Radio Days

1987  PG  COMEDY-DRAMA  1h 25min

CAST— Mia Farrow, Seth Green, Julie Kavner, Josh Mostel, Michael Tucker, Dianne Wiest, Wallace Shawn, Tito Puente, Danny Aiello, Jeff Daniels, Tony Roberts, Diane Keaton, Kitty Carlisle Hart, Kenneth Mars, Mercedes Ruehl, Rebecca Schaeffer, Todd Field, Larry David

MUSIC— Dick Hyman  DIRECTOR— Woody Allen

     Take a dull dreary stroll down Memory Lane with this nostalgia-filled period piece set in the family-friendly 1940s. Woody Allen narrates this semi-autobiographical tale of a young boy growing up along the New Jersey shoreline, his love divided between his family and the world of radio. The film would have been fine had it focused solely on a boy’s imagination and obsession with radio. But the film gets caught up in the lives and affairs of his large, character-filled family. There is very little story to offer; what there is to examine are various vignettes, scarcely related to one another. The film falls loosely together as an homage to yesteryear, but its impact may be missed, apart from those with a sentimental attachment to the period.

OUR RATING— * ½

     Rachel and the Stranger

1948  NR  DRAMA  1h 20min

CAST— Loretta Young, William Holden, Robert Mitchum, Tom Tully, Sara Haden

MUSIC— Roy Webb  DIRECTOR— Norman Foster  BASED ON— Rachel (story), by Howard Fast

     Old fashioned pioneer drama in which widower William Holden buys bondswoman Loretta Young, marries her (strictly to keep up appearances) and treats her like a work horse. Then comes along Holden’s friend Robert Mitchum, a carefree game hunter, who falls for Young. Here we have a situation… Of course, Holden begins to see the error of his ways, but only first through seething jealousy. Not quite a classic but good enough for family viewing.

OUR RATING— ** ½

     Quigley Down Under

1990  PG-13  WESTERN  1h 59min

CAST— Tom Selleck, Laura San Giacomo, Alan Rickman, Chris Haywood, Ron Haddrick, Tony Bonner, Jerome Ehlers, Conor McDermottroe, Roger Ward, Ben Mendelsohn

MUSIC— Basil Paledouris  DIRECTOR— Simon Wincer

     Magnum P. I., himself, Tom Selleck, is displaced from the lush tropics of Hawaii and sent to the Outback of Australia… and bounced back a hundred years or so. Okay, so Selleck isn’t playing the mustachioed Magnum; here he plays an American cowboy named Matthew Quigley (still sporting that famed facial hair), a sharpshooter hired on by Australian ranch owner Alan Rickman. Rickman’s character soon shows his true colors when he reveals the true details of the job: hunt down and shoot any Aborigines that appear on the ranch. Quigley promptly refuses; the rancher promptly retaliates. What follows is an adventure for Quigley as he first evades the rancher’s hired hands… that is until Quigley acquires a rifle; then the baddies run like scared rabbits. A fun, old fashioned, old West (style) action adventure, with more than a touch of comedy. Sure to entertain from credits to credits.

OUR RATING— ***

     A Quiet Place

2018  PG-13  SCIENCE FICTION  1h 30min

CAST— Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe

MUSIC— Marco Beltrami  DIRECTOR— John Krasinski

     Shh! Director John Krasinski directs an impressive blend of science fiction, psychological horror and the drama of family dynamics. Civilization has been nearly decimated by monstrous creatures. It’s discovered that the creatures are attracted by noise; unfortunately, that realization came too late to save most of humanity. But the emphasis of the film is its treatment of familial issues during times of crisis. After losing a young son to the monsters, relationships are affected, leading to resentment in the coming months. Husband Krasinski and wife Emily Blunt do their best to keep up some semblance of normalcy, but really how can a family stay strong when always anticipating a ghastly death at any given moment? Further strain is added because no one is allowed to even speak, lest the creatures be drawn to the sound of their voices. To add to the equation Blunt is pregnant, which, needless to say, may cause even bigger problems once the baby is born. But the family works as a team to combat this monstrous menace, despite the fact that they, nor anyone else, has the slightest clue as to how to defeat them. Much like a mashup of M. Night Shyamalan and J. J. Abrams, this is a pretty affecting thriller, featuring solid performances from the two leads, in addition to creepy creatures that seem to be inspired by the kind of monsters found in Silent Hill games. And even though there are some brief scenes involving a bit of PG-13-rated gore, this one may not be too terrible for preteens, at the parents’ discretion, of course. And once again: Shh!

