Movie Review: "That Thing You Do!" (1996)

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Movie: "That Thing You Do!"
Director: Tom Hanks
Year: 1996
Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 1 hour, 48 minutes

After acquiring a new drummer who speeds up the tempo of one of their songs, a band from Eerie, Pennsylvania hits it big after the tune becomes a smash hit.

"That Thing You Do!" is written and directed by Tom Hanks, who is mostly known for his stellar, decades-long acting career. It stars Tom Everett Scott as Guy, Johnathon Schaech as Jimmy, Steve Zahn as Lenny, and Ethan Embry as The Bass Player, who collectively make up the members of the band 'The Wonders,' formerly known as 'The One-ders.' Joining them are Liv Tyler, who plays Jimmy's girlfriend Faye, Charlize Thereon as Guy's girlfriend Tina, and of course, Tom Hanks himself as Play-Tone Record's talent manager Mr. White. The film's primary focus is on Guy, a drummer who gets asked to join the band when their original drummer Chad, played by Giovanni Ribisi, breaks his arm in an idiotic way. It is when Guy slaps a faster tempo on Jimmy's ballad titled "That Thing You Do!" that they get noticed at a small time talent show and are sent on a fast moving rocket up the charts and catapulted into stardom.

This film truly has something for everyone: comedy, drama, music, and overall, many, many good times. It hits all of the major facets of a real-life pop band. Jimmy is the arrogant "talent" and lead singer; Guy is the ambitious heart, soul, and driving force of the band; Lenny is the lovable smart ass and all around goofball; and TB Player is the footnote, the one you never remember and could probably do without. Together, they make up The One-Ders, because, you know, "The Beatles use an E-A in The Beatles, so they can use an O-N-E like The One-Ders." We personally think they're talkin' gibberish. When Guy speeds up the tune, things begin to move very fast for the band. Without any logistics or kinks worked out, of course, struggles and fights are bound to ensue.

The title song to "That Thing You Do!," which is actually penned by Adam Schlesinger, is extremely catchy, one of the biggest movie earworms of all times. Trust us when we say you will find yourself singing "That Thing You Do!" song once and get it stuck in your head for a week or two straight. The rest of the soundtrack, though significantly more underappreciated, is just as fabulous as the signature song. Tom Hanks actually helped write some of the songs, including the opening number called "Lovin' You Lots and Lots," written entirely by him, and also finds great success with co-writers Gary Goetzman and Mike Piccirillo on tunes like "Hold My Hand, Hold My Heart" and "Mr. Downtown." There are so many wonderful musical moments in this movie, it's hard to pick a favorite. In fact, this might even be the greatest film/music cross-over since "This Is Spinal Tap," which is truly saying something.

No one actor stands out apart from the rest, and they all get their chance to shine. Tom Everett Scott is the perfect Guy. He's laid back, levelheaded, and is a master drummer. Johnathon Schaech is tremendous as Jimmy: cocky when he needs to be, a serious musician, kind of a tool, but plays it well. We've always enjoyed Ethan Embry, and he's also great as T.B. Player, though his character is not meant to be the main star. Steve Zahn as Lenny is the role he was meant to play. His snark and sarcasm are appreciated by us, and he really livens up the film with his presence. These guys mesh so well together, you'd think they really are/could be an actual band. Liv Tyler shines as Faye, and Tom Hanks is as amazing as ever as Mr. White.

I'm not exaggerating when I say I can recite every word of every line in "That Thing You Do!" I can and I do, every single time we watch it. BigJ will attest to this, and as such, the script has rubbed off on him as well. This is one of those films that can and will make viewers instantly smile if they give it a chance, and will be a fabulous and fun re-watch for those who are seasoned fans. It's a good, clean movie with well made characters, a fantastic soundtrack, a lot of heart, tons of cameos, and heaps of nostalgia. Do yourself a favor and WATCH THIS MOVIE!!!

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My Rating: 10/10
BigJ's Rating: 8/10
IMDB's Rating: 6.7/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 93%
Do we recommend the film: ABSOLUTELY YES!!!

