away the children and their home. Firth is pretty funny in this role as he somehow manages to keep the kids under control (some of the time.) Definitely a great family movie to keep an eye on.

Mamma Mia! Firth isn’t much of a singer, but that did not stop him from being cast in this 2008 guilty pleasure musical. Here Firth is Harry Bright, a banker and one of Sophie’s (Amanda Seyfried) possible dads. He seems to want to do the right thing if Sophie is his, and is probably the funnier of the other dads. Despite not having the greatest singing voice (which most of the cast doesn’t) Firth is still an absolute joy to watch. He would reprise his role in the 2018 sequel, and was still just as entertaining.

A Single Man. This 2009 drama based on the best-selling novel might not be as well-known as some of the other films on this list, but it was a major hit for Firth’s career. Nominated for his first Oscar for his part Firth portrays George Falconer a gay professor in 1962 who is struggling with depression after the death of his lover. The film was mostly well received, but the critics agreed that Firth’s performance stood out.

The King’s Speech. If there is one film with Colin Firth that will probably be viewed for many years it will without a doubt be this 2010 historical drama. Based on a true story Firth brilliantly performs as Prince Albert Duke of York, later named King George VI. With the help of his wife, the queen consort Elisabeth (Helena Bonham Carter), King George sees Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush) a speech therapist. Seeing Firth’s character struggle with his stutter and the relationship he builds with Lionel is breathtaking, hence why Firth won the Oscar for Best Actor. Many years from now I believe we will look back on this performance as Firth’s best.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. There have been many versions of the famous 1974 novel by John le Carré, but this 2011 film is regarded as one of the better ones. Firth stars as Bill Haydon, the “Tailor” as he along with a team of spies trade secrets during the Cold War. Firth’s character is charming, but like most of the characters in here has a dark side. As stated in another film Firth doesn’t usually portray guys in bad lights, but he still stands out among a star filled cast including Gary Oldman, Tom Hardy, Mark Strong and Benedict Cumberbatch.

The Kingsman franchise. When most think action movie star Colin Firth might not be the first or even fifth to come to mind. Yet in the Kingsman films he is not only funny but can kick butt or kill just as good as some of the best action stars (OK I admit it’s over the top but it is expected.) Firth plays Harry Hart aka Galahad, an agent of the Kingsman, an undercover intelligence service. In the 2014 film he recruits the son of a former student, Eggsy (Taron Egerton) to become a Kingsman. He appears to have been killed, but in the sequel, released in 2017, he makes a surprising comeback. While I don’t think Firth is doing action movies anytime soon, this showed he could not only do it, but do it well. Some of the best scenes are him with a straight face responding to a quip with one of his own (makes the scene that much better.)

Colin Firth is without question one of the best actors today and with films coming including Mary Poppins Returns and The Secret Garden his career is not slowing down anytime soon. Happy birthday Colin Firth!

Is there a Colin Firth performance not on this list but should be? What is your favorite film or TV appearance by Firth? Comment below please.

Photo is courtesy of IMDB. No copyright infringement is intended.

Films Perfect for Back to School

It is almost time to hear the bells ring, pack up backpacks and hit the books. School will be starting up again soon for many students: elementary, high school and even college. Many films have been made depicting school life: students, teachers, and even parents, as either paradise or an absolute nightmare depending on the parties involved. Here are some films, which can be explored more on their IMDB pages, involving school in a way: student life, extracurricular activities, gifted students, caring teachers and even parents getting involved in their kid’s lives that are fantastic to watch; some films might not be appropriate for all ages. The picture is courtesy of Pixabay

Dead Poets Society. This 1989 film is perfect for those who love English and reading. Robin Williams (in one of his most memorable roles) stars as Mr. Keating an English teacher at an all-boys prep school.  He teaches his students about living their lives to the fullest; telling them to carpe diem Latin for “seize the day.” Some of the boys even restart the unauthorized Dead Poets Society: reading poems and verses. However the new rebellious natures of the boys might cost them everything. The film also stars Ethan Hawke, Robert Sean Leonard and Josh Charles as some of the students influenced by Keating.

Regarded as one of the best school movies or all time, Dead Poets Society shows how one teacher can change a school and open some student’s eyes to not obey rules but to enjoy their life. On a side note if one of the required readings for English is J.D Sallinger’s Catcher in the Rye this is a good match to understand what the students are going through.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Not encouraging students to do exactly what this classic film character did, but sometimes we all need a day off. Starring Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck, Mia Sara, Jennifer Grey and Jeffrey Jones, this 1986 John Hughes film has a high school student faking being sick to spend the day in the city with his friends. Meanwhile his high school principal and sister don’t buy it and try and expose Ferris for the fraud he is. It might not be the most in school nor the most modern film on here, but it is still a classic high school film no matter how old it gets.

Mean Girls. High school can be scary for many entering for the first time; some may even worry about fitting in with the many cliques there. This 2004 cult classic comedy shows that despite the facade of being perfect most cliques are not what they appear to be. Lindsay Lohan is Cady a former home school student entering high school for the first time and gets caught up in the top group of the school: The Plastics. Cady soon clashes with queen bee Regina George (Rachel McAdams) and decides the best way to fight is to become friends. While high school can be described in so many horrible ways just remember this: it will soon be a distant memory.

