Sophie's Choice (1982) - 8 stars out of 10

Sophie's Choice (1982) - 8 stars out of 10

"Sophie's Choice" is a film that everybody should see at least once.  It has its slow moments (which magnify the 2 1/2-hour runtime) but discovering the choice that Sophie has to make is a cinematic rite of passage. Meryl Streep's Oscar-winning performance is nothing short of perfection.  The demanding role required her to perfect a Polish accent, speak in multiple languages, and interpret one character throughout several phases of life.  She visually transitions between a vibrant woman, an ill immigrant, and a prisoner with a shaved head in a concentration camp.  The accent is so impeccable that you constantly forget that this is an American actress, and she does it all while expressing an incredible depth of emotion.  For everything that this film lacks in pacing, it is redeemed through Streep's flawless performance that may very well be the greatest of all time.  Kevin Kline manages to keep up with her through his multifaceted character, making his highs very high and his lows devastatingly low.  The main disappointment of the film is Peter MacNicol.  I find his character to be an annoying third wheel that lacks emotion in highly emotional situations.  He doesn't undergo the transformation that he should and is easily overshadowed by Kline and Streep.  Even though the main character is a complete dud, the film creates several amazing moments such as the romantic piano sequence, Kline's two irrational outbursts, and obviously all of the concentration camp scenes.  I feel that these moments are some of the best ever produced and yet, I agree with the fact that the film was not nominated for a Best Picture Oscar.  It is beautiful to watch but there is a lot of dead space.  The foul-mouthed female character that dates Stingo (whose I can’t even identify by name because she isn’t important enough to be mentioned in any synopsis) could have been completely written out and saved us 15 minutes.  There is enough occurring in the present and in the flashbacks that we do not need irrelevant deviations to lengthen the film.  “Sophie’s Choice” can be a tough film because of its slow pace but Streep’s performance and the secret that is revealed at the end make it worth pushing through.  You will never forget “the scene” for as long as you live.

[Pictured: Nothing can prepare you for this scene]

Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me - 8 stars out of 10

Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me - 8 stars out of 10

“Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me” captures the crass, hard-working personality of Broadway actress Elaine Stritch.  The documentary is more of a broad reflection of Stritch’s career than a chapter-by-chapter biography.  It is also very honest as it explores everything from her glory days on the stage to her hospitalization from diabetes.  Whether you are a Broadway fan or not, you need to see this in order to appreciate one of theater’s most eccentric personalities.  The format of the documentary follows the elder Stritch as she prepares a one-woman stage show.  The candid footage is priceless as she interacts with celebrities (mostly from the show “30 Rock”), charms audiences, and reflects on her career.  This priceless footage also shows another side of things as her frustration in rehearsal leads to cursing and her honest words about her problems with alcohol.  When the performance finally arrives, it is pure magic to see her in her element and to see how the audience simply loves her.  Elaine Stritch passed away shortly after this documentary was released in 2014 but her legacy lives on through this truthful look at her life.

[Pictured: Elaine Stritch is a wily old lady that you'll just love to watch]

Conspiracy Theory: Did We Land on the Moon? - 7 stars out of 10

Conspiracy Theory: Did We Land on the Moon? - 7 stars out of 10

“Conspiracy Theory: Did We Land on the Moon?” is an infamous 2001 Fox tv special that created an uproar as the entire country began to question whether the Moon landing was a hoax.  I don't consider myself to be a conspiracy theorist but this TV special makes some compelling arguments.  While it is fun to entertain the thought that the moon landing was a politically-driven hoax, it is even crazier to imagine that no person has ever actually stepped on the moon.  It is celebrated by our society as one of man’s greatest achievements, but imagine if it was a complete lie!  The documentary-style tv special investigates several aspects of the Moon landing that don’t add up.  Shadows that indicate an additional light source to the Sun, the waving American flag that shouldn’t have waved in an airless atmosphere, and the appearance of identical desert backdrops on a number of missions indicate that the lunar videos could have been filmed on a soundstage at Area 51.  The absence of rocket engine sounds in the audio files, lack of a crater under the lunar module, and the extremely low odds of the module successfully landing are a compelling argument that maybe we never made it at all.  There is an entire episode of Mythbusters dedicated to disproving the theories in this documentary but you still have to wonder if man actually made it to the Moon.  Whether you buy into conspiracy theories or not, “Did We Land on the Moon?” is a must-see just to be a part of the pop culture phenomenon that suddenly made everybody question one of the most common truths in textbooks and amongst those who lived through the Space Race.

