The Lunch Box

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Illa (Nimrat Kaur) is a young Indian housewife who makes hot lunches for her husband which is sent through the intricate Dabbawala system to deliver it to her husband. In India, it is common for office workers to have hot meals from home or a restaurant to be delivered to them via a delivery service. Usually a man will come collect the meals from a residence or restaurant and then it may be sent on the train or bike depending on the location. Illa’s lunch is accidently sent to Saajan Fernandes (Irrfan Khan ) an accountant who is about to retire after thirty five years working at the same firm.  

The two start to send messages to each other in the lunch box and they learn about each other’s lives. Illa writes about how her husband takes her for granted and Saajan writes about the monotony of his life and his loneliness from being a widower for many years.The pair come to depend upon each other and fall in love but it’s complicated. Illa has a husband and a young daughter and Saajan feels he may be too old to start something new. They try to meet a few times but things get in the way.

It was a cute movie. One of my friends recommended this film to me so that’s why I watched it. I love movies set in India as I love Indian culture. I enjoyed watching the film but I wish the ending hadn’t been ambiguous. I had hoped that all the issues would be resolved in the end. I don’t know if they would have got their happily ever after because they were both lonely people who just happened to be there for each other. I think a hobby and friends could have easily fixed the hole each had and Illa needed to communicate more with her husband.  

Autumn Dreams

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Eighteen year old Annie (Ivy Matheson) and nineteen year Ben (Matt Visser) get married and run away to New York but are stopped by Annie’s father. Ben goes to New York by himself and Annie remains on her family farm. The two are separated for fifteen years until they reunite to get a divorce as each have decided to marry other people.  Ben (Colin Egglesfield)  lives in New York engaged to Jovanna (Tasya Teles) and Annie is engaged to Joe ( Michael Karl Richards) back on the farm. The divorce proceedings don’t go to plan and Ben and Annie spend time reminiscing their past and rekindling their love.

Ben and Annie were a nice couple. Nothing spectacular about their love story, sometimes love is like that. I thought that there was more chemistry between the teenaged versions of Annie and Ben rather than the older ones. I also think it’s because the teenagers were at the height of their love and the older ones were rekindling their love.

It’s a cute movie to watch when you want something on but don’t want to concentrate too hard. I watched it while I was cleaning the lounge room. I also picked it because it had the shortest running time on my huge saved list on Netflix. What I found refreshing about this movie was that there were no scheming love interests. I thought Jovanna would be some uptight city girl who would make snarky remarks about Annie being a small town country girl. Or that Joe who was friendzoned by Annie in their teenage years, would be behind some kind of deception which resulted in Ben and Annie’s estrangement.  However, Jovanna and Joe were both nice people. I felt bad for them in the end.

Entertainment Monday: Passengers ( 30 January 2017)

Jim Preston (Chris Pratt) is a passenger on the Avalon, a spaceship on a voyage to a new planet. The trip will take 100 years from earth so all the passengers are cryogenically frozen until a few months before they land. Unfortunately for Jim, his sleeping pod malfunctions causing him to wake up. Jim cannot fix his pod so must spend the rest of his life on the ship alone.

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Jim learns to adjust to his new life with the company of Arthur (Michael Sheen), an android bartender. He enjoys the facilities around the ship but always feels lonely for human company. While exploring the ship, Jim sees Aurora Lane (Jennifer Lawrence) in her sleeping pod. He falls in love with her and hopes that he’ll meet her some day. Jim gets to meet her when Aurora’s pod seems to malfunction and she awakes up. The two fall in love but Jim holds a secret that could break their relationship.

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The actors were all great in their roles. Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence have good chemistry and Michael Sheen is an excellent robot. I kinda disliked Chris Pratt’s character but it was refreshing to have a good guy who wasn’t entirely good. I liked Aurora and pitied her for the situation that she was in. In the end, Aurora had an important decision to make and I left the cinema thinking about what I would do in the same situation.  I think I would choose differently.

I like the array of space movies that we’re having lately. I’ve had an interest in space since childhood, mainly from my brother who was space mad as a child. I thought this movie was okay and I would watch it again. I feel that wasn’t much going on in the movie. I would have liked to have seen more of Jim and Aurora’s lives throughout the years and have interesting stuff happen to them. However, I know it’s not Lost in Space. The movie’s focus is about relationships and trying to live a fulfilling life even if your dream changes. 