Old School. Definitely more for college rather than high school students. Released in 2003, Will Ferrell, Luke Wilson and Vince Vaughn star as 30 something men that create a fraternity just so they can continue their partying ways. However when it looks like they may lose the house unless they pass several academic and athletic tests the guys are gonna have to grow up fast. Many critics and viewers have said this film has never done the college party scene better, but through the comedy, alcohol and so much profanity there is heart.

Lean On Me. The first film to be based on a true story on this list. Released in 1989 Lean On Me stars Morgan Freeman as Joe Clark, aka “Crazy Joe” who takes over a New Jersey high school raided with drugs and gangs. Joe makes it his mission to turn the school around for the students, but the teachers and parents have trouble with Joe’s radical measures. Morgan Freeman as always delivers a spectacular performance as “Crazy” Joe; he may not be the most conventional person to run a school, but the students grow to love their principal.

Bad Moms. While this 2015 movie doesn’t take place in school many parents (not just moms) with kids can completely relate to Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell and Kathryn Hahn’s characters. The trio are portrayed overworked moms finally fed up with trying to lead perfect lives for their kids. Deciding to be “bad” the ladies let loose and have fun with their kids; at the same time they must handle the wrath of the school PTA president Gwendolyn (Christina Applegate). The reason why the film was a success is not just because the women are hysterical but every single person with school age children have felt exactly like the main characters did at least once. While parents probably shouldn’t go as extreme as the moms in here, it does show how much work happens before and after school for everyone involved.

The Perks of Being A Wallflower. One of the most recent coming of age movies. This 2012 film stars Logan Lerman as Charlie a young man recently released from a mental hospital after suffering from depression. Enrolled into a new school Charlie has trouble making friends until he meets Sam (Emma Watson) and her step brother Patrick (Ezra Miler) who invite him into their own little circle. Charlie soon struggles with his growing feelings for Sam as well as coming into the young man he is meant to be. Two of the three leads were well known for other films prior to this one (Lerman as Percy Jackson and Watson as Hermione Granger) but this film helped launch them in addition to Miler into more adult roles in their career. It also shows that while there may be darkness in the past and school may stink, with the right people there will always be a bright future.

Stand and Deliver. Math; you are either good at it or you are not, but in this 1988 film it isn’t just calculus the students are struggling with. Based on a true story Edward James Olmos stars as Jamie Escalante, a new math teacher at an East Los Angeles high school begins teaching students from working class Hispanic families with multiple problems (academic and social). Realizing the school has given up on them Escalante sets out to prove his students are not only smart but can pass the toughest AP Calculus tests. It is rare on film to see a teacher that cares so much for their students; seeing the dedication Olmos’s character has towards his job and his fight for the kids is something to admire.

Easy A. In what has been called Emma Stone’s breakout role, this 2010 movie shows how a little white lie in high school can go a very long way. Told over a webcam Stone’s character Olive Penderghast helps out a gay friend by claiming she slept with him. When word spreads out about it other guys who could never get a girlfriend ask for Olive’s help in increasing their reputation. Olive becomes labeled as the school tramp and several students, led by the queen Christian bee Marianne (Amanda Bynes), want Olive gone. It will probably be remembered as one of the best high school comedies of the 2010’s and the beginning of Emma Stone’s young successful career

Animal House. Be honest when someone says college movies this is the first one to pop into mind. Starring the hilarious John Belushi, Kevin Bacon, Tim Matheson and John Vernon among so many other funny stars this 1978 movie is all about a fraternity all about partying must go up against the school dean who wants them all gone. While most college parties at fraternities are probably not as insane it is still an absolutely side splitting hysterical movie.

Sixteen Candles. John Hughes sure knows how to write and direct movies about high school. In this 1984 coming of age tale staring the likes of Molly Ringwald, Michael Schoeffling, Anthony Michael Hall and Paul Dooley the film follows newly sixteen Sam Baker as she gets through her birthday which her family has forgotten due to her sister’s wedding the next day. To make matters worse her crush Jake Ryan finds out about her feelings for him and school geek Ted will not leave her alone. While other films had come out about teens acting out, nothing like Sixteen Candles had teens portrayed as those who love to party and drink (among other things).

Pitch Perfect. Not many modern musicals really captured high school and college students quite like this 2012 musical comedy, and its two sequels. With an all-star young cast including Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Britney Snow, Anna Camp, Adam DeVine, Skylar Astin, Ben Platt and Elizabeth Banks, Pitch Perfect made being involved in a capella cool once again. It may not have focused on actual classes, but it doesn’t mean the girls didn’t learn a lesson or two about life.

The Breakfast Club. This is the last John Hughes movie on here I promise. Taking place on a Saturday detention this 1985 comedy/drama focuses on five high school students: bad boy John Bender (Judd Nelson), princess like Claire Standish (Molly Ringwald), jock Andrew Clarke (Emilio Estevez), nerd Brian Johnson (Anthony Michael Hall) and oddball Allison Reynolds (Ally Sheedy). On the outside they have nothing in common, but as the film progresses the teens soon begin discussing their lives at home; growing closer along the way. This is one of the few films showing how students of different lifestyles and high school cliques are not as different as they originally thought. This is a must watch for students in high school.

