Flying Down to Rio (1933)

Generally speaking, when one hears the word “wow,” one immediately thinks that the speaker is referring to something marvelous and wonderful. However, the word “wow” also can refer to something really bad. I regret to inform you that this “wow” I’m about to offer is of the latter variety. Wow. I rented “Flying Down to Rio” because it is the first movie Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers ever made together. Their star quality shines through the minute they appear on the screen – they’re the only actors in this film with any personality whatsoever. The problem is, theirs is a … Continue reading →

Fancy Pants (1950)

Bob Hope and Lucille Ball are two of the biggest stars ever to come down the pike. With faces recognized the world over, they each remain untouched as far as popularity. That said, “Fancy Pants,” although it starred both of them, pretty much stunk. Lucille Ball stars as Aggie Floud, an American girl from a small town called Big Squaw. Her family has recently come in to money, and she and her mother are touring Europe. When an English lord decides to court Aggie, he realizes her devotion to family, but he has none. He heads down to his favorite … Continue reading →

Balto II: Wolf Quest (2000)

Rather than leaving you in suspense as to my feelings about this movie, I’ll just tell you upfront that I didn’t care for it. It’s supposedly the sequel to “Balto.” However, “Balto” was supposedly based on a true story, and “Balto II” is a sequel to the fictional parts of the story. You see, the real Balto was not part wolf, and the entire plot surrounding “Balto II” focuses on Balto coming to grips with his wolfy heritage. Balto and Jenna are now parents. All the puppies but one look like Jenna, and the other one, Aleu, looks like Balto, … Continue reading →

The Last Unicorn (1982)

Rating: G This movie is based on a book by Peter S. Beagle, who also did the screenplay. I’ve read the book and after just seeing the movie this afternoon, I’m going to recommend that you read the book and not worry about the film at all. That’s unfortunate, because I was really looking forward to it. The premise is this: a unicorn, living alone in the woods, overhears someone say that she is the last unicorn left in existence. Wanting to know if this is true, she asks a butterfly, who tells her that years ago, all the unicorns … Continue reading →

The Indian in the Cupboard

I was pretty excited to watch this film. The premise sounded interesting – a boy gets a cupboard as a birthday gift, and finds that whenever he puts a toy in it, that toy comes to life. Sounds pretty cute and innocent, right? Oh, I was so wrong. In the first place, the movie took forever to get going, and actually was pretty slow all the way through. That was one strike against it. But it continued disappointing me from there. At one point, the boy, named Omri, brought an old Indian toy to life, and he was so afraid … Continue reading →

Tarzan and Jane (2002)

Sometimes when a movie is a big hit, the movie makers think, “Well, if we did so well with that one, how about a sequel?” They tried this with “Tarzan and Jane,” and I’m sorry to say, it just didn’t work. Jane has been living in the jungle with Tarzan for a year now, and to celebrate their first wedding anniversary, she wants to plan a special surprise. She meets up with Tarzan’s best friends Tantor and Turk and they discuss ways to commemorate the day. Jane’s ideas all lean toward holding a fancy party, but Tarzan’s friends are quick … Continue reading →

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)

Quasimodo was born to gypsy parents in the Paris area. As the law enforcement officials gathered up the gypsies to be put to death on false charges of thievery, Quasimodo’s mother held him tightly and ran through the streets until she was hunted down and killed on the steps of the Notre Dame cathedral, despite her pleas of “sanctuary.” When Frodo, the official who was hunting her, examined the bundle she held, he found a baby, a misshapen infant with a hunchback. He was on the brink of throwing the baby in the well when the priest from the cathedral … Continue reading →

Bambi II (2006)

“Bambi II” was released by the Disney corporation sixty-four years after the original, and fills in the gap of time between his mother’s death and his return as an adult. Taken by his father (voiced by Patrick Stewart) to be raised as a prince, Bambi is given no time to mourn his mother’s passing, and his attempts to talk to his father about her are squelched by the maxim, “A prince looks to the future, not the past.” As the Great Prince tries to carry out his business as usual, he finds that taking care of a young fawn cramps … Continue reading →

The Rescuers Down Under (1990)

“The Rescuers Down Under” is the sequel to the original movie, “The Rescuers,” although it came along thirteen years later. Bob Newhart and Eva Gabor reprise their roles as Bernard and Miss Bianca, respectively, and Bernard has finally decided that it’s time to pop the ol’ question to Miss Bianca. However, before he can get the words out, news comes down the wire that a boy has been kidnapped in Australia, and he and Miss Bianca must go to the rescue. Cody lives with his widowed mother near the edge of the Australian wild, in a place called Mugwomp Flats. … Continue reading →

Riding High (1950)

This predictable Bing Crosby movie had a lot of build-up and a whole lot of let-down. I don’t know about you, but when I hear that a movie has a big name in it, like, oh, I don’t know – Bing Crosby, I tend to think that it’s going to be a decent film. I also think that I’m going to hear some really good singing. Oh, I’m so naïve. Hollywood sometimes misses the mark, and when the actors are under contract to star in whatever movie they’re told to take, there is no guarantee. Bing plays Dan Brooks, a … Continue reading →