Entertainment Mondays: Crackerjack (23 January 2017)

Crackerjack is an Australian film starring Mick Molloy as Jack Simpson. Jack has been a member of the Cityside Bowls Club for many years but has never played a game. He rents out his bowls parking space to workers for some extra money on the side. One day, he gets a call that he must participate in lawn bowls otherwise his membership will be cancelled.  So Jack plays a game of bowls and quickly comes to enjoy the game.

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The other club members begrudgingly accept Jack’s presence as they need him to help win a tournament which will save their club. The club is in financial difficulties and at risk of being sold to Bernie Fowler (John Clarke). Bernie wants to buy the property and put in pokey machines to add more revenue. The club members hate the idea of the club turning into a cash cow. Meanwhile, Nancy Brown (Judith Lucy ) a reporter for the small time news reports on the tournament and is the love interest for Jack Simpson.

Lawn bowls clubs are a common sight in Australia and this is the first movie that I have watched where it was featured. I haven’t played lawn bowls before. While the story of a greedy business man taking over a struggling place has been done before, I still found this movie to be delightful. In the movie, the bowls members are sticklers to the rules and it reminded me of being on school committees. There was this funny scene where refreshments have been laid out and Jack cuts a hunk of cheese and makes a sandwich. Usually people are supposed to cut a thin slice of cheese and eat it with a cracker or its own.

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 The action is disapproved by some of the members and they have a meeting about it. Someone says that an incident happened with the cheese and they want no cheese to be served next time pending on an investigation. Someone else says that there should be a subcommittee to handle the case.

I didn’t find the lawn bowls part interesting; I rather liked the characters instead. Jack is a likeable guy although he’s a loudmouth; he’s got a good heart. The senior citizens in the movie are like sweet grandparents.

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This movie might be a bit niche for some, as it features Australian comedy and it’s about lawn bowls which is a not a popular sport in some countries. However, I recommend viewers give this film a go particularly if you are looking for a movie to watch with older people.  I will caution that there is a bit of swearing in the movie so it’s up to the viewer discretion. 

Entertainment Mondays: Hello, My name is Doris (Monday 17 October 2016)

Sally Field stars as Doris Miller, 60 year old woman who has lived with her mother for almost her entire adult life. Doris’ mother dies suddenly leaving a huge gap in her life. At work, Doris falls in love with a new employee named John (Max Greenfield), a man in his twenties. Doris tries to win John over by befriending him and through making a fake Facebook profile. Meanwhile, John is oblivious to Doris’ feelings, seeing her only as a friend. While pursuing John, Doris experiences youth culture particularly Hipster trends and learns to become independent.

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Sally Fields did an excellent job in portraying Doris as a real and likeable person. Max Greenfield had great chemistry with her too and plays the perfect dreamboat. There were some steamy fantasy sequences that happen between Doris and John which is quite entertaining.

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I felt embarrassed for Doris when she was trying to court John and I thought he was way out of her league. I think he only viewed her as cute, eccentric old lady rather than a potential love interest. This movie also highlighted for me, the assumption that I had that older people view younger people like their grandchildren. I had forgotten that older people have desires too. In the movie, Doris went home to take care of her mother when she was in her twenties. One of my friends pointed out that Doris probably still thought of herself as a twenty year old girl which was why she went after John.

I thought this movie was sweet, funny and a little cringe worthy. I liked how Doris tried new things while chasing after John which lead to new friends and opportunities for her. I wanted to know what Doris would do in her new life after the movie ended. I enjoyed seeing her grow more confident and take control of her own life.  It reminded me that you can change your life at any age.

Entertainment Monday: American Ultra ( 3 October 2016)

Mike Howell (Jesse Eisenberg) is a stoner who works the graveyard shift at a convenience store. He passes the time by drawing and wishing he was spending his time with his girlfriend Phoebe (Kirsten Stewart). One day, a woman enters the store and tells him a coded message that Mike dismisses. 