21 Jump Street. There have been many adaptations about adults being undercover in high school, including the television series this 2012 film is based on, and its sequel involving college. No one quite expected Channing Tatum or Jonah Hill to be mistaken as high school students; yet that is what happened as the two bumbling police officers are on the hunt for a drug dealer selling to kids at a local high school. There are many who do not even want to think about going back to high school, nor could probably get away with it, but it will always play a major part of our lives. Just don’t let be the only good thing looking back.

Clueless. Sometimes being pretty and popular can get you far in high school, but it won’t always work. This 1999 high school comedy focuses on Cher (Alicia Silverstone) who is the queen bee of her school. Discovering how much she likes helping people she takes new girl Tai Fraiser (Britney Murphy) to be groomed to be just as popular as her. However when her project works too well Cher realizes being popular doesn’t mean much if there aren’t people who you love standing beside you. It does poke fun at the supposed lifestyle of Beverly Hills, but it also shows behind all the money and glamour they are people too.

The Edge of Seventeen. In the most recent coming of age film on this list this 2016 film takes a real good look at growing up in high school. Staring Hailee Steinfeld, Woody Harrelson, Kyra Sedgwick and Blake Jenner we take a look at the life of Steinfeld’s character Nadine as her life begins to change: from her best friend dating her brother, her feelings towards an older student, the friend completely in love with her and overall struggling to open herself back up to friends and family after the death of her father. Hailee gives one of the best performances of her young career and shows that high school as insane as it is can be the place to find who you are meant to be.

Legally Blonde. If you looked up “never judge a book by its cover” in films you might see a picture of Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods. In this 2001 comedy Elle decides to follow her ex-boyfriend to Harvard Law School despite being seen as a ditsy blonde. Determined to prove him and others wrong about how serious she is Elle works hard to earn her place as a lawyer. Audiences adored the film with many praising Witherspoon’s performance as the perky Woods; they also loved the message about how not to let people’ opinions about how one looks stop you from reaching your goals.

Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion. The story may have not taken place in school, but it doesn’t mean it’s not relevant. Released in 1997 the film stars Mira Sorvino and Lisa Kudrow as Romy and Michele traveling to their high school reunion. Wanting to stand out for their former classmates, including their enemy Christie Masters, the women claim they are successful business women; in fact they are anything but. The overall lesson for the film: while high school will be an important part of our lives, don’t live life like you’re still in it. Just because someone was a queen bee or nerd in school doesn’t mean they stayed that way for the rest of their lives.

Is there a school movie missing from this list? Please comment below your favorite high school or college movie. Do it before the bell rings!

Happy Birthday to Jack Black!

An actor that can do it all in the entertainment business is hard to find. Very few men have accomplishments quite like Jack Black: acting, singing, comedy, voice over and songwriting. He has not only become a successful singer with his band Tenacious D, but has become one of the most sought after actors for comedic and children’s films. It is Black’s birthday and today we are going to take a look at some of Black’s most memorable roles throughout his career and how his performance helped elevate the film. Photo is courtesy of IMDB no copyright figment is intended.

High Fidelity. While Black had been acting for years many took notice of him after his role as Barry, a sales clerk with hilarious wit and a great musical performance in High Fidelity; some even saying he stole the show away from the main star John Cusack. Black is truly hilarious as a guy passionate about music. If people didn’t know who Black was before High Fidelity they knew him after his iconic performance of Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On.”

Shallow Hal. One of Black’s first leading roles, he plays Hal Larson a man who at first judges women based on appearances until he meets Rosemary, portrayed by Gwyneth Paltrow, a woman he believes is slender but is actually morbidly obese. The film received mixed reviews when it first released into theaters; many saying while the message is sweet the humor falls into the bland category. Black’s performance showed he had the potential being the lead, nominated for a Teen Choice Award for Favorite Male Comedy Actor; the film itself is great for a girl’s night.

School of Rock. If any film showed Black’s true potential as the male lead it is this one. Black is Dewey Finn, a wannabe rock star who takes a job as a substitute teacher, taking a job meant for his friend, for money but then meets extraordinary students gifted with music. Together they work to earn a place in the Battle of the Bands contest, but what started off as a lie turns real for Finn. This is Black’s most nominated role in his career so far, including two Teen Choice Awards, and a Golden Globe. This role not only showcased Black’s musical talent, his comedic personality, but it also showed when needed Black can be a serious actor when it comes to kids. It might even be argued that this is Black’s most iconic role to date in his career.

Shark Tale. This wasn’t Black’s first voice-over role, but it did open another door in Black’s career as a voice over actor. Black voices Lenny, a great white shark who is a vegetarian and helps Will Smith’s Oscar in continuing his lie as a shark slayer. Black’s performance as Lenny was one of the film’s more memorable roles, but his most iconic voice over role is yet to come.