Movie Review: "Mazes and Monsters" (1982)

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Movie: "Mazes and Monsters"
Director: Steven Hilliard Stern
Year: 1982
Rating: PG (TV)
Running Time: 1 hour, 31 minutes

A group of four college friends regularly play the fantasy role-playing game Mazes and Monsters. When they take the game into a more realistic setting, the lines between fantasy and reality start to blur. One of the friends begins to lose touch with reality entirely, putting his life in danger. 

"Mazes and Monsters" is a made for television movie directed by Steven Hilliard Stern. It is based on a novel of the same name written by Rona Jaffe. The novel was inspired by urban legends stemming from a false news report that a teen had committed suicide while playing the fantasy role playing game Dungeons and Dragons, or D&D for short. This report also led to nationwide mass hysteria and the belief that the game was in some way evil or satanic and that playing it was actually dangerous. It stars Tom Hanks as Robbie Wheeling because everyone has to start somewhere. Joining him are Wendy Crewson as Kate, David Wallace as Daniel, and Chris Makepeace as Jay Jay. It is these four friends who come together at their college and bond over their shared love of "Mazes and Monsters." When Jay Jay gets the idea to take the game out of the dorm room and into some nearby caverns, Robbie starts to lose touch with reality. He becomes his pretend character in real life, immersing himself in the fantasy while losing his real life identity. He hears voices and starts to enact quests in real life where he gets into dangerous situations with the potential to harm himself and others.

This movie is basically an after school special propaganda piece against the dangers of D&D. It is a pretty awful film with a terrible script, abysmal and laughable dialogue, a thin plot, and a dopey narrative. Tom Hanks does his best to act the hell out of his horrible part in this dreadful film, and though it is clear he has true talent underneath his cheesy dialogue and bad robes, not even one of the best actors to ever grace Hollywood's presence can elevate this part out of the sewer in which it exists. The score and soundtrack never really fit what's going on on screen, and the songs don't match the tone of the film. Most of the songs sound like they are being sung by a bad Carpenter's cover band but with 75% less joy. The entire thing stinks of propaganda as it is clear the makers of this movie were paid to talk badly about Dungeons & Dragons as best they could, but instead, made off with the money and produced this shit-show instead.

If you take the most basic concept of the horribly done "Mazes and Monsters," about a person who gets lost in the fantasy of a game that is often far too real, you could make an interesting psychological horror out of it. This film, however, is based on an ill-informed cautionary tale and on faulty information. Everything about it sucks. Just say no, kids...to this movie.

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My Rating: 2/10
BigJ's Rating: 2/10
IMDB's Rating: 4.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: ---%
Do we recommend this movie: AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE!!!

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Movie Review: "The Money Pit" (1986)

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Movie: "The Money Pit"
Director: Richard Benjamin
Year: 1986
Rating: PG
Running Time: 1 hour, 31 minutes

An unmarried couple in a committed relationship decides to buy a house together. This house is at a price that seems too good to be true. It turns out that it is too good to be true as the house is falling apart at the seams, and as the costs to fix it pile up, it starts to put a strain on their relationship.

"The Money Pit" is directed by Richard Benjamin and is written by David Giler. It is a modernized loose remake of the 1948 film "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House." It stars Tom Hanks as Walter Fielding Jr., an attorney that works with those in show business, and Shelley Long as Anna Crowley, a classical musician. This young couple needs to find a place of their own and believe they have finally found the right house at the right price. After buying what seemed like a perfectly good house on the surface, it immediately starts to fall apart right after they move into it. Investing the vast majority of their savings into the initial purchase, they wind up piling on debt in order to make it a livable home. As problems keep on arising, Walter and Anna's relationship begins to beak down.

Long before Tom Hanks was winning Academy Awards for playing deeply layered dramatic characters, he was mostly known for doing much more lighthearted often silly comedic films such as "The Money Pit." His charming screen presence makes him an ideal lead and he is quite capable of bringing the laughs in this film. His partner along for this costly and messy ride is played by Shelley Long, who made quite a name for herself in the 80's and is quite funny in her own right, though her style of humor is much more dry and sarcastic than Hanks'. The situation itself, though it is taken to the nth degree, is rather relatable to anyone who has ever owned a home, especially anyone who may live in an older home (which we do). In many ways, having a home of your own is great and is a source of equity and security, but on the other hand, the almost constant influx of issues, whether they be plumbing problems, termite infestations, electrical issues, or a leaky roof or another problem, make expenses pile up and make tensions run high. These financial burdens can weigh heavy on homeowners and this comedy displays this in the funniest way possible.

