Everyday Is Filled With "Miracles From Heaven"

Miracles From Heaven (2016)

Rated PG

Starring Jennifer Garner, Kylie Rogers, Martin Henderson, Brighton Sharbino, Courtney Fansler, Queen Latifah, Eugenio Derbez,

Directed by Patricia Riggen

The Story:

Anna Beam (Rogers) keeps feeling sick. Hospital visit after hospital visit turns up nothing, but the poor thing is getting worse. Her mom (Garner) finally manages to get her to see one of the top specialists (Derbez) in the States and diagnoses Anna with a rare, non-treatable disorder. The pain gets worse, and little Anna is ready to throw in the towel. Her mom breaks down and begs God for a miracle.

Based on a true story, naturally!

However, that's not to say this movie doesn't have a few hiccups along the way.

They condense Anna's 4 year journey into a condensed to fit  your movie running time year.

Naturally, there are a ton of skeptics that feel and believe that Anna was never sick to begin with, and this is just a cash grab by the Beam family to make a buck off the Christian market.

Well, judge not lest ye be judged.

:)

I can, however, judge the movie, and it's not too bad.

There are naturally a few heartstring tuggers along the way, which is par for the course in most movies like this.

I don't think it beats a Christian message over the head of those that are skeptical, and it even briefly launches into the "why do bad things happen to little kids" endless debate.

There's also a few clunkers that keep the movie from reaching the full potential. One that pulled me out of the movie completely and made me start laughing was when a tearful, angry mom yells at the doctor "no, you calm down!"

The doctor was already calm and explaining why he couldn't help the daughter any further.

So a few misfires like that keep the movie from being a must-see and relegate it to a could-see.

That said, the movie does emphasize that your life is filled with little miracles every day that you may be too busy to notice and realize they were miracles at the time, and that is a message that's worth repeating over and over until the world gets it.

Final Grade: B-

We've All Had Days Like "Alexander And The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day"

Alexander And The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (2014)

Rated PG

Starring Steve Carell, Jennifer Garner, Ed Oxenbould, Dylan Minnette, Kerris Dorsey,

Directed by Miguel Arteta

The Story:

The Coopers (Carrell, Garner, Minnette and Dorsey) have a pretty good life. All except for Alexander (Oxenbould), who feels that he has a pretty bad day (see story title), every day!  So naturally on his birthday, he makes a wish on his cupcake that for once, his family could feel what it's like to not have a perfect day.

Remember kids, be careful what you wish for!

Okay, admittedly I rolled my eyes when I heard this was being adapted into a movie. I vaguely remember the book from my youth, and I'm not sure I've ever read it to my kids when they were growing up.

But from what I remember, there's no way that book becomes a movie.

However, put the ball in the other court, and show the rest of his perfect family having a very not-so perfect day, and you've struck gold.

Or, at least with my rating, how about silver?

It's a perfectly fine family comedy, but isn't that what we've come to expect from Disney over the years?

Carell gets some amusing gags throughout the film, and Garner has an exceptional bit with legendary Dick Van Dyke.

And if there is any wonder on whether or not the Coopers can turn it all around before the credits roll...

Well, this isn't  your first Disney film, is it?

: )

Final Grade: B-

More Excitement Than The Real NFL "Draft Day"

Draft Day (2014)

Rated R (language)

Starring Kevin Costner, Chadwick Boseman, Jennifer Garner, Arian Foster, Frank Langella, Denis Leary, Josh Pence, Ellen Burstyn, Tom Welling

Directed by Ivan Reitman

The Story:

It's Draft Day for the NFL and the Cleveland Browns General Manager, Sonny Weaver (Costner) needs to make a splash in the draft.  To do that, he makes a fateful decision to move from # 7 to # 1 by giving up 3 First Round draft picks to Seattle for a new QB (Pence).  The Coach (Leary) is furious, and so is their current QB (Welling). The owner (Langella) is pleased to no end.  However, as the countdown to the draft continues, Sonny isn't sure whether he made the right decision or not. 

What a great movie.

Strangely, I didn't realize it was rated R at all.  I'm wondering if that's a typo? 

Aside from a bit of language sprinkled throughout, there was nothing in here worth slapping that rating on the film.

Cleveland. 

If you need to pick a franchise for a down on their luck sports story, Cleveland is the go-to city of choice.

My hope?

That this film will do for the Browns what Major League did for the Indians.

Shortly after the release of that film, the Indians finally started winning and making a run in the playoffs.

If any franchise ever needed a return to greatness, this is it.

Stolen from the city and moved to Baltimore, the Ohio fans could only watch in horror as their team won it all, under the banner of the Ravens.

For a nearly 2 hour movie, Draft Day moves along at a great clip, never dragging nor spending too much time on anything that could slow the pace.