King Kong. Black, in one of his few non-comedic or musical roles, brings out his more sinister side in this remake. As Carl Denham, Black portrays a man who is slowly losing his mind over his debts; wanting to make a movie about a dangerous island regardless of the safety of everyone and then bringing the gigantic Kong to the mainland. Black has said he based his performance on Orson Welles as a man who will do what he can to get to the end. Black also gets the most iconic line in the film of “beauty who killed the beast”. It was interesting for audiences to see Black not as a comedic sidekick or lovable lead but as a villain; nonetheless it was a spectacular job.

Nacho Libre. One of Black’s more memorable comedic roles; good or bad depends on the viewer’s interpretation. Black is Ignacio aka Nacho a luchador wrestler fighting to earn money for the monastery where he works as a cook. However wrestling is forbidden so he must keep his identity a secret. The film as well as Black’s performance received very mixed reviews from audiences and critics; many finding it either funny or offensive. Nonetheless Black received nominations from the Kids and Teen Choice Awards showing he can do films for kids.

The Holiday. If you were to hear about Jack Black in a romantic comedy you may not believe it but it is true as the role was written with Black in mind. He plays Miles, a song composer who helps Kate Winslet’s Iris adjust to life in Los Angeles; falling in love with her along the way. Black brought out his more adorable and charming side to the role, but also added in humor and audiences loved him.

Kung Fu Panda franchise. It is hard to imagine anyone else voicing Po, the lovable panda who was hand-picked to be the Dragon Master in the Kung Fu Panda films. As Po Black goes into his child-like humor and brings to life one of DreamWorks most popular (over course of three films and direct to DVD specials) and well-developed characters.

Tropic Thunder. Black was just one of the many critically praised performances of this funny comedy. Here he is Jeff Portnoy aka Fats in the film being filmed an actor fearing he is only famous because he is funny and has a drug problem. Black has so much adult humor in the film as an addict and has some of the weirdest/funniest lines in the movie; it’s hard not to laugh and shake your head at the same time.

Bernie. Black takes on the role of Bernie Tiede, a real life mortician who befriends an unlikable widow and then after having had enough of her manipulation kills her. Much to the dismay of the lawyer trying to put him away the town is on his side. Black once again received massive praise for his role in this black comedy as the nicest guy in town turned killer, earning his second Golden Globe nomination.

Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle. Many were uncertain about the Jumanji sequel when it was first announced, but any doubts were quickly silenced after audiences saw the film. Black stood out as he portrayed Professor Sheldon “Shelly” Oberon the avatar of Bethany Walker, a somewhat self absorbed teenage girl addicted to her phone. As strange as it sounds, Black’s portrayal as a teenage girl was downright hysterical in an already funny movie. The scene where Bethany has to learn to use how guys go to the bathroom had many clutching their sides laughing, along with his/her obvious crush on Nick Jonas’s avatar character Alex.

With these iconic roles under his belt and many more films on their way Jack Black’s career will continue to flourish and grow in the future. His next role will be as Jonathan Barnavelt in the upcoming adaption of the novel The House with a Clock in Its Walls. Happy Birthday to Jack Black!

Movie Review: Joyful Noise

If you look at the picture for this 2012 movie alone you can already see the amount of talent in this musical comedy. Admittedly the script kinda feels all over the place at times, but the performances of the cast and music more than make-up for it. Joyful Noise will be leaving Netflix on September 1st so if you haven’t watched it I would recommend you do before that date. Spoilers ahead as always. I DO NOT OWN THE PICTURE.

Vi Rose Hill (Queen Latifah) a no nonsense controlling mother of two takes over the church choir of a small church in Pacashau, GA after the passing of the original director Bernie (Kris Kristofferson). Bernie’s widow G.G. Sparrow (Dolly Parton) felt like the role should have been passed to her as she is the main benefactor so she and Vi Rose clash multiple times (each more hilarious than the last). Vi Rose uses traditional Gospel songs approved by Pastor Dale (Courtney B. Vance) for the Joyful Noise competition, where church choirs go head to head but have yet to capture first place. Pacashau has been hit hard by the economy; many of the members of the choir forced to close their businesses so Vi Rose is determined to win this year. G.G’s grandson Randy (Jeremy Jordan) comes to live with her after his parents kick him out and, after hearing the choir sing, joins in and convinces choir members, Earla (Angela Grovey), Caleb (Andy Karl), Devonne (Dequina Moore) and Vi Rose’s teenage daughter Olivia (Keke Palmer), to use more contemporary pop songs for their numbers (obviously tweaking it for church). Vi Rose and Pastor Dale don’t approve the plan, nor does Vi Rose approve Randy getting close to her family; Randy befriends her son Walter (Dexter Darden) who has Asperger syndrome while he falls in love with Olivia despite competition from Manny (Paul Woolfolk) who only sees the “church girl” as a challenge. Vi Rose and Olivia’s relationship starts to crumble because of how she feels for Randy, in addition to the absence of Vi Rose’s husband, Olivia and Walter’s father, Marcus (Jesse L. Martin) because of his army duties. I can’t say anymore without spoiling the rest of the movie.