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The message was from Victoria Lasseter (Connie Britton) a CIA agent warning him that he is about to be terminated. Mike was a part of a government experiment to make super soldiers. His memory was wiped when the program was shut down. The coded message that Victoria stated to Mike activates his fighting skills just in time for when the first assassin appears. Mike must fight for his life, protect Phoebe and learn the truth about his identity.

I loved the premise of this movie and I thought Jesse Eisenberg and Kirsten Stewart were excellent as two kids with no clue. They have good chemistry with each other and seemed like a real couple. I liked how devoted the characters were to each other and how Mike adored Phoebe and how Phoebe was so supportive of Mike. It was entertaining to see the contrast between Mike’s sensitive nature and his killing skills.

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Topher Grace stars as Adrian Yates, a CIA director who is the villain in the movie. He plays Yates as just a young man trying to get ahead in his career by being ruthless. The dialogue between Adrian Yates and Victoria Lasseter adds to the humorous premise.

The movie is an action comedy but I didn’t find the movie that funny. It was a little amusing rather than laugh out loud for me. Most of the funny scenes occur due to Mike’s bewilderment of his abilities and how he kills people using ordinary objects. The fight scenes were excellent but a little too gory for me. I don’t like seeing a lot of blood. Other viewers probably won’t have a problem with it. 

Entertainment Monday: Grimsby (22 August 2016)

Grimsby is the latest Sacha Baron Cohen movie. He stars as Nobby Butcher who lives in Grimsby, an English seaport town. Nobby is a family man of eleven children with his wife Dawn (Rebel Wilson). The only thing missing in his life is his brother Sebastian ( Mark Strong ) who he was separated from as a child. Nobby learns that his brother will be attending at a humanitarian benefit and goes to meet him. 

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Sebastian is a M16 agent to stop the assassination of a philanthropist Rhonda George (Penelope Cruz).  The reunion between Nobby and Sebastian results in Sebastian being mistaken for the assassin. The two brothers both go on the run while trying to clear Sebastian’s name.

This is my favourite Sacha Baron Cohen film. I think this film has a more solid plot than some of his other movies.  I love action comedies and my guilty pleasure is watching chav reality shows so this was a good mix for me. I’m astounded by Cohen’s dirty mind as his humour is both crude, shocking and hilarious. It’s not a film for everyone as it may offend some.

I thought all the actors in the film were great. They all have a talent for comedy and their timing is just right.  Rebel Wilson, Sacha Baron Cohen and Mark Strong were especially good with each other.

Harry Potter fans may delight in seeing an actor playing Daniel Radcliffe in this film. Perhaps the real Daniel Radcliffe was busy or he didn’t want to be in the film.  I don’t think the “Daniel Radcliffe” looks anything like the real Dan but he is used as a running gag in this film.

I hope there’s another Grimsby movie. It would be a good franchise. 

Entertainment Monday: God Help the Girl (Monday 28 March 2016)

God Help the Girl is a quirky independent musical about a girl named Eve (Emily Browning) who is an aspiring singer/songwriter. She’s also recovering from anorexia and escapes from the hospital to live out her dream. Eve meets James (Olly Alexander) who is a uni student and fellow musician. He invites Eve to live with him and his flat mates. Eve also meets Cassie (Hannah Murray) a high school student who wants to be a singer/songwriter too. The trio forms a band called God Help the Girl with other local musicians.

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The film was created and directed by Stuart Murdoch, lead singer of Belle and Sebastian.( Jon Bear reviewed their music here.) Murdoch was inspired to create the movie after writing songs about young women. The band Belle and Sebastian are featured in the movie as the accompanying band to Eve and her friends.

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I’ve been a fan of Emily Browning since she was a child. She guest starred in numerous Australian TV shows before her big break in the movie A series of Unfortunate Events. I never knew she could sing! Emily is the best singer in the movie and talented enough to produce an album. I found her character Eve, to be a beguiling and fragile young person. Everyone was charmed by her as she is talented and mysterious but also looks overwhelmed by life. I wasn’t surprised in the movie, when Eve said that she needed more structure and older people in her life.