As a whole, "The Money Pit" is a somewhat formulaic yet overall amusing film elevated by the chemistry between Tom Hanks and Shelley Long. Their humor is on point, and the situation they find themselves in is one many viewers will be able to relate to as homeowners.

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My Rating: 6.5/10
BigJ's Rating: 7/10
IMDB's Rating: 6.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 47%
Do we recommend this movie: Sure, why not?

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Movie Review: "Sully" (2016)

Movie: "Sully"
Director: Clint Eastwood
Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 1 hour, 35 minutes

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When an airliner loses both engines at an extremely low altitude after a bird strike, pilot 'Sully' Sullenberger (Tom Hanks) performs an emergency landing on the Hudson River in New York. Dubbed the 'Miracle on the Hudson,' Sully is met with praise from the media and the general public, but behind the scenes, an investigation is launched to determine if he really did the right thing. 

"Sully" is directed by Clint Eastwood and is based on the book "Highest Honor" by Chesley 'Sully' Sullenberger and Jeffrey Zaslow. It stars Tom Hanks as the titular pilot-dubbed-hero Chesley Sullenberger, and Aaron Eckhart as his co-pilot Jeff Skiles. It depicts the events surrounding 'The Miracle on the Hudson' including the crash itself, the media frenzy directly after the crash, and the investigation that followed. Most of the public sees Sully as a hero because he saved the lives of all 155 souls on board the disabled airplane he was piloting. How often does a pilot get to say he saved every single person on his plane? After quickly rising to hero status, Sully doesn't know how to cope with his new found fame as he is more nervous about the bright lights and cameras than he is telling his story. He knows he's in the right by doing what he did. Apparently, not everyone feels the same way. The primary focus of the film is on the investigation fronted by Charles Porter, played by Mike O'Malley, who seems like the go-to actor for characters who need to be sold as condescending dicks. There's no doubt O'Malley is extremely effective in this part, so we hope he takes this as a compliment. Porter, along with Elizabeth Davis, played by Anna Gunn, and a few other investigators are trying to get a sense of what really happened, what all the variables were, and how Sully came to such a drastic decision to land his plan on the river in such a short amount of time. This panel of investigators have been tasked with running flight simulations, digging deeper into Sully and Skiles' past lives outside their time in the cockpit, and what might have been going on outside that fateful day that could have distracted them from focusing on flying.

Tom Hanks does a fabulous job portraying this reluctant hero as he deals with what appears to be PTSD stemming from the incident. It should be no great shock Hanks is incredible, but his much more subdued, under-the-radar performance is what truly makes him one of the best in the business. He doesn't need to run an Oscar campaign to get noticed, and he doesn't need to yell from the rooftops that he is a spectacular actor. He just is, and he just acts. Hanks also sells Sully's reaction to the unexpected adulation of random citizens who thank him or hug him or praise him on the street extremely well with a mix of awe and confusion. As the immense stress of having his decision critiqued and played out by simulations mounts on him, Sully realizes he is having his 40+ year career defined by this single moment, and Hanks brings this living, breathing hero to the big screen in a way only Hanks can: by making him both steadfast in his work, but staunch in the knowledge that he did the right thing. Aaron Eckhart is also excellent as Jeff Skiles. Eckhart has had a few slip-ups in his career as of late, but he is really setting the right path back to glory for himself, and it starts with his performance in "Sully." The much more outwardly charismatic of the two pilots, Eckhart as Skiles never questions Sully's decisions, always remaining his co-pilot through and through. We got the sense from his performances Skiles had a deep, undying love and appreciation for Sully, even before this incident occurred.

