Panda Spoof!

Another Dreamworks effort but the magic is getting veneer-thin. Still some fun but very muted.

Po (Jack Black), a clumsy son of a noodle shop owner was accidentally chosen to be the Dragon Warrior above the 4 super warriors, Tigress (Jolene), Monkey(Jackie Chan), Grasshopper and Snake (Lucy Liu). Then a looming threat came when an earlier recalcitrant student imprisoned to keep peace in the village broke loose to fight the Dragon Warrior.

So, Po gets trained by Sifu (Dustin Hoffman) and his kungfu is all around food including usage of dumplings, woks, chopsticks and bowls.

As expected Po saved the day.

See it if you have kids around.

Shipwrecks, Gold and Lady Love

A very light rom-com starring Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson.

The Bermuda was chosen as the setting where a nearby shore hides sunken treasure from the 18th Century.

Plenty of undersea swimming, a blow hole and fun rides on a luxury yacht.

Could be fun if you have the time.

Best Years of our Lives

A beautifully crafted movie of three servicemen who returned to Boone Town after the war. A banker, a druggist assistant and a young sportsman. They have to adapt to life. The banker (Frederic March) was estranged to his wife Millie (Myrna Loy), while the druggist assistant had to live with the newly wedded wife he left to join the war campaign. The sportsman lost both his hands and had returned with hooks instead. He fears rejection from everyone particularly his girlfriend. Then the druggist assistant fell in love with Peggy, the banker's daughter who took a fancy to her even though he knew that he was married.

An interesting story well told. Feel good at the end. Good movie which won the best film of the year.

Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold

I saw this movie when I was at such an impressionable age, perhaps no more than 12. It fires our imagination and we root for the Lone Ranger and Tonto to take on the baddies.

I remembered clearly the 5 silver pieces that showed where the Lost City was located. We have a baddie in the form of a lady here who finances the murder of the Red Indians to get their silver neck pieces to locate the gold city.

Very dated but still nostalgic.

Clayton Moore and Joe Silverheels were great then.

See it for sentimental reasons.

Surf's Up!

A wonderful movie with great sparring lines. It tells about the story of an underdog penguin named Casey Maverick from Shiverpool, Antartica competing in the surfing competition in Pengu Island. Here he meets a lifeguard, the love of his life as well as his loyal chicken friend.

Mentored by the Great Z, he made his own skateboard and as usual saved the day even though he did not win the competition.

Fun movie. Do not miss this !

Definitely, Maybe

Can be pedestrian sometimes but the three ladies provided the sustaining interest to bring the movie home. Elizabeth Banks, Isla Fisher and Rachel Weisz were absolutely charming in this film.

Told in flashback in most parts as a story to Maya (Abigail Breslin) by her father, she second-guessed who her mother was and also succeeded to bring happiness to her father by bringing his long-lost April (Isla Fisher) back into his arms.
A good rom-com with quite good dialogue.

One Great Movie to Last a Life-time!

A good movie that withstood the test of time. Moving and entertaining fare from Elia Kazan. Brando was brilliant and newcomer Eva Marie Saint lends her mesmerizing beauty to the black and white screen.

The movie tells the dark side of the going-ons at the waterfront and a brave priest (Karl Malden) who managed to bring back the souls of the workers to fight for their rights against the hoods that controlled the waterfront. Edward G. Robinson, Lee J. Cobb and Rod Steiger were most menacing in their roles as the hoodlums.

Good movie to see again and again!