As i said earlier the amount of talent in this movie can been seen on the poster, and even if you had no clue you learned fast. While I admit I’ve seen the four main stars (Latifah, Parton, Jordan and Palmer) in better works, their performance still shined. The amount of sass between Parton and Latifah is an absolute joy to watch; there is a scene in a dinner that had me in stitches. Their individual performances were also fantastic. Latifah has scenes were she is the only reasonable one in the room and goes into fantastic speeches. Parton can be sweet one minute, sassy the next and funny the last. Palmer and Jordan are two very talented young people and their chemistry was great. I’ve been a fan of Palmer for years and was glad to hear her sing; I think she is one of the most powerful young singers I’ve heard. If you read my review of Newsies (if not you can click the title) you might remember I said that I thought Jordan looked familiar; when he began singing I realized I saw him in a production of West Side Story. Without question Jordan is one of the most talent, and handsome, men I have ever seen in film, TV or Broadway; anytime I hear him sing I feel goosebumps up and down my arm. Taking nothing away from the rest of the cast Grovey, Moore and Karl are also very good singers; Karl has been on Broadway multiple times including Legally Blonde the Musical, Groundhog Day, Wicked, Rocky The Musical (yep you read that correctly) and most recently Pretty Woman The Musical and has been nominated for three Tonys. Finally it was nice to see Jesse L. Martin for a few moments in the movie, but it would have been so much better if he sang for a little bit; the man’s voice is like velvet. While the performances were pretty good, I kinda felt like the writing and editing was all over the place; one minute we’re doing something with Vi Rose and Olivia and then Olivia is with Randy.

The soundtrack is pretty good with songs performed by individually by Latifah, Parton, Palmer, Jordan and a couple songs by the choir. Latifah has a number called “Fix Me Jesus” on the piano, Parton wrote three songs for the film including “Not Enough”, performed in the beginning of the film by herself, Latifah and the choir, “From Here to The Moon and Back” which she did along with Jordan and Kristofferson and finally “He’s Everything” at the end of the film. Palmer performs “Man in the Mirror” while she and Jordan sing “Maybe I’m Amazed” to try and incorporated pop songs into the choir. My favorite performance is when the choir makes it to the finals and they use pop songs tweaked for church purposes called “Higher Melody” I’m not gonna say what songs are used in the number; all I’m gonna say is listen and be surprised. Joyful Noise is a cute musical and while it’s not a need to see this moment the film will be leaving Netflix next month so if you are interested stream it now.

Movie Review: Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again

It has been over 10 years since the previous Mamma Mia and took the musical world by storm. Whether it was good or bad people were talking about it; I have often seen it listed as a guilty pleasure film for many. As I mentioned in my review of the first film which you can view here I was looking forward to the sequel but I won’t lie and say I wasn’t concerned that they would mess up with the original story. While the sequel was not perfect and might have messed up the timeline a tiny bit I still very much enjoyed the movie. As this is still in theaters I’m issuing a big spoiler alert. I DO NOT OWN THE PICTURE.

Five years after the previous film Sophie Sheridan (Amanda Seyfried) now runs the hotel after Donna (Meryl Streep) passed away a year ago. She plans a big re-opening of the hotel named after Donna as she prepares along with the staff; including new gloomy manager Fernando Cienfuegos (Andy Garcia), one of her dads/stepfather Sam Carmichael (Pierce Brosnan) who is still grieving Donna’s death and her mom’s closest friend Tanya (Christine Baranski) and Rosie (Julie Walters). Sophie expresses her desire to make her mother proud, but she is also upset because two of her dads Bill (Stellan Skarsgård) and Harry (Colin Firth) cannot make it and Sky (Dominic Cooper) has a job offer in New York; further somewhat straining their relationship. Meanwhile while this is happening the audience travels all the way back to 1979 when Donna (Lily James) graduates from Oxford, along with Tanya (Jessica Keenan Wynn) and Rosie (Alexa Davies). After her mother doesn’t show up for her graduation Donna decides to travel to the island of Kalokairi. While traveling there, and after arriving Donna meets three men that would change her life forever: the quirky Harry (Hugh Skinner), the flirty Bill (Josh Dylan) and the handsome Sam (Jeremy Irvine) I probably shouldn’t go into too much more, but I cannot forget the arrival of Sophie’s estranged grandmother Ruby (Cher)

There have been times when movies get a sequel and they are not really necessary. That is what I originally thought when I heard about this film; however those thoughts were quickly erased from my mind a few moments after Lily James came on the screen. She has recently been an actress I have admired over a few of her films and this role is no exception. I’m sure she felt the pressure of portraying a young version of Meryl Streep (arguably the greatest actress alive today) but I thought she absolutely nailed it in terms of acting and singing. I also very much enjoyed the younger versions of the dads. Skinner, Dylan and Irvine are all very good looking men, their singing voices were better than I thought they were gonna be and their acting was pretty spot one with their older selves; I hope their careers continue to grow after this. Wynn and Davies were perfect as Tanya and Rosie; Davies if I may say had me laughing a little too loud in the theater at times. Of course I cannot forget about the original cast members that returned. Seyfried shined once again as Sophie while Streep’s appearance was brief but nonetheless enjoyable. It was great to see Brosnan, Skarsgård and Firth again; and while some singing has improved it is not by much. Baranski and Walters were just as hilarious as in the first film (Baranski has a line that almost had me falling out of my seat) while Cooper did pretty well as Sky; although I admit his singing voice may have gone down since the first film. Garcia was amusing as Fernando but of course a special spotlight was shined on Cher as Ruby. Whether it is her singing or her acting you cannot take your eyes off of Cher. The writing was pretty good, but I was a little annoyed because how Donna met the guys in the film doesn’t seem to line up with how it was in the original show and movie.