While Eve and her friends share a close bond, she never confides to them about her illness. She reveals her experiences through her songs. James becomes aware of her problems from listening to her music and from living with Eve but never talks to Eve about it. I felt a little disappointed that James never talked to Eve about her health issues which I think would have been healthier for all of them. James is also pining for Eve which doesn’t help.  Cassie is too young to realize that anything is wrong with Eve. Instead, she admires Eve for her worldliness and musical talent.

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I thought this movie was okay, it was just the little things that stopped it from being a good movie. I think teenagers will like this movie as it is a coming of age story with three cute young people. It’s a fun breezy kind of movie to watch with friends.

The movie has a whimsical hipster feel which is helped by the adorable vintage outfits that they all wear. Eve has an extensive wardrobe yet only has a backpack which is supposed to have all her possessions in it. I found that little detail jarring because with her wardrobe, she would need a suitcase. Aiding the hipster vibe is the music which is quirky and cute. I liked the little dance numbers in the songs.  Although, I didn’t think the songs were catchy or memorable. Personally, I thought all the songs sounded the same; it could have been improved if the characters had their own sound when they sung their individual songs.

Entertainment Monday: How to be Single (Monday 14 March 2016)

Alice (Dakota Johnson) a recent college graduate asks her boyfriend Josh (Nicolas Braun) to put their relationship on hold while she goes to New York to find herself. Alice goes to live with her sister Meg (Leslie Mann) and goes to work as a paralegal. At the law firm, Alice meets Robin (Rebel Wilson), a nymphomaniac who shows her how to have a good time. Robin introduces Alice to Tom (Anders Holm), a womanizing bartender. The two enter into a casual relationship. Alice and Tom become confidantes about leading directionless and commitment free lives.Meanwhile, Alice’s sister decides to have a baby with the help of a sperm donor and Josh decides to date someone else. Alice spends a lot of time partying and trying to figure out her love life.  She becomes lost and unsatisfied with life until she learns to be her own person.

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My friend suggested we watch this movie and I agreed because it was cheap Tuesday, a day where tickets are five dollars. I was surprised at how much I liked this film. I want to add it to my movie collection when it comes out on DVD. I’m only three years out of university and still trying to figure out my life so I could relate to Alice. I felt that Alice is what you call a hot mess. She was easily persuaded by her party animal friend to party and have flings which left her unhappy. Alice’s sister was a sympathetic listener but didn’t guide Alice in making better decisions. I think she was more concerned for her own love life and her pregnancy. In the movie, Alice kept having an on and off again relationship with Josh and other guys, which made me worry that she would never learn how to be single.

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This movie explores other factors in singledom too such as being career focused and bereavement. The only one that doesn’t come to some realization or doesn’t need healing is Robin, who relishes her single life. Robin doesn’t have a healthy lifestyle but she’s happy and knows herself. My favourite scene featuring Robin is, when she and Alice wake up from a night of partying and realize they are going to be late for work. Robin has been in that situation before and manages to get them to work wearing stylish clothes, full makeup and blow dried hair and they arrive at work… three hours later. It’s only at the end of the movie that it is revealed how Robin can get away with her lifestyle.

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The movie takes place in New York City which was appropriate given how many people go to New York is make their dreams come true. The city was like another character. Before I could never understand the allure of New York but now I do. There’s this scene where Alice is sitting on the fire escape staircase and she’s so high up yet dwarfed by the other skyscrapers which made the city look magnificent. I don’t know enough about New York to know about the places featured in the film except Central Park but all the landscapes were stunning and vast. 

This is a good movie to watch with friends when you want a lighthearted entertaining movie. Or a good film to watch for me time especially if you are single. This movie reminded me to enjoy my singledom and that there are plenty of fun things to do alone.

Entertainment Monday: Brother Bear (15 February 2016)

Brother Bear is a Disney animated movie which tells the story of Kenai (Joaquin Phoenix), who is a young reckless Native American man. He wants everyone to take him more seriously but he’s too irresponsible and impulsive. On the day of his coming of age, Kenai receives his totem (spirit animal) and he’s disappointed that it is the bear of love. He feels that that bears are big lumbering nuisances who steal food. His attitude is confirmed when a bear eats the fish that he had caught and rampages through the village. Kenai blames the bear for his trouble, even though he was supposed to have secured the fish. He goes after the bear to kill it but gets into danger. Kenai’s brothers Sitka (D.B Sweeney) and Dehani ( Jason Raize ) come to save him, with Sitka sacrificing his own life.