The most intense moments of the film come from flashbacks of the incident, which are interwoven with the rest of the story. These scenes are heart-pounding, even when knowing the ultimate outcome. The CGI implemented in these scenes is simply breathtaking. The plane, its movements, the water landing, everything looks believable. It's crazy knowing this film was made on a $60 million budget and still looks so realistic, whereas everything about "Ben-Hur," the atrocious remake of the epic original with CGI to the gills, cost $100 million to make and looks like it was made for a cool, cheap $20 million. As these flashbacks occur, we learn about our protagonists and their preparations for a long day of flying. Director Clint Eastwood takes his time to build up these characters via flashbacks, especially Sully, to show how meticulous and serious he was with his job as a pilot. Speaking of flashbacks, there are two more in this film which are meant to show a bit of Sully's long, storied career as a pilot, however, these flashbacks grind the film to a screeching halt. At this point, the audience already knows Sully has been a pilot for 40+ years, so to show these flashbacks of his life in the air through the years feels both superfluous and spoon-feeding.

There are a host of other performances in "Sully" as well. Laura Linney appears as Sully's wife Lorraine, though she isn't given much of anything to do. Again, these scenes are included in an effort to humanize Sully outside of the cockpit, we feel they are a little unnecessary in the grand scheme of the movie. As we mentioned above, Anna Gunn also plays an investigator alongside Mike O'Malley, and at one point, we thought she was going to be relegated to a background, non-speaking role, but once she starts going, it's hard to deny her commanding essence on screen, even in a more limited role. Behind the scenes, Clint Eastwood plays with light and shadow alongside showcasing Sully's relatable status, showing him steam after a long run, sweat after an intense interview, or smirk after Skiles tells a joke. This is simply a nuanced film all around, and Eastwood's laid back directorial style seems to fit this story perfectly.

In the end, "Sully" straddles the line between true life drama and intense, perilous action. It is a fairly solid offering from director Clint Eastwood filled with wonderful lead performances and a fairly engaging story. There are a couple of times when the emotional aspects of the story could have been a skosh more powerful without venturing into maudlin territory, but as a whole, Eastwood accomplishes what he set out to do by bringing this story back into the limelight. Chesley Sullenberger deserves to be hailed as a hero and one we should never forget.

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My Rating: 7/10
BigJ's Rating: 7/10
IMDB's Rating: ~8.0/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: ~84%
Do we recommend this movie: Sure, why not?

Movie Review #417: "A Hologram for the King" (2016)

Movie: "A Hologram for the King"
Director: Tom Tykwer
Rating: R
Running Time: 1 hour, 37 minutes

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Alan (Tom Hanks) is a salesman trying to pitch his company's new product to the king of Saudi Arabia. Once arriving in the desert country, he has trouble adjusting and finds the accommodations for his team less than satisfying. Alan also has many personal problems that are taking his focus off work, leading to a series of events that may change his life.

"A Hologram for the King" is based on the novel of the same name. The book is written by Dave Eggers and has been since adapted for the screen by director Tom Tykwer. Twyker is know for his unusual films, such as "Cloud Atlas" and "Run Lola Run." He has, once again, made a somewhat unconventional film about a salesman named Alan, played by the always wonderful Tom Hanks, who is trying to sell his company's holographic conferencing system to the king of Saudi Arabia. Alan has recently gone through a bitter divorce, is having financial troubles, doesn't have a great relationship with his father, doesn't seem well respected by his boss, and has a strange growth on his back. Talk about piling on the problems, huh? Upon arriving in Saudi Arabia, Alan doesn't receive much better treatment from his hosts. People miss meetings, others don't arrive when they claim they will, and his hosts have stuck him and his team in a tent in the middle of the desert with shoddy Wi-Fi and no food. Alan is stuck in a position in his life where he's wandering aimlessly, without direction, in a midlife crisis of sorts.

Let us be clear, the problem with "A Hologram for a King" is definitely not in its acting. Tom Hanks one of the best actors on the planet, this is no lie. Even in a middle of the road movie, he acts in circles around mediocrity. Hanks is clearly the best part about this film, so it's not for his lack of trying as an actor. He plays Alan as well as any ordinary part he's played in the past. Sarita Choudhury is great, too, and she should be given more opportunities to act more in films. Together, they are a great pair.