The soundtrack for the movie including many more of ABBA’s greatest hits and I think it might actually be better than the first. Favorites from the first film such as “Mamma Mia” performed by James, Wynn and Davies, “Dancing Queen” by the present cast “I Have a Dream” by James “Waterloo” performed hilariously by James and Skinner “The Name of the Game” by James as she expresses her love for Sam and “Super Trooper” by everyone at the end of the film made their way back, songs from the Broadway show that did not make it to the first film such as “One of Us” performed by Seyfried and Cooper on opposite sides of the world and “Knowing Me Knowing You” performed by James and Irvine as the couple breaks up appeared while new songs were added to tell the past story of Donna as well as the present with Sophie and company. Among the new songs were “Fernando” sung brilliantly by Cher, “Why Did It Have to Be Me” by James, Skinner and Dylan, “Andante Andante” by James, “Angel Eyes” and “I’ve Been Waiting For You” by Seyfried, Walters and Baranski and finally “My Love, My Life” by Streep and Seyfried which may or may not leave a tear in your eye.

Regardless of the small inaccuracies I still loved the sequel I did not know I wanted. While you may not have to watch the original film to understand the sequel it does help a little bit. I will definitely by going again and again to see Mamma Mia Here We Go Again.

Movie Review: Incredibles 2

I stated this in my review to its predecessor and I’m gonna paraphrase it again. It has been a very long time since we’ve seen Pixar’s superhero family on-screen; there is a segment in the beginning featuring the actors and Brad Bird stating it and thanking the viewers for their patience. Was it worth the wait: 100 percent yes. This is still in theaters so I’m going to be as careful as I can be, but just in case, a spoiler alert is being issued. I DO NOT OWN THE PICTURE.

Taking place immediately after the first film Mr. Incredible aka Bob Par (Craig T. Nelson), Elastigirl aka Helen Par (Holly Hunter) and their children: Violet (Sarah Vowell), Dash (Huck Milner replacing Spencer Fox) and baby Jack-Jack (Eli Fucile) confront the Underminer (John Ratzenberger) but fail to stop him. Because of the damage their caused their friend from the super relocation program Rick Decker (Jonathan Banks taking over from Bud Lukey after he passed away) tells the Pars the program is being shut down for good. That same day Bob, Helen and their long-time friend Lucius Best aka Frozone (Samuel L. Jackson) are contacted by Winston Deavor (Bob Odenkirk), the head of a telecommunications company called DEVTECH. Winston, along with his genius inventor sister Evelyn Deavor (Catherine Keener), wants to make supers legal again; but they want Elastigirl to be the face. Winston provides the Par family with a house while Helen goes out stopping bad guys. Bob watches the kids, but is clearly upset that he is not out in the field; however he wants Helen to succeed for the kids (and his) super future. Bob soon has to cope with a few things: helping Violet capture her crush’s attention, Dash with math and (easily the best part of the movie) Jack-Jack’s new powers; yes plural as in more than one. Bob does get help from Lucius and longtime friend/costume designer Edna Mode (Brad Bird). Meanwhile Helen, along with a gaggle of supers including her biggest fan Void (Sophia Bush), have to fight a villain calling themselves the Screenslaver who hypnotizes anyone looking at a monitor. As far as I can go without spoiling the rest of the movie, but before I go into my review there is there is something I have to say. As you may have read the movie does have multiple flashing sequences which may cause someone with epilepsy to have a seizure so please be careful.

While I admit the sequel is not as good as the first film I believe it lived up to the hype. Having most of the cast back, in addition to the new characters, was amazing. The Par family is still as relatable as ever, even with the addition of powers. Bob is clearly struggling with staying on the side, but knows what he has to do to help Helen which makes him a good husband and father. Helen may have been reluctant to step back in the spotlight, but I thought she handled it well. Watching Violet and Dash become great supers is a joy, Lucius stepping up as uncle and Edna as aunt (kinda but it’s still great to see her) however I think we can agree the best part of the movie is Jack-Jack. I can honestly say sitting in the theater watching nearly everyone freak out when Jack-Jack showed a new power was hilarious; I know babies can be a struggle but imagine one that can teleport, multiply, burst into flames, laser eyes, demon baby and so much more. If you have the chance to watch Incredibles 2 in theaters go and do it, especially to get out of the heat.

Movie Review: Disney Pixar’s The Incredibles

In honor of the long, and I mean LONG, awaited sequel now out in theaters, let’s take a look back at one of Pixar’s best feature films of all time (that might just be my opinion, but if you agree awesome.) Released in 2004 this Academy Award winning animated feature took audiences on a ride with a family dealing with their problems, oh yeah and they are superheroes. If you haven’t seen The Incredibles here is a massive spoiler alert. I DO NOT OWN THE PICTURE.