[Pictured: Why is this flag waving?  And why aren’t there any stars in the background?]

Grand Opening Celebration of Shanghai Disney Resort - 5 stars out of 10

Grand Opening Celebration of Shanghai Disney Resort - 5 stars out of 10

The "Grand Opening Celebration of Shanghai Disney Resort" was a half-hour musical performance that combined Chinese culture with the beauty of the new Enchanted Storybook Castle.  It would have been a letdown if you were expecting it to take you on a tour of the new park but these TV specials always have a tendency to be performance-driven.  The final result is a visually marvelous presentation that is completely overshadowed by a distracting narration.  I don't know who decided to have teen Disney star Sofia Carson interject unnecessary commentary at all of the magical moments but it made it difficult to emotionally invest in what was going on.  Some commentary was fine, such as introducing performers like Lang Lang and explaining some of the story.  But to interrupt important moments by saying "There are more choir members on the balconies, isn't this magical?" was entirely superfluous.  The "Grand Opening Celebration of Shanghai Disney Resort" probably didn't deliver what most of us had hoped to see; still, it was worth watching to hear the thoughts of Bob Iger, see the incredible new castle, and enjoy the unique cultural musical stylings of Tan Dun.

[Pictured: The fireworks above Enchanted Storybook Castle are reason enough to watch]

Hercules (1997) - 8 stars out of 10

Hercules (1997) - 8 stars out of 10

“Hercules” has the catchy music, epic story, and flawless animation that we have come to expect from the Disney Renaissance.  While all of these attributes are similar to the other Renaissance films, “Hercules” remains unique with its gospel music style and sinister-yet-comical villain.  You wouldn't think that Greek mythology and southern gospel music would be a good match, but it is the perfect medium for the narration of this film.  The animation of the Muses as artwork on Greek vases and statues that come to life allows them to interact with the actions onscreen while remaining unseen by the characters.  The music isn't as memorable as "The Lion King" but it has a few great songs that are underrated in the scheme of Disney songs (particularly "Go the Distance" and the double time in "Zero to Hero").  My favorite song is “(I Won’t Say) I’m In Love” with its 1960's female doowop style and excellent interpretation by Susan Egan.  It is a stylistic departure from the gospel pieces but it works because of the similar female harmonies.  The film has the great balance of storytelling and comedy that we expect from the Disney Renaissance.  It is full of great ancient puns ("Somebody call IX-I-I!") and the symbolic use of color for visual storytelling.  It is easy to see the contrast between characters as well as the transformation of Hercules through the glow of the gods, average color of the mortals, and the faded color of the dead.  One of the most impressive visual aspects of the film is the Hydra sequence.  It is a revolutionary example of early CGI, requiring 13 animators to work for nearly a year-and-a-half to create this vivid 4-minute battle.  I still remember the surprise and fear that I felt as a preteen when I first saw the boundary-pushing graphic content of Hercules repeatedly chopping off the Hydra heads.  The film goes to a very dark place with this story of betrayal and death; still, James Woods’ lighthearted portrayal of Hades helps the film to avoid the depressing tone of “Hunchback.”  Hades is a great comedic villain, complete with one-liners and sarcastic glances at the camera.  The animation of this character perfectly matches James Woods' quirky interpretation.  You would expect the star of the film to be the titular Hercules but I find him to be rather unmemorable in comparison with the spotlight-stealing Hades.  Woods creates a Jekyl and Hyde effect that makes us want to be his friend until he suddenly becomes scary.  Even then, he is the comic relief instead of the serious and scary (and seriously scary) villains of “Sleeping Beauty” and “Hunchback.”  Other memorable performances include Danny DeVito as Phil, Rip Torn as Zeus, and Jim Cummins in a brief cameo as Nessus.  I kind of wanted him to reappear later in the story, but the cameo-like nature of his scene makes it a great Disney Easter Egg.  While “Hercules” is often forgotten in the conversation about films like “Aladdin” and “The Lion King,” it is worth revisiting as long as you don’t mind a very loose interpretation of Greek mythology, 