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The spirits from the Aurora Borealis come down and transform Kenai into a bear. They will change Kenai back when he learns to see from another perspective. Dehani, believing that the bear killed both his brothers goes hunting after Kenai, not knowing that Kenai is now a bear. Along the way, Kenai meets Koda ( Jeremy Suarez) who is a bear cub looking for his mother.

It was nice to watch an animated movie that was not entirely in CGI. It reminds me of the old Disney movies. I enjoyed watching Brother Bear. The movie is set in the post-ice age and there are even wooly mammoths in this movie. I have an interest in history and early civilizations so I enjoy seeing it depicted on film.

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I liked how Kenai matured into a more responsible person and recognized his role in his brother’s death. Kenai’s perspective changes when he meets other bears and discovers that they have families too and just want to survive.  Kenai is like an older brother to Koda. They joke and laugh with each other and Kenai is protective of Koda. Koda doesn’t let Kenai get away with anything and challenges him when he does something wrong.

There are also two moose characters in the story that provide comic relief. I wasn’t that interested in them. They kept on saying aye or ‘ay every time they spoke that I thought the movie must be set in Canada but I read that the movie is set somewhere in Alaska.

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None of the characters sing in this movie but music features heavily in the film. Most of the songs were written or co-written by Phil Collins. I particularly liked the song Transformation which was sung by the Bulgarian Women’s Choir and the Blind Boys of Alabama. It was used for when the spirits would come out of the Aurora Borealis and it was a song written by Phil Collins and translated to an Eskimo language.

I think this film is a good movie but not as good as the more popular Disney animated films. I think it’s underrated. I remember when the movie first came out; I dismissed it as a silly animal film. However, I changed my mind after seeing a bit of it on TV.  I think this movie would be appealing to families as Kenai’s character arc will be interesting for adults and the adventure with Koda will be appealing for children.

Entertainment Monday: Julie & Julia ( 1 February 2016)

Julie and Julia feature two true stories. In 2002, a young office worker named Julie Powell (played by Amy Adams) attempts to cook all of 524 recipes from Julia Child’s revolutionary cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking in one year. Julie kept a blog on her endeavors which became very popular and eventually a book and movie were made about her adventures in cooking.

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The other true story starts in the 1950s, with Julia Child (Meryl Streep) living with her husband Paul Cushing Child (Stanley Tucci) in Paris. Julia decides she must have a hobby so she learns French cooking. Later, Julia and her friends Simca Beck (Linda Emond) and Louisette Bertholle (Helen Carey) decide that they want to write a French cookbook for American household cooks.

I felt that Julia Child’s story about getting her manuscript published was more interesting than Julie Powell’s attempts to cook everything in the book.  It was Julia’s charm and the beautiful Parisian landscape that won me over. I was charmed over Meryl Streep’s portrayal of Julia Child. I didn’t know anything about Juila Child before watching the movie but I was enchanted with her cheerful and energetic spirit, her love of food and the passion she had for her husband. It is known that Julia and Paul Child were very in love with each other and he was supportive of her writing a cookbook. Meryl Streep and Stanley Tucci had good chemistry and it looked like they were a real married couple.

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I could relate to Julie’s life as well. She was about to turn thirty and in a very stressful job which did not give her fulfillment. Julie turns to cooking to gather some meaning in her life.  She relates on how her mother cooked one of the recipes from Mastering the Art of French cooking and describing the taste as magical.

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 I’m currently 29 years old and still trying to establish my career while trying to have a work/life balance and finding meaning in my life.  We’re both bloggers so I could understand her struggle with how much to reveal about her personal life.  Julie’s blog existed when blogging was still a new thing and so was publishing novel goals that I found it amusing when she had to explain blogging and why she was cooking. In the movie, Julie doesn’t take any photos of her food for her blog which I found unusual because I thought she should show proof of her cooking endeavors. Maybe she did and it wasn’t featured in the movie or maybe it wasn’t important in those times. Nowadays, a blogger would have posted pictures on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and made a video for Youtube. Julie Powell’s blog has since been deleted so I can’t account for it.

