A Nanny for Christmas 2010

     Ally is a smart young career woman but she needs a new job.  Samantha is a busy Beverly Hills advertising executive and mom.  The children are well mannered but they need some fun in their lives.  Everything in their lives is scheduled, serious and fun is not included on the list.  This family needs organization because they cannot find anything in the mornings.  Danny Donner is the tough guy owner of a chocolate company who is shopping for a new ad agency.  Is it possible that these three entirely different people can begin to mesh for Christmas?

     Ally thinks she is going to a job interview as an advertising executive but the job is for a nanny instead.  Samantha wants education all day but Ally begins to throw fun into education and into their strict diet.  Somewhat predictable and you know Ally is going to get into trouble with Samantha more than once before Christmas.  3* (This movie is OK)

88 min, Comedy directed by Michael Feifer with Emmanuelle Vaugier, Dean Cain, Richard Ruccolo, Cynthia Gibb, Sierra McCormick, Jared Gilmore, Sarah Thompson, Clyde Kustasu, John Burke, Caia Coley, Maria Maples.

Note:  Imdb 5.3 out of 10, 30% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Amazon 4* out of 5* with 105 reviews.

Special Note:  Anchor Bay Entertainment released this film.  They are part of Starz Media (75%) and The Weinstein Company (25%).

A Christmas Wedding 2006

     Two years ago Emily and Ben met on Christmas Day.  Emily has spent a year planning their wedding for Christmas Day.  Tucker, her boss wants Emily to go with him on a business trip to close a deal and he promises she will be home in plenty of time for the wedding.  Ben is nervous but he doesn’t have a choice, Emily needs to go on this trip if she wants to keep her job.  Ben is a procrastinator and Emily is a perfectionist.  Will Emily be back in time, will all her arrangements work and can they pull this off?

     This is supposed to be a comedy but I didn’t find it funny?  It becomes too hectic for it to be funny and Tucker is too aggressive, demanding and overbearing.  As a boss, it’s not his “job” to advise employees on the right marriage partner?  Should he offering this kind of information with a failed marriage in his history?  3* (This movie is OK)

89 min, TV Movie, Romance directed by Michael Zinberg with Sarah Paulson, Eric Mabius, Richard Blackburn, Dean Cain, Reagan Pastenak, Art Hindle, Louise Pitre, Mimi Kuzyk, George Buza, Owen Pattison.

Note: Imdb 5.5 out of 10, 32% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Amazon 4* out of 5* with 24 reviews.

Special Note:  This movie was filmed in Halifax/Nova Scotia in Canada.  There is a mistake because a large passenger plane cannot divert to Cheyenne.  The runway is not large enough for a landing.  Sarah Paulson was also in 12 Years a Slave of 2013.

The Road to Christmas 2006

     Claire Jameson is a fashion photographer in Chicago planning to get married.  She is trying to get to Aspen for her dream wedding but she can only get partway on her flight because of the weather.  She is unable to rent a car, she takes the bus for part of her journey and then she is offered a ride.  They start to leave without her and throw her luggage out in the street?  Finally, she gets a “real” ride with a man and his 12 year-old daughter.  Complications arise on this part of the journey too.  When Claire is trying to get cell phone service, they accidentally back into a ditch.  They walk to Tom’s mother’s house to wait until the Rocky Mountain region roads are cleared to Aspen.

     There is a surprise waiting for Claire in Aspen when she does arrive.  Along the way, she makes friends with Tom and his daughter Hilly.  She also learns that Tom was formerly a famous artist but now he’s a teacher.  Sometimes things don’t go the way you plan and they go in an entirely different direction.  3 ½* ( I liked this movie)

88 min, TV Movie, Comedy directed by Mark Jean with Jennifer Grey, Megan Park, Clark Gregg, Barbara Gordon, Jean Michel Pare, Thom Allison.

Note:  Imdb 6.2 out of 10, 50% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Amazon 4.3* out of 5* with 230 reviews.

Special Note:  Jennifer Grey also acted in Dirty Dancing with Patrick Swayze.  She is married to her co-star Clark Gregg.

Christmas on the Bayou 2013

     Katherine lives and works in New York.  Zack is her son and he is 7 years old.  He is having a hard time in school and in sports.  He thinks his mother never listens to him and that she spends a lot of time involved with her job.  She decides to try to change all this around by to taking a Christmas vacation trip to her hometown to visit with her mother.

     I didn’t expect very much from this film on Lifetime but it was better than I thought.  It doesn’t take a genius to see from the beginning how this is probably going to turn out but the journey to get there is pleasant and interesting.  Asner plays a Santa like role, Hilarie Burton has good chemistry with Brody Rose, Tyler Hilton and Markie Post.  A lot of good information about the Bayou.  3 ½* (I liked this movie)

86 min, TV movie directed by Leslie Hope with Hilarie Burton, Tyler Hilton, Randy Travis, Markie Post, Edward Asner, Brody Rose, Ariana Neal.