Much like its protagonist, "A Hologram for the King" really feels like it's wandering around its run time without much direction at all. Scenes and scenarios jump from place to place with little rhyme or reason. In many ways, it's just a simple character sketch about Alan, how he comes to terms with his life how it is, and a cultural exploration of Saudi Arabia. This is blended with some flashback dream sequences about the many regrets in Alan's past. The way this is all explored feels very messy and unfortunately isn't that engaging. There is a bit of comedy here and there, some romance towards the end, and a lot of drama throughout the entire thing. This lack of clear focus makes it extremely hard to pay attention, even with the likes of Tom Hanks at the acting helm. There are many moments involving culture misunderstandings, as well as the exploration of cultural differences that do work created by its fish out of water scenario, but it's all pretty white bread. No chances are taken. It's bland and sometimes boring, and we understand that it's based off of a book, but we can't say we'd be thrilled if we were forced to read it. Luckily, Tom Hanks is there to help elevate the film just a bit.

Unfortunately, a meandering pace makes "A Hologram for the King" a bit of a task to get through. It's too many things and nothing all at the same time. It's partially a surface level romance, partially a culture clash comedy, partially a faux-deep drama about a man going through a midlife crisis. It's not terrible by any means, but its aimless nature and real lack of a plot beyond a simple character sketch hurts it in more ways than it helps it. Nothing really flows, and barring some good performances by Tom Hanks and Sarita Choudhury, this is just another film added the mediocre movie heap we cannot recommend.

My Rating: 5.5/10
BigJ's Rating: 5/10
IMDB's Rating: 6.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 65%
Do we recommend this movie: Meh.
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One year ago, we were watching: "Planetary"

Movie Review: "Apollo 13" (1995)

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Movie: "Apollo 13"
Year Nominated: 1996
Director: Ron Howard
Rating: PG
Running Time: 2 hours, 20 minutes
Did It Win?: No.

The Apollo 13 mission was meant to be NASA's third trip to the moon. The American public, however, is losing interest in space exploration, starting to see moon landings as routine. This Apollo mission is about to catch the interest of everyone across the world when their ship malfunctions, changing the ultimate goal of goal from landing on the moon to simply making it home alive.

Based on a true story, Ron Howard's "Apollo 13" was nominated for nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Howard proves here, definitively, that he is capable of being a brilliant director when he puts his heart and soul into his work. He has slipped lately, which makes us sad because we typically love his work. Howard brings together an all-star, fantastic cast including Tom Hanks, Ed Harris, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon, and Gary Sinise, and does a stellar job of building up each character so as an audience, we feel connected to them and their cosmic plight. Hanks plays astronaut Jim Lovell, and though all the characters are integral to the story, the primary focus is on Jim and his family. Of course, Tom Hanks is fabulous because, let's face it, when is he not? Also wonderful is Kathleen Quinlan, who plays Jim's wife Marilyn in a performance that earned her a much deserved best supporting actress Oscars nomination. She has so many great moments in the film that draw an emotional response right out of us, from the times she remains strong for her kids to ordering camera crews off her lawn in the midst of sheer and utter chaos. She is not the only actor to receive a nomination from "Apollo 13." Ed Harris was also honored with a nomination for his performance as Gene Kranz, who runs the Apollo 13 mission from Houston. Harris offers up the commanding presence needed for this character, and we truly love Harris' hurried but straight-faced demeanor. The acting is really great across the board, from Sinise's portrayal of Ken Mattingly, who was banned from the Apollo 13 mission because of exposure to the measles but never actually had them, to Kevin Bacon's performance as Jack Swigert, who is the young buck of the group and the astronaut with the most groupies.

Beyond this, the look of this film is truly outstanding. Howard and the other makers of this film were able to create wonderful zero-gravity environment by actually filming on NASA's KC-135, aka the "Vomit Comet," which does parabolic arcs to achieve weightlessness for about 25 seconds at a time. This allows the actors to have a realistic and breathtaking on-screen weightless in appearance, which sells the outer space aspect of the film. In addition, the "from space" shots are truly tremendous, and it's so obvious that Howard painstakingly researched the hell out of the subject. Audiences crave a mixture of drama, emotion, danger, and acting, and "Apollo 13" is able to quench all of those desired. It is a truly engrossing, emotional, action-packed, edge-of-you-seat experience, and one we love even to this day.