This is a lovely film to watch with your foodie friends. The film will have you drooling for French cooking. The movie is a bit sexual though which may not be appropriate for some families. Julia and Julie both have loving relationships with their husbands. There’s nothing graphic of course, just some making out before they go off to bed and it cuts away from there. I hope you enjoy the film as much as I did. 

Entertainment Monday: Million Dollar Arm (January 18 2016)

Initially, I thought that Million Dollar Arm was going to be the true story of an amputee athlete who gets a bionic arm. However, I was dead wrong. It’s the true story about American sports agent, JB Bernstein who goes to India with the idea that cricket bowlers can make great baseball pitchers.  To gather publicity for the search, he creates a contest called Million Dollar Arm. The best two players receive a cash prizes as well as the opportunity to fly to America to become baseball players. 

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JB Berstein (played by Jon Hamm) and his business partner Ash Vasudevan (Aasif Mandvi) run an independent sports agency. They fail to attract new clients which put their business at risk. So, they decide to look for the next great sports talent in India. India has a population of 1.2 billion people and with the right athlete; they could generate enormous revenue on sponsorships and merchandise.

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The two winning contestants on Million Dollar Arm are Rinku Singh (Suraj Sharma) and Dinesh Patel (Madhur Mittal) who both come from poor backgrounds and have never played baseball before. Suddenly, they are whisked away to America to train as baseball players. The process is physically and mentally overwhelming for them. They are both aware that they are big investment to many people and they have no guarantees that they will be signed to any baseball team. 

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Suraj Sharma and Dinesh Patel were excellent as the athletes. They managed to convey the excitement of their fortunate circumstances as well as being fearful and insecure that it could all be taken away from them. They are helped along the way with their plucky translator Amit Rohan (Pitobash Tripathy) who is used for comic relief.  I really felt for the Indian characters as they had so many people depending on them. They all had families back at home to support, JB’s business was on the line and this was the best opportunity that they ever had. Winning a contract would mean that they have financial security and respect.

This is a good family film with a mix of east and west and a lot of heart without being too cheesy. It is interesting to see the business side of sport, which is a nice change in the sports genre. The blend of two sports goes seamlessly and it reminds me of another Disney movie called Cool Runnings. That movie is about a Jamaican bobsled team. I’m a sucker for inspirational underdog movies especially if it is a Disney film.  After watching this movie, I learnt that Suraj and Dinesh go on to have successful careers but I won’t spoil it for you.

Entertainment Monday: Lady and the Tramp (Monday 21 December, 2015)

Lady and the Tramp was one of the first movies I watched as a child. My grandma owned a copy of the video and every time I went to visit, I would watch the video. My grandma was a teacher aide for a French language pre-school and her copy of the video was in French. I was enthralled by Lady and Tramp despite the language barrier. There was even a time when I thought that Lady and the Tramp was a French film. I decided to rent Lady and the Tramp at the video store as I wanted to see how I’d feel about it as an adult. I also wanted to see what it would be like in English.

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Lady and Tramp is an animated Disney movie from 1955. It is about a golden cocker spaniel named Lady (Barbara Luddy) who lives with her owners Jim Dear (Lee Millar) and Darling (Peggy Lee). Lady gets confused when her owners have a baby and by all the new changes to her family. Fortunately, Lady has her friends Jock (Bill Thompson) a Scottish terrier and Trusty (Bill Baucom) a bloodhound to help her.

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Life gets tough for Lady when Jim Dear and Darling go away on a business trip. They leave their baby and Lady with their aunt Sarah (Verna Felton). Aunt Sarah hates dogs and shoos Lady out of the house which is more than she can bear. A mishap results in Lady getting lost in town. She doesn’t know her way back but is befriended by Tramp (Larry Roberts). Tramp is a street dog who takes a liking to Lady.

I have concluded that I am still enchanted with the movie. Lady and the other dogs are so cute. I think it’s the little things that make this movie good. The animators did a good job in capturing the movement of the animals from how their legs move and their facial expressions. 