After years of damage caused by superheroes, or supers, finally cause the public to turn against them, the government issues a relocation program for supers to fully accept their secret identities. Two married supers, Bob Parr aka the super strong Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) and Helen Parr aka the flexible Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) seem to have adjusted well to a normal life with their three children: the shy and invisible Violet (Sarah Vowell), the super-fast Dash (Spencer Fox) and the normal baby Jack-Jack. Bob does love his family, but after 15 years he longs for his glory days being a super; often going out as a vigilante with his best friend Lucius Best aka the ice powered Frozone (Samuel L. Jackson). One day Bob receives a message from a beautiful woman named Mirage (Elizabeth Peña) offering the chance to become Mr. Incredible again and provide for his family. He jumps at the chance, but eventually realizes he is a part of a bigger and more sinister plot. The person behind it, a man at one time called Buddy Pine now the smart and vengeful Syndrome (Jason Lee) who wants to rid the world of supers, either by killing or by rendering the term useless. Helen, after a visit with family friend, super costume designer and sassy Edna Mode (director Brad Bird) realizes what has happened to her husband and joins him, along with Violet and Dash in stopping Syndrome.

This is one of my family’s favorite Pixar films, which if you’ve been following this blog probably doesn’t surprise you. The action, comedy, family dynamic, writing and voice acting for The Incredibles is exactly like the film title says. Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Spencer Fox and Sarah Vowell are amazing as the Parr family as their characters develop, grow and kick butt. Jason Lee is fantastic as the villain Syndrome; my opinion one of the best Pixar and Disney bad guys. My favorite characters to listen to are Samuel L. Jackson as Frozone (who doesn’t love the whole sequence with Frozone and his off-screen wife) and Brad Bird as Edna Mode (NO CAPES)! However if I have to say what my favorite thing about The Incredibles is, it might be how the film makers took traits in an everyday family and turned them into the powers. A dad, usually the patriarch, has to be the strongest member, mom has to be flexible running the house and kids, teen girls usually feel invisible and pre-teen boys are full of energy and run around. They made everyone in The Incredibles relatable in some way to the audience which helped the success of this wonderful animated film. Of course after a nearly 14 year wait Incredibles 2 has finally come to theaters, and I know my family will be in line to watch it as soon as we possibly can. If once again you have not seen The Incredibles I would put it on the must see list immediately. It is truly an incredible film (sorry, not sorry.)

Movie Review: Get Smart

I can honestly say that my family has not laughed together, or as loud, watching a movie as much as this one. Released in 2008 and based on the 1965 television show by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry took the spy game and made it absolutely hilarious (unlike another film franchise which just pokes fun at James Bond). Spoilers ahead as always. I DO NOT OWN THE PICTURE.

Max Smart (Steve Carell) works as an analyst for CONTROL a top secret agency in the United States who dreams of becoming a field agent like his idol Agent 23 (Dwayne Johnson). One day he comes in to work and finds CONTROL destroyed, later revealed to be the work of their arch rival KAOS, specifically focusing on the head Siegfried (Terrence Stamp), second in command Shtarker (Ken Davitian) and huge muscle Dalip (The Great Khali, whom if you have never seen him is about 7 ft.). Almost all of the agents of CONTROL are exposed except for Agent 99 (Anne Hathaway) who recently had plastic surgery and Max who is finally promoted to Agent 86. Getting gear from his friends Bruce (Masi Oka) and Lloyd (Nate Torrence) Max and 99 take off to discover what KAOS is up too as ordered by the Chief (Alan Arkin). Max and 99 discover KAOS has their hands on nuclear weapons, and someone from CONTROL is helping them. At the same time Max’s incompetence and lack of field work is getting on 99’s nerves, while at the same time he surprises her as the two become very close. About as far as I should go without giving away the movie, but if you are familiar with the TV show I would keep an eye out for some characters and actors.

I have yet to watch the classic TV series, although it is on my list and I got a general idea from my mom who watched it, but if it anything like the movie I know it is going to be hilarious. Steve Carell is one of the funniest actors in Hollywood today (that is not just my opinion that is a fact), so I knew he was going to be fantastic as Max. Anne Hathaway is one of my favorite actresses and I loved her as 99; I will admit her chemistry with Carell was not great but it was not bad. Dwayne Johnson is another one of my favorites and I enjoyed him as Agent 23. Alan Arkin is hilarious as the Chief; there is one scene with him and Max driving a car that my mother couldn’t stop laughing at because apparently it reminded her of me (which I won’t lie and say it didn’t.) The rest of the cast is great, but only Masi Oka and Nate Torrence’s characters Bruce and Lloyd got a spin off film; honestly unless you liked their characters it is probably best if you skip it. The writing and comedic timing, especially by Carell are absolutely hilarious, I was actually belly laughing most of the time watching it. Of course the action is actually pretty good, not that I can see Carell in an action movie but nonetheless not bad. If you are in the mood for some action but mostly comedy than Get Smart is perfect for you.