My Rating: 10/10
BigJ's Rating: 10/10
IMDB's Rating: 7.6/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 95%
Do we recommend this movie: ABSOLUTELY YES!!!
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One year ago, we were watching: "Jurassic Park"

Movie Review: "Bridge of Spies" (2015)

Movie: "Bridge of Spies"
Director: Steven Spielberg
Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 2 hours, 22 minutes

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An insurance lawyer named James B. Donovan (Tom Hanks) is asked to act as the defense attorney of Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance), a Russian spy caught by the United States in Brooklyn, to show America gives everyone, even foreign spies, due process. A short time later, an American spy pilot named Francis Gary Powers (Austin Stowell) is shot down over Russia and now the Soviets wants to swap Powers for Abel and Donovan is asked by the CIA to mediate the exchange.

It seems when Steven Spielberg directs movies, he makes two types of films: 1) the big, fun summer blockbusters, or 2) the Oscar-baity historical dramas. "Bridge of Spies" definitely falls into the latter category, but that doesn't mean it's not entertaining. Tom Hanks stars as James B. Donovan, a former criminal attorney turned insurance lawyer, who is asked to defend a Russian spy in court to show that even enemy spies get a fair trial in America. Mark Rylance plays Rudolf Abel, the aforementioned Soviet spy, who spends his days painting in between spying for the Soviets. Donovan is reluctant to take the job as it could lead to him becoming a public pariah. Hesitantly, he agrees to take the case, and upon meeting Abel, they seem to build a mutual understanding with one another, admiring each other's abilities and intentions, be they good or bad.

There are some great elements to this film, the best of which is the acting of Tom Hanks and Mark Rylance. They are both fantastic and play very well off of one another. Where Donovan is a constant worrier, Abel doesn't show one shred of distress or nervousness about his situation, often joking about his predicament along the way. Hanks and Rylance are able to be both foes and friendly to one another in such a dire situation. In addition to their tremendous acting both together and apart, there is also some really excellent dialogue here. The farther the film progresses in its run time, the easier it is to notice how almost all of the drama, the tension, and the execution is contingent upon the dialogue and conversations that take place and how this dialogue is delivered. Of course, as mentioned, "Bridge of Spies" is brilliantly directed by the famous, wonderful Steven Spielberg. With each passing film, it is all too apparent how superbly crafted each of Spielberg's works are as he frames his shots in such a way that it almost makes you forget you're watching a movie at all. Slow zoom-ins on a character, deliberate wide shots setting up an entire large scene within itself, the use of lighting in both a dark and light fashion, Spielberg is unmatched in his endlessly glorious directorial efforts.

With all this being said, sadly, the film isn't perfect. After Abel's initial trial, the film moves into its second act where an American spy pilot named Francis Gary Powers, played by Austin Stowell, is shot down over the Soviet Union and captured after an elaborate and over-the-top crash sequence. Shortly after this, an American student studying economics behind the Iron Curtain named Frederick Pryor, played by Will Rogers, is caught on the wrong side of the Berlin wall while it's being built and is arrested East Germany for espionage. Where Abel was initially set to serve his sentence in jail, now, the tides have changed, and James Donovan is tapped by the CIA to negotiate a prisoner swap: Rudolf Abel for Francis Gary Powers. The CIA isn't concerned about Pryor in the slightest as he doesn't have any top secret information and is basically useless to them, but Donovan won't settle for less than both prisoners. The problem here is the two American prisoners are never as fully developed as Abel was. By far, the best parts of the movie feature Abel and his trial or James Donovan negotiating the prisoner swap in East Berlin, but because we are left without any emotional connection to Pryor and Powers, we are not that concerned for them as individuals, we only know we're supposed to care because they are Americans being held in communist prisons. The exchanges and negotiations between Hanks and his Soviet and East German counterparts are great and we always worry about his character in these times, but we couldn't help but feel like there was an element of thrills missing elsewhere. The whole situation never seemed as dire as it was supposed to be.