OUR RATING— ***

     The Quiet Man

1952  NR  COMEDY-DRAMA  2h 9min

CAST— John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara, Barry Fitzgerald, Victor McLagland, Mildred Natwick, Arthur Shields, Ward Bond, Ken Curtis, Mae Marsh, Jack MacGowran, Sean McClory, Francis Ford

MUSIC— Victor Young  DIRECTOR— John Ford  BASED ON— The Quiet Man (story), by Maurice Walsh

     An entertaining character study of an American returning to his childhood home, a small village in Ireland where time seems to stand still. It takes a bit of time for the locals to accept this Yank, and vice-versa. When he meets a fiery redhead, his sole purpose becomes clear. The attraction is mutual, but adjusting to Gaelic customs takes more than a little patience, especially since her brother views his new neighbor as a rival and a threat to the community. Soon the entire village rallies behind the couple, in full support of the union (and maybe as a bonus, they’ll get to see what happens between the two feuding brawlers). From here on out it’s a struggle with both his new bride and her brother over matters of marriage, honor, and a dowry. The film boasts beautiful color photography illuminating lush backgrounds in this wonderfully bright feature. Many great performances throughout, but the real showstopper is Barry Fitzgerald as the voice of reason, a wee man of the pub. The film entertains as a romance, a comedy, and a wonderful piece of film history. Oscar-winner for Best Director, Best Cinematography. Deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the United States Library of Congress National Film Registry.

OUR RATING— ***

     Quantum of Solace

2008  PG-13  ACTION  1h 46min

CAST— Daniel Craig, Olga Kurylenko, Mathieu Amalric, Giancarlo Giannini, Jeffrey Wright, Judy Dench

MUSIC— David Arnold  DIRECTOR— Marc Forster

     Daniel Craig returns as agent 007, James Bond, in this highly anticipated yet unfortunate film. Bond is on the trail of Vesper Lynd’s would-be killers when enemy agents are discovered inside MI6. Bond begins tracking them down and discovers a mysterious organization dubbed “Quantum”. As common eco-terrorists, they lie/cheat/steal their way into large investments then turn the tables for their own personal gain. Their latest venture includes buying up a barren patch of desert and damming up the subterranean water supply (just why is unclear). Die hard action fans may be a bit disappointed after the all-out free-for-all Casino Royale (2006), in which even the lulls were crackling with energy. In this film the action seems a bit formulaic, the plot seems a tad muddled, and the overall effect is forgettable. It has its moments, but they are few and far between.

OUR RATING— ** ½

PRECEDED BY— Casino Royale (2006)

FOLLOWED BY— Skyfall (2012), Spectre (2015)

     Puss in Boots

2011  PG  ANIMATED  1h 30min

CAST— Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Zach Galifianakis, Billy Bob Thornton, Amy Sedaris

MUSIC— Henry Jackman  DIRECTOR— Chris Miller

     That sword-wielding kitty is back in this spin-off/prequel to the ever popular Shrek series. Puss grew up with Humpty Dumpty, a dreamer obsessed with the ever elusive three magic beans of lore. Humpty turns to a life of crime while Puss tries to clear his name as a result of one of Humpty’s heists. Years later Puss decides to give Humpty a chance at redemption. With the assistance of master thief Kitty Softpaws off they head to relieve the vile Jack and Jill of their mystical legumes. Not as inspired or as entertaining as it could have been, though it’s fine for the duration. Meow. Originally filmed in 3-D. Later developed into a television series.

OUR RATING— ** ½

FOLLOWED BY— Shrek (2001), Shrek 2 (2004), Shrek the Third (2007), Shrek Forever After (2010)