Movie Review: Shrek

As I stated in a previous blog DreamWorks Animation has become very close to topping Disney when it comes to animated movies, and this 2001 film arguably is the one that started that talk. Based very loosely on the beloved 1990 fairy tale book, but mostly parodies other stories as well as poke some fun at its competition, Shrek became a big household name and showed that maybe fairy tales have the story just a little wrong. If for some reason you haven’t seen this movie spoiler alert. I DO NOT OWN THE PICTURE.

Shrek (Mike Myers) is an ogre living in a swamp and is very content with being alone (he scares off villagers attempting to hunt him just to stay that way.) One day Shrek’s swamp becomes too crowded with fairy tale creatures such as Pinocchio (Cody Cameron), The Three Little Pigs (Cameron as well), the Big Bad Wolf (Aron Warner) and a talking Donkey (Eddie Murphy) after they are forced to leave the kingdom of Duloc by the greedy and short Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow) who wants to be rid of the “freaks” in his kingdom. Lord Farquaad decides to become king, but in order to do so he needs to marry a queen. Thanks to the Magic Mirror (Chris Miller) he chooses the seemingly perfect Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz), but doesn’t want to actually go and rescue her from her tower guarded by a fire breathing dragon. Angered by the unexpected company Shrek and Donkey (who is the only one willing to go with him) travel to Duloc to speak to Lord Farquaad. He agrees to give Shrek his swamp back, but only if Shrek goes and rescues Princess Fiona. Shrek and Donkey do so, much to Fiona’s chagrin disrupting her perfect fairy tale ending she’s been dreaming off. However as the travel back to Duloc Shrek and Fiona discover they actually have a lot more in common than originally thought. About as far as I should go without spoiling the rest of the movies.

Being a fan of fairy tales when I was a kid, and still sort of am today I loved this movie. It took fairy tales that I knew, but twisted it and changed it. Normally I do not like change when it comes to stories I treasure, but I did not mind this at all. It was nice for the monster, which is not really in this case, to get the happy ending and even to see what goes beyond The End, but those are for another day. The voice acting and writing was so perfect to the point where I could not even imagine anyone else voicing Shrek, Donkey or Fiona other than Myers, Murphy and Diaz. I absolutely love the characters. Shrek is so funny, Donkey is a great friend (even when you want him to shut up) Fiona is not your typical princess which I loved immediately about her and Farquaad in my opinion has yet to be topped as the best villain in the franchise. I would even call Shrek a must see regardless of you love for animation. Three sequels followed Shrek, four if you count a spin off, multiple holiday specials and for a brief period a run on Broadway. I believe you can find the Broadway version on Netflix, but I could be wrong; I’m sure it is available somewhere. Shrek is a fantastic non-Disney animated movie and if you have yet to watch it I highly recommend it.

Movie Review: The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course

You guys might remember a few blogs back that I am a huge fan of the late Steve Irwin aka The Crocodile Hunter and how happy I was to hear that his family would be returning to Animal Planet (if not you can check it out here). I used to watch Steve all time when I was a kid and so when I heard that he was doing a feature length movie in 2002 there was NO WAY my family was gonna miss out on it. Spoilers ahead as usual. I DO NOT OWN THE PICTURE.

While Steve and Terri Irwin (playing themselves with their dog Sui) are filming a documentary about the Australia wildlife’s less known creatures a piece of a US owned satellite breaks off; landing in Australia where it is promptly eaten by a crocodile. CIA Agent Buckwhiler (Ron Young) and Deputy Director Reynolds (Steve Bastoni) tell CIA agents Robert Wheeler (Lachy Hulme) and Vaughn Archer (Kenneth Ransom) to Australia to find the beacon, saying in the wrong hands the world would be at stake. Meanwhile Department Director Ansell (Steve Vidler), wanting to capitalize on the opportunity and take the Deputy Director position sends another agent, Jo Buckley (Kate Beahen) to find the beacon first. Meanwhile the same crocodile who swallowed the beacon has been giving trouble for cattle station owner Brozzie Drewitt (Magda Szubanski) as it keeps eating her cows. Brozzie tries to kill the croc, which is illegal as one of the workers for the Department of Fauna and Fisheries Sam Flynn (David Wenham) keeps reminding her, but she won’t listen. Flynn hires Steve and Terri to re-locate the croc and they unknowingly get caught in the CIA’s cross-hairs; Steve believes he’s in the middle of a poaching war while the agents believe he will use the beacon to pay for the Australia Zoo’s multi-million dollar expansion. About as far as I can go without spoiling the rest of the movie.

Interesting fact about this movie: Steve and Terri improvised everything (as they do on their show) and when the other actors would interact with Steve only then would they know what was going on so they could ad-lib. From what I remembered about Steve and Terri this did not surprise me one bit. Now I will admit this is very cheesy when we aren’t with the Irwins, but that is what makes the movie fun. Whenever this airs on TV (and it hasn’t watched it recently) I always DVR it. It is still just as funny as I remembered watching it when I was a kid, but there is still a twinge of sadness I feel when I watch Steve knowing he is no longer here. While I never met Steve, nor probably won’t be traveling to Australia anytime soon to meet the rest of the Irwin family, I’d like to think he is proud of his family and what they are doing. I will always watch this movie, and I recommend you do as well, and I will of course be watching this fall when the Irwins return to Animal Planet.