Despite the fact that Hanks and Rylance offer up some definite Oscar worthy performances, the movie as a whole, though good, felt like it was missing a little something in the tension department, and for a movie sold almost entirely on mood, this is a must. It's really, really good, and much better than "War Horse," but it is Spielberg's best Oscar-baity drama? Not by a long shot. And speaking of longing, we long for the day Spielberg will bust open the envelope of his self-imposed boxes, producing a product that's something other than what we've previously seem come out of his already stacked and stellar wheelhouses. Still, "Bridge of Spies" is not bad at all and worth a watch for history buffs, Hanks fans, and Spielberg lovers.

My Rating: 8/10
BigJ's Rating: 8/10
IMDB's Rating: ~8.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: ~92%
Do we recommend this movie: Yes!

Movie Review: "Saving Mr. Banks" (2013)

Movie: "Saving Mr. Banks"
Director: John Lee Hancock
Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 2 hours, 5 minutes

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P.L. Travers (Emma Thompson), author of "Mary Poppins," while running low on finances, agrees to travel to Los Angeles to consult with Walt Disney (Tom Hanks), so he can try to obtain the rights to her novel in order to turn the story into a movie. Disney had made a promise to his young daughters that he would bring their favorite character to life on the big screen. All the while, Travers reflects on her childhood, which served as the inspiration for her book. The closeness she has to her characters makes her very picky and extremely difficult for the movie screenwriters to work with, and an all-around pain in the butt for Walt Disney. Disney must find a way to please Travers and maintain the integrity of her characters, while finding a way to bring his vision of the film to life.

We are extremely surprised Tom Hanks didn't get nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of Walt Disney, and even more surprised that Emma Thompson was snubbed. They were stellar in this movie, and it is extremely well acted. Thompson shines as P.L. Travers, who was apparently a horrible person in real life. Her dry wit and they way she carries herself in this film is a treat to watch, even though she is a huge pain in the ass. Walt Disney has never been portrayed on the big screen by anyone other than himself; knowing this, why not get the best with Tom Hanks, who can basically do no wrong? Supporting actors such as B.J. Novak, Jason Schwartzman, Colin Farrell, Ruth Wilson, and Paul Giamatti all put on fantastic performances as well.

Travers' memories of her past being juxtaposed with her present helps viewers understand her life and inspirations, as well as what she was really trying to say in her book. It also gives her character great depth beyond just a crotchety old woman. There are scenes in the movie where viewers can really empathize with her for what she went through, but there are also other scenes where one might think, "is that the way you really treat people?!"

Maybe it's the nostalgia of Mary Poppins and growing up watching it, but there's so much in this film that brings a smile to your face while watching it. In fact, BigJ and I both left the theater with our faces hurting because we had smiled so much. A few tears were even shed, too. There's no real tension about whether or not Disney gets the rights to the book, because we know he (obviously) does, but the ride to get there is so enjoyable and fun to watch that it wouldn't matter if he did or not.

I must say...knowing some of the facts of this movie were historically fudged sort of altered my perspective of it, but not by much, about half of a point or so. The dramatic parts of the movie were obviously artistic license by the screenwriters in order to drive the points home, and while the scenes were really good, the fact that they weren't true was sort of a bummer to find out.

My Rating: 9/10
BigJ's Rating: 10/10
IMDB's Rating: 7.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 80%
Do we recommend this movie: ABSOLUTELY YES!!!!!

Movie Review: "The Polar Express" (2004)

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Movie: "The Polar Express"
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Year: 2004
Rating: PG
Running Time: 1 hour, 40 minutes

When a young boy starts to doubt the existence of Santa Claus, he is visited by a magic train called The Polar Express. Its function is to take doubtful children to the North Pole to meet Santa and to help them believe in the magic of Christmas once more.

This movie does a great job explaining the true spirit of believing in the notion of Christmas. The message it sends is an important one and we like it very much. Tom Hanks does the voices for most of the adult characters in the film, as well as Hero Boy. You really can't go wrong with Tom Hanks in any capacity. The animation is that weird CGI where people are made to look very realistic, but still seem fake, which makes them slightly creepy looking. This movie is a very fun cartoon and the entire part on the train is treacherous yet adventurous! There are a couple of really spectacular songs in this movie, the one sung by Billy and Hero Girl called "When Christmas Comes to Town," as well as "Believe" by Josh Groban over the end credits. That's really what audiences should take away from this movie: the spirit of the holiday is within yourself as long as we allow ourselves to enjoy it and remember to believe. Great fun family Christmas movie!