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I also liked how Lady’s owners are called Jim Dear and Darling which is what Lady thinks their names are because that’s what she hears. In the film, the faces of Jim Dear and Darling are rarely seen because the story is about the dogs. The world also looks so big from the dog’s perspective.

 I’m also glad that there isn’t any cheesy dog puns.The animation is old school as it was made in the 50s but it has a storybook charm. There is no singing apart from a little ditty that some Siamese cats sing.

Have you revisited any of your childhood favourites?

Entertainment Monday: Teen Beach Movie 2 (Monday 23 November 2015)

I was thrilled to discover the sequel to Teen Beach Movie was out on DVD. The first movie was about two teenagers, Mack (Maia Mitchell) and Brady (Ross Lynch) who by magic find themselves stuck in a 1960s teen beach movie called Wet Side Story. You can read the review about it here.

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In this movie, Mack and Brady are back in the real world. The two are about to commence high school again after the end of the summer vacation. Mack and Brady’s relationship gets tested when they return to school. They both have different lives and interests. The pair wonders whether their love was just a summer romance.

Meanwhile back in the Wet Side Story, the movie is not going according to plan. Lela (Grace Phipps) who is one of the main characters, has been altered from when Mack and Brady were in the movie. Lela doesn’t want to be just someone’s girlfriend or a damsel in distress. She leaves the movie by magic with her boyfriend Tanner (Garrett Clayton) to the real world.

Lela revels being in the real world. She loves going to school and the opportunities that she has in the modern world. Tanner is fascinated by everything but worries that Lela no longer needs him. The two sing and dance their way around to the bemusement of everyone else.

Mack and Brady try to persuade them to go back into their movie but Lela loves the real world too much.  The other characters in Wet Side Story don’t know what to do with themselves after Lela and Tanner leave. The Wet Side Story begins to deteriorate without the lead characters, so the secondary characters go after Tanner and Lela.

This movie is so cute and a perfect movie to watch for a movie night or a sleepover. I really enjoyed the sequel and thought it really built onwards from the first movie. I thought this movie was funnier because of how Tanner and Lela interacted with the modern world. I think Lela and Tanner were the highlight of the show and I loved their sunshiny dispositions. The movie reminded me of the Brady Bunch movies where the family lives in the 90s but everything about them comes from the 60s.

I liked all the songs in the movie that I want to get the soundtrack. I thought the dance numbers were really good and all the young people are really talented. I also think that this movie is empowering for young girls and a good base to discuss gender equality to children. 

Entertainment Monday: Minions ( 26 October 2015)

The Minions originated from the movie Despicable Me. They are the henchmen for the evil genius known as Gru. The Minions were so popular that they now have their own movie. This movie is their origin story. The Minions are actually centuries old creatures, who have always linked up to alpha leader for survival, usually a villain. They have been henchmen for the Tyrannosaurus Rex, the ancient Egyptians and Dracula. They also have a terrible habit of accidently killing their leader so when it reaches the 1960s, they must find a new evil leader to follow.

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The Minions who decide to go on the quest are Kevin, Stewart and Bob. They end up in America and decide to be the henchmen of Scarlet Overkill (Sandra Bullock). Scarlet is the most powerful villain in the world and she wants them to steal the British crown so that she can rule. She warns them if they fail, there will be dire consequences. They actually succeed but there still are dire consequences.

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I’m not infatuated with the Minions like some of my friends. They love the minions and would buy the whole merchandise range if they could. It makes shopping for their Christmas and birthday presents easier for me though. I’m not really a fan of high pitched characters that goof around. I was invited to this movie by a friend who had free tickets.

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Before you call the fun police, I thought this movie was cute and I liked the origin story of the Minions.  I especially liked Scarlet Overkill for her over the top theatrics; she really lived by her name. I learnt that the Minions speak a gibberish language with a bit of French, English and Spanish thrown in. They are still easy to understand as they point and nod a lot, the other characters confirm what they are saying and they just do whatever they want to do.

I think young children will really enjoy this movie and people who enjoyed the Minions in Despicable Me. I wouldn’t be surprised if there are more Minions movies. 

Other film reviews you might enjoy:

• When Marnie was there