She's Hardly a "Wild Child". More Like a Spoiled Brat.

Where's Mrs. Garrett when you need her?

I now realize that joke has sailed over the heads of at least a generation, maybe more, of people.

:: sigh::

The Story:

Spoiled girl Poppy (Emma Roberts) is driving her widowed dad (Aidan Quinn) up the wall.  When her latest stunt pushes him over the edge, he ships her off to an English boarding school to learn some manners.  The headmistress, Miss Kinglsey (Natasha Richardson) has her work cut out for her, because Poppy has no desire to be there, and is going to push the limits and try to get expelled.  However, the more she pushes, strange things begin to happen, and Poppy is on her road to discovering some things about herself, and her family, that will change her forever...

Hopefully for the better.

Well, this movie is only 5 years old, so we've returned to more recent cinematic history.

Don't get too comfortable, if you've learned anything reading these reviews, I'm all over the map with what gets viewed. : )

First, this is a bittersweet movie to watch because it is Natasha Richardson's last performance.  She was a great actress who suffered a terrible skiing accident that robbed the world of decades of more of her work.  She comes from the Redgrave line of actresses, so you know you're getting quality whenever she was onscreen.

Second, there are movies that men, by design, are not the target audience for.  If I was single, or had only boys or no children, the odds of me watching this, or a thousand other teen girl comedies would likely have never entered my head.

Lucky for me, I have some wonderful girls, and I get to watch this, and other films like it with them.

Like all genres, there are some that absolutely stink up the joint.  Then there are classics that I could watch anytime, say Clueless or Mean Girls for example.

Then you have a little charmer like this one that falls short of greatness, but rises well above putrid. :)

Much of that credit has to go to Emma Roberts, whom I enjoy as an actress as much or more than I dislike her Aunt Julia for doing the same profession. : )

She plays a spoiled brat really well, but not one that is so far gone that you cannot believe the change of heart she has as the movie goes on.

To have a totally unlikeable lead character would have done this movie no good, and she balances the role nicely with that of her goody two-shoes version of Nancy Drew that she had done previously.

Yes, I've seen that one too, but that's a review for another time.

: )

Final Grade: B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Watched it again for the first time in five years.  I knew I had seen it before, but it was like watching it for the first time.  Not rushing out to buy it, but I suspect I'll see it again in a few years as the next girls in my house get older.  No objections. :)

I "Flipped" For This Under the Radar Little Movie

He said. She said.

The Story:

The story takes place during the end of the 50s and beginning of the 60s.  Bryce Loski (Callan McAuliffe) and his family move into town, across from Juli Baker (Madeline Carroll) and her family.  Juli is smitten with Bryce from the moment they set eyes on one another, Bryce doesn't feel the same.  The movie then shifts forward in their lives recounting various meetings between the two from each others point of view and perspective, providing narration on what they were feeling at the time, and what they were thinking.  Will Bryce come around to have feelings for Juli, or will Juli realize that Bryce isn't worth her time?

So if you say "coming of age" movie and "directed by Rob Reiner", what will you be expecting?  Most people will automatically think of Stand By Me, and rightfully so.  It's a classic in cinema.

However, I think Reiner's career as a director keeps him firmly in my Top 10, maybe Top 5 directors of all time.  Lofty praise to be sure, but the guy has delivered many competent films.  Were they all blockbusters?  Nope, but even Spielberg has his flops over his career.

Reiner's misses are often not failures...they're just not as good as the rest of his canon.  However, when you set the bar high with movies including The Princess Bride, A Few Good Men and Misery it's easy to fall a little short over the years.

Apparently he made this one back in  2010, and like his 2012 film, The Magic of Belle Isle, it flew under the radar.

But neither film should have done so.  Both were very good, and well worth the time of watching.  Again, great coming of age movies that can be enjoyed by the entire family.

The actors all do a great job, especially the kids who have to carry the majority of the movie.  The parents are a mix of good character actors.  Aidan Quinn is Juli's dad, and he brings his usual touch to a role that provides a bit of meat to their family backstory as the film moves along.

Across the street, Anthony Edwards and Rebecca De Mornay (!!) are Bryce's parents.  Hats off to Mr. Edwards for being a completely unlikable dad in this film, playing about as against type as he can get from his days on E.R.

Quietly working behind the scenes to help Bryce understand his feelings and brokering peace between the kids is John Mahoney doing terrific work as the grandfather.

It's a sweet little movie with a great 60s soundtrack to enhance what's happening onscreen.

Very enjoyable little film.

Final Grade: Solid B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Again, while not on the same tier as Reiner's best films, it falls into the next level of films, very good, but not great, but definitely not bad.  I could let it play again and be content!  If I find it for a decent price, I'd snatch it up.

They're Watching You..."Stakeout"

The rhythm is gonna get ya...

The Story:

Bill (Richard Dreyfuss) and Chris (Emilio Estevez) are police detectives assigned to the night shift on a stakeout.  Maria (Madeleine Stowe) is the former girlfriend of an escaped robber (Aidan Quinn) who may be in contact with her to get his hands back on the loot that she's been unwittingly hiding for him.  All is going according to plan, until a chance meeting off duty leads to romantic complications between Maria and Bill.  Will they catch the bad guy

Here's a fun 80s movie that has held up well over the last 26 years...

And it may have been 25 years or so since you last saw it.

The movie enjoys several fun dynamics as the movie embraces the comedic aspects of the film.  There is the ongoing gags between Chris and Bill and their dayshift counterparts as they make life miserable for one another.

Dreyfuss plays the romantic leading man, for one of the few times in his career.  His storyline is believable and he seems to be having a blast with it.  When he realizes that he's on tape, and subject to the very stakeout he is participating in, the tension gets raised a few notches as his feelings for Maria and his need to do his job cross paths and he has some difficult choices to make.

So if you're in the mood for a good time, revisit this one that you may not have seen in the last quarter century.

Man... do I feel old now!

Final Grade: A-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I do own it, and I don't wait for silver anniversaries to rewatch the film... but I should revisit it more frequently than I do.