[Pictured: The Hydra sequence is one of the best battle sequences in any Disney movie]

Steamboat Willie (1928) - 8 stars out of 10

Steamboat Willie (1928) - 8 stars out of 10

“I only hope that we don't lose sight of one thing - that it was all started by a mouse.”  These humble words from Walt Disney have grown into an anthem for anybody who is trying to turn their dream into a reality.  Disney's quote continues to resonate today because he risked everything on the early cartoons that helped to form the vision for his entertainment empire.  "Steamboat Willie" is an incredible achievement for its time.  It was the first successful fully synchronized sound cartoon and, while it is tough to grasp the quality of older cartoons when you look at modern animation, this seemingly simplistic cartoon was revolutionary.  Walt provided all of the voices for the characters and worked through a process of trial and error to properly sync the sound.  Most people believe this to be the first film to feature Mickey Mouse, though that distinction actually belongs to “Plane Crazy” which was created a year earlier.  When this silent film failed to impress test audiences, Walt decided to complete “Steamboat Willie” (which used synchronized sound) and release it first to make Mickey into a star.  All of this happened after Charles Mintz took the rights to Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.  The cartoon is a series of simple situations and musical moments that occur as Mickey sails down a river.  The story is punctuated by clever sightgags like using a guitar-eating goat as a phonograph and Pete spitting chewing tobacco to ring a bell.  In addition to being Mickey’s debut, this film was also the first appearance of Minnie Mouse and is a great example of animation by Disney legend Ub Iwerks.  In the grand scheme of things, we would all be more entertained by modern Mickey cartoons; however, "Steamboat Willie" is an important chapter in the story of Disney animation and something that should always be treasured by fans of Disney's feature-length animated output.

Steamboat Willie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBgghnQF6E4

[Pictured: Minnie Mouse decides to use a goat as a phonograph after he eats her guitar and she sees music notes falling out of his mouth.  How can Mickey help but smile along?  These are the moments that make us love Walt Disney's films.]

Girl on a Bicycle - 5 stars out of 10

Girl on a Bicycle - 5 stars out of 10

"Girl on a Bicycle" is a cute international romantic comedy that strikes a good balance between situational comedy and cheesy romantic moments.  The story is formulaic but I was legitimately interested to see how the it would resolve itself.  Even with a musical score that you might expect from a Lifetime Original Movie, the film's quality supersedes that of a typical low-budget indie film.  I wouldn't hand out any Oscars to these leads, but I greatly enjoyed the performances of Nora Tschirner, Vincenzo Amato, and Louise Monot.  They formed impressive chemistry with one another and individually brought a lot of gumption to their characters.  Also, if you enjoy accents, then this is the movie for you!  The setting captures the essence of Paris and the decision to have a French, German, and Italian lead speaking in their native tongue and accent makes the film unique.  There are some eye-rolling moments and much of the story is unrealistic; still, it is all worth it for that scene on the airplane where Tschirner steals out hearts.  "Girl on a Bicycle" isn't my favorite chick flick (in fact, it probably belongs in the "guilty pleasure" genre) but it provides a nice break from the next flavor-of-the-month Nicholas Sparks adaptation.

[Pictured: The movie is cheesy but you can't help but love its characters]