My Rating: 8.5/10
BigJ's Rating: 8.5/10
IMDB's Rating: 6.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 56%
Do we recommend this movie: Yes!

Movie Review: "Captain Phillips" (2013)

Movie: "Captain Phillips"
Director: Paul Greengrass
Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 2 hours, 14 minutes

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Richard Phillips (Tom Hanks) is the captain of an unarmed cargo freighter, the Maersk Alabama, which ships goods around the horn of Africa. Muse (Barkhad Abdi) is a fisherman forced into piracy by a local warlord. While Phillips and his crew are traveling through international waters off the coast of Somalia, they are attacked by Muse and his group of 3 fellow pirates who overtake the ship and eventually kidnap Phillips to hold for ransom.

WOW.

The only word we can think of to describe this film is gripping. To be honest, we didn't really remember how the situation with Captain Phillips and the Somalian pirates played out in real life. This was only a few short years ago, but how quickly we forget.

Regardless, we were on the edge of our seats watching it being played out on the big screen. Tom Hanks was marvelous, as always, but the true show-stealer was Barkhad Abdi. You truly feel for his character, who at one point proudly exclaims that he has hijacked a $6 million Greek ship in the past; it's obvious that he still lives in a rundown dirt-floored home in Somalia with no bed and no riches. This movie really makes viewers sympathize with not only the kidnapped Captain Phillips, but with the pirates as well. We understand their role as villains and though we don't ever root for them, we know that they are also victims in some way.

You know, it's actors like Tom Hanks that keep us interested and excited to watch movies each and every week. You really believe him as the characters he plays, and you feel like he has the best intentions at heart for every role. He is so, so good. He is captivating to watch in this, well, in each and every movie, really.

This will be one of the best movies of the year and we won't be surprised if it garner multiple Oscar nominations.

My Rating: 9/10
BigJ's Rating: 9/10
IMDB's Rating: 7.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 94%
Do we recommend this movie: ABSOLUTELY YES!!!

Movie Review: "Splash" (1984)

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Movie: "Splash"
Director: Ron Howard
Year: 1984
Rating: PG
Running Time: 1 hour, 51 minutes

Allen Bauer (Tom Hanks) either jumps or falls into the ocean off of a boat as a little boy. He is saved by a young blonde girl who turns out to be a mermaid named Madison (Daryl Hannah). Years later, Allen is a distributor of fruit from farmers to merchants. After his fiancee leaves him and becomes depressed after attending a wedding, he returns to the same spot where he drowned, manages to fall in again, and is  rescued by the same mermaid. She runs away, and Allen returns home. She finds his wallet on the beach and comes to the short naked in New York City, where she is arrested. Cops find Allen's wallet on her person and call him to come get her. They begin to fall in love. Meanwhile, a crazy scientist named Walter Kornbluth (Eugene Levy) is madly trying to prove that Madison is, in fact, a mermaid.

This movies so quintessentially 80's. It has a fabulous cast, an great story, and hilarity throughout. It's a wonderful fish-out-of-water comedy (SEE WHAT WE DID THERE?????!!) for the ages, and is still entertaining today. It's fun to watch movies from the 80's and see the different fashion styles, commercials, sights, sounds, and nostalgia. It's also refreshing to watch movies with the late, great, sorely missed John Candy.

Another thing we wanted to mention was that the way Madison's tail looks in this movie, even today, is spectacular: it looks like a mermaid tail would if mermaids existed. The fact that it's a fabricated piece, not CGI or digital, which is what a mermaid tail would (mostly likely) be today, is very impressive. The scenes which feature the actors underwater for large amounts of time were put together so well that even now they look flawless. I know "movie magic" is obviously utilized, but even watching this film in 2013, viewers can see Ron Howard's brilliance as a director. He has a wide range of talent, from comedies like this to dramas, and continues to execute this same brilliance today.

My Rating: 8/10
BigJ's Rating: 7/10
IMDB's Rating: 6.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 92%
Do we recommend this movie: Yes!