Note:  Imdb 6.4 out of 10, Turner Classic Movies 5* out of 5 except 4.67 for screen play, Amazon 4.5* out of 5* with 37 reviews.

Special Note:  This is the first time Hilarie Burton and Tyler Hilton and acted together since they were on One Tree Hill of 2003.

Far from the Madding Crowd 2015

     This film is based on a classic 1874 novel by Thomas Hardy.  The setting is Victorian Britain in Dorset, 200 miles outside of London in 1870.  Bathsheba Everdene is independent and headstrong.  Three suitors are interested in her hand in marriage.  Gabriael Oak is a sheep farmer, Frank Troy is a Sergeant and William Boldwood is a bachelor.  Bathsheba thinks she knows exactly what she wants from life but she inherits a farm from her uncle that changes everything. 

      I didn't think I would like this movie but I did.  The scenery is beautiful, the plot is good and also the characters.  Bathsheba is independent and she's not sure she ever wants to marry.  3 1/2* (I liked this movie)  

 

119 min, Drama directed by Thomas Vinterberg with Carey Mulligan, Matthias Schoenaerts, Michael. Tilly Vosburgh, Mark Wingett, Dorian Lough, Sam Phillips, Tom Sturridge, Juno Temple, Bradley Hall.
 

Note:  Imdb 7.1 out of 10, 85% critic 77% audience on Rotten Tomatoes. Roger Ebert 3*, Amazon 4.8* out of 5* with 759 reviews.

Special Note:  This movie was filmed in Dorset, Buckinghamshire, and Somerset, England, UK.  Carey Mulligan received a concussion when she fell off her horse.  She doesn’t remember parts of filming for a six-week period.  Carey suggested Matthias Schoenaerts for his role as Gabriel Oak and he is the only non-British actor in the cast.  Author Suzanne Collins was inspired to use the name Everdene from this novel for her heroine Katniss in the Hunger Games series.  This novel has been translated to film four times.

Call Me Mrs. Miracle 2010

     This movie is based on a novel written by Debbie Macomber.  Mrs. Miracle explains that her name is really Mrs. Merkle but her store name tag was printed incorrectly?  The employment agency doesn’t have a record of sending her to the store as temporary Christmas help?  She is working at a New York based mom-and-pop store that has fallen on hard times.  They need to have good sales for Christmas or it may be the end for them.  One of their biggest problems is that they are not stocking the most popular electronic toy of the year.  They have had many requests for this toy but the manager believes children need the old-fashioned toys that encourage play and imagination.  Mrs. Miracle is working behind the scenes to bring store manager Jake together with Holly who is caring for her nephew Gabe.  She is also working to bring Jake’s father J.R. together with long time employee Gloria.  Both Jake and J.R. loved Christmas until the death of Mrs. J.R.

      Doris Roberts has a very upbeat and positive personality in most of her acting roles.  It’s fun to watch a Thanksgiving movie or a Christmas movie when the theme is not pressuring shopping and emphasizing everything that needs to be done.  It’s an escape from the times when these two holiday can overwhelm with their needs!!  There is a good message here that lasts all year and not just at Christmas.  3 ½* (I liked this movie)

90 min, Comedy directed by Michael Scott with Doris Roberts, Jewel Staite, Eric Johnson, Quinn Lord, Tom Butler, Patricia Mayen-Salazar, Lauren Holly, Jocelyne Loewen, Mary Black Sean Carey.

Note:  Imdb 6.6 out of 10, 62% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Amazon 4.8* out of 5* with 298 reviews.

Special Note:  This movie was filmed in Granville City Centre, Vancouver, Canada.

Mortdecai 2015

     Charlie Mortdecai is having trouble with his wife Johanna because he has grown a mustache!!  It makes her gag reflex react every time she gets near to kiss Charlie.  Charlie and Johanna are almost out of money so she puts a painting up for auction and Charlie tries to recover a stolen painting with a code leading to lost Nazi gold.

     Bosh!! That is what I want to say about this movie!!  Depp plays Mortdecai and he is a ridiculous and inept character.  The only person with any grit is his manservant Jock.  Despite his build and brawn, Jock has been shot several times by Mortdecai and he almost loses one of his fingers.  Both Johanna and Mi-6 Agent Martland are drips!!  2* (I didn’t like this movie and I’m being overly generous with my stars!!)

107 min, Action directed by David Koepp with Johnny Depp, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ewan McGregor, Paul Bettany, Olivia Munn, Jonny Pasvolsky, Michael Culkin, Ulrich Thomsen, Alec Utgoff, Rob de Groot, Guy Burnet.

Note:  Imdb 5.5 out of 10, 12% critic 30% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Roger Ebert ½*.

Special Note:  This movie was filmed in London, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, England, UK.