You'll bounce from person to person, city to city, all the while Costner anchors the film as the  beleaguered misunderstood figure at the helm.

By the time the draft begins, you will be engrossed by what has happened, but know that the movie isn't done.

Not just yet anyway.

There's still a surprise or two up Sonny's sleeves.

If only the real NFL Draft was this much fun.

Final Grade: B+ maybe even an A-.  Either works.

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I would happily own this one, and it is definitely a contender for Best of the Year status.

Alright Alright Alright..."Dallas Buyers Club"

Dallas Buyers Club (2013)
Rated R for language, nudity, drug use


Starring Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Jared Leto,

Directed by Jean-Marc Vallee   

The Story:

Ron Woodroof (McConaughey) is a bull rider who enjoys all the vices in life.  When he winds up in the hospital and diagnosed as HIV positive, he knows that's not true because he's not gay.  With less than 30 days to live, Woodroof tries every means necessary to get the medication he needs to survive.  By whatever means necessary, including illegal shipments from Mexico.  It is there that he brings back medication for others like him to keep them alive since they cannot get them at home.

Great story, with another tour de force by McConaughey and a completely unrecognizable Leto.

I will simply go on record and say that the FDA has caused more harm than good in the fight against this, and any other disease.

Woodroof did an admirable thing, and his life story was one worth the translation to the silver screen.

He kept himself, and dozens of others alive for an extra seven years.

I'm also very glad that the Academy finally noticed that McConaughey can act.

You can dismiss his earlier work as fluff, but I've always found him to be entertaining and fun to watch.

That's what I pay to see when I watch a movie: I want to be entertained.

He's always done that.

This is his icing on the cake, but also one of the hardest movies to endure, just because of the weight of the subject matter.

Final Grade: B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Worth a viewing once for the acting of McConaughey and Leto.  After that, I'm good.

The 200th Review: "The Odd Life of Timothy Green"

 

 

 

 

This sort of thing doesn't happen every day...

The Story:

Cindy (Jennifer Garner) and Jim (Joel Edgerton) Green are a married couple who have been hoping to have a baby, but are told that it is impossible.  Devastated, they write down a list of qualities that they wish their baby would have had, bury it in a box in the backyard, and go to bed.  Funny enough, a rain that lands only on their property, waters that box, and out sprouts a little boy named Timothy (CJ Adams), the only boy name the couple ever picked.  Timothy has an unusual feature:  leaves on his legs.  But they cover those with socks, and the parents and Timothy bond and become a family, with all of its ups and downs.  Then the leaves start to turn color and fall off...

This is a fantasy film from Disney, pure and simple. 

But there is a heart to the film that shines through the fantasy.

For all of those that have ever lost a child or been unable to have that baby they so desperately wanted, this film will shine as an example of why so many couples want to adopt, and the struggles that come for those of any parenting skills as there is nothing scarier, and more fun, than raising a kid.

It's fun to watch the wishes that they had for their child come back to haunt them all in some very amusing ways.

Be careful what you wish for your kids, you might get it! : )

Overall, a sweet little movie that the whole family can enjoy.

Final Grade: B-

Would I Own It: Not sure I would actively seek to own this, but one that was good enough that I could watch again in the future.

The First Review of 2013: Like "Butter"!

It was the best of films...

It was the worst of films...

 

The first movie review of 2013!

And it's a film that so far, would make the best of and worst of list, both at the same time.

:)

I'm sure the next 350 some days will provide some other films that will bump this one off of both lists, but for now let's sit back and enjoy...

Butter.


The Story:

The story of the Pickler family from Iowa where the reigning 15 year-in-a-row butter sculptor has been asked to step aside to make way for some new blood.  His wife (Jennifer Garner) thinks that is patently unfair, so she decides to enter the contest herself.  Meanwhile, a little foster girl decides to put her artistic talents to good use sculpting butter.  It's a show-down of epic proportions!

Did I mention this is based on a true story?

Well, at least the fact that people participate in competitive butter sculpting, that part is true.  The rest, I assume, totally made up.

And really, before watching this film, I had no idea that people actually sculpted in butter.  Pretty clever past time for farmers I would imagine.

Amazingly for a film that probably nobody has ever heard of, the cast is filled with some great actors.  Alicia Silverstone?  I haven't seen her since Clueless.

Rob Cordrry as the foster dad was my favorite character in the film.  His chatting with the little girl about "what's the worst that could happen?" was my favorite part of the movie.


So is it worth your time?  That depends.  It's about 90 minutes of mostly entertaining storylines that converge into a climatic butter battle at the Iowa State Fair.  It's not gut-bustingly funny, but it remains amusing throughout.

Oh, and did I mention Hugh Jackman is in it?  He is, and his part is small, but quite memorable.  And his prayers to God?  Hilariously wrong in so many ways...


Available to stream on Netflix as of this writing.