Ladies and Gentlemen..."The Beatles: Eight Days A Week-The Touring Years"

The Beatles: Eight Days A Week-The Touring Years (2016)

Not Rated

Starring John, Paul, George & Ringo

Directed by Ron Howard

The Story:

It's 1963 and some British band called The Beatles is about to take off on the greatest meteoric rise in music history.

This is their story.

Ron Howard's engaging documentary compiles footage of the band from 1963-1966.

At that point, the band stopped the breakneck pace of touring and simply released albums after that.

The movie concludes with footage of their final rooftop concert in 1969.

There is archival footage from the Beatles discussing these crazy years on the road, as well as current takes from Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr.

Along with that, there are some celebrity fans who discuss what life was like growing up during the height of Beatlemania.

Definitely worth a viewing if you're a fan.

And possibly if you're not a fan (tsk tsk) you might see what all the fuss was about.

 Final Grade: A-

If You Smell...What Tom Hanks...Is Cooking! "Inferno"

Inferno (2016)  

Rated PG-13

Starring Tom Hanks, Felicity Jones, Omar Sy, Irrfan Khan, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Ben Foster, Ana Ularu

Directed by Ron Howard

The Story:

Symbologist Robert Langdon (Hanks) awakes in a hospital with no memory of how he got there. As Dr. Brooks (Jones) helps to try and piece some of the missing pieces of what happened back, someone attempts to kill Langdon. They escape, and begin a whirlwind world tour trying to stay one step of the people trying to kill Langdon while attempting to solve a puzzle left behind from a zealot billionaire (Foster) who has devised a virus that will render the majority of the world's population extinct.

Well, I guess I was wrong about reviewing the last of the 2016 sequels to long-dormant franchises a few weeks back.

THIS is the last one.

I'm almost sure of it.

:)

So if  you remember The Da Vinci Code from way back in 2006, or Angels and Demons from 2009, then you are already familiar with the character played by Hanks and what he does.

However if you never saw those films, or like me, vaguely remember seeing them back in the day, and that's really your only recollection of the films, then you'll probably still be okay.

On its own, it's a slick thriller with competent direction by the always reliable Ron Howard.

This time, instead of direct involvement with the church and overtly religious tones, it's dialed back a bit as the mystery centers on the works of the poet Dante and his work: Inferno.

Add a touch of the modern spy thriller, and you have a film that is going to do the best it can to keep you guessing at what happens next, who you can trust, and what it all means.

Naturally, some things work better than others, but the film is filled with enough interesting characters and a pretty talented cast from top to bottom that they make all of the characters have a three dimensional feeling and they aren't just cardboard caricatures helping to prop up the movie.

I'm not sure if there will be another film in the series, but I doubt they'll want to wait another decade if they decide to continue the films. Hanks and Howard aren't getting any younger.

It's quite likely that instead we'll be treated to a cinematic reboot, and that means that most likely Chris Pine will be taking over the role in the next outing.

: )

Final Grade: B-

Here Fishy Fishy... "In The Heart Of The Sea"

In The Heart of the Sea (2015)

Rated PG-13

Starring Chris Hemsworth, Benjamin Walker, Cillian Murphy, Brendan Gleeson, Brendan Whishaw, Tom Holland

Directed by Ron Howard

The Story:

Herman Melville (Whishaw) is ready to write his next novel. He wants to base it on what happened to the ship, The Essex that was reportedly attacked by a white whale in 1820. For research, he approaches Tom Nickerson (Gleeson) and learns of the fateful attack and the horrific aftermath of the ship sinking and what the surviving crew members had to endure.

Based on a mashup of several bits and pieces of the true story that Melville would create the fictional novel Moby Dick with, the bulk of the story takes place via flashback aboard The Essex. Rookie whaling Captