To Catch a Thief (1955)
Bottomline: There are better Hitchcock films starring these two people.
Pros: Grace Kelley. Cary Grant.
Cons: Lots of talking. More talking. Then more talking. Little bit of action. Then more talking. Some more talking. More talking. Little bit of action. End of film.
Where Can I See This Movie? It is available for rent and plays often on television. I saw it on Turner Classic Movies channel.
What Other Hitchcock Films Would You Recommend? To see Grace Kelley in a great Hitchcock movie, rent Rear Window (1954). To see Cary Grant in a great Hitchcock film, rent North by Northwest (1959).
QMR Opinion: This movie hasn't held up well over the years. Known primarily because of the famous scene involving the road where Princess Grace was actually killed, To Catch a Thief spends too much time talking and not enough time moving the story forward. My children (ages 12 and 16) had the story figured out 30 minutes into it. Some of the dialogue is particularly interesting -- especially the scene at night in Kelley's room when she and Grant engage in a lengthy discussion filled with all sorts of sexual double entendres.
A Christmas Carol (2009)
Bottomline: Terrific movie that is faithful to the Dickens novel.
Pros: Terrific story. Strong acting by Jim Carrey (in multiple roles) and Gary Oldman. Animation is top-notch. Loved the 3-D work.
Cons: There are a couple of "chase" scenes that last too long. The end when Bob Cratchit speaks directly to the camera doesn't work and takes you out of the movie.
Where Can I See This Movie? It is currently in wide release in theaters.
WARNING: Even though this is animated and the trailer looks fun, this movie is not for young children. Particularly disturbing is how the movie handles the "death" of Tiny Tim and the "death" of the Ghost of Christmas Present. There are many scary moments.
QMR Opinion: This is a strong movie that truly captures the essence of A Christmas Carol as a morality tale. The animation is terrific. The technology has moved quickly beyond Robert Zemekis' previous movie using this animation technology, The Polar Express (2004). I'll be honest and say that I am a sucker for this Disney 3-D technology. I think it adds to the overall experience of the film and Zemekis makes strong use of it without going overboard. The acting is strong and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Carrey's performance. This movie is well worth your time but be forewarned -- it is a dark tale designed to shock you into understanding what is important.
The Blind Side (2009)
Bottomline: Inspiring movie that deserves your support.
Pros: It simply tells the story of a young man that you couldn't make up even if you wanted to. Strong performances by Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw and Jae Head.
Cons: It can't help itself and gets overly sweetly sentimental in some spots. Glosses over what had to be a difficult transition for both Oher and the Tuohy family.
Where Can I See This? It is in wide release in the theaters.
Interesting Note: This movie is rated PG-13 so be aware of that. There is a scary scene of explosive violence. There are violent flashbacks. And the trailers that we saw were very PG-13. For example, we saw a trailer for It's Complicated that shows Alec Baldwin and Meryl Streep laid out in the bed -- spent.
QMR Opinion: I went into this movie fully expecting not to like it. I heard about how great it was. That it was the best movie ever made. But the simple fact of the matter is that you would really have to try to screw up telling this incredible story. Michael Oher was a young black man with no home and is taken in by the very white Tuohy family who nurture him, become his legal guardians and help him get to college. Oher was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the draft. However, despite my best efforts to not like this movie, I couldn't help buy like it. It is inspiring and, frankly, a little convicting. It is up to Sandra Bullock to carry this movie and she does it well. The movie can't help itself and there are some scenes that are clearly designed to manipulate the audience. But you can get past this. At the end of the day, this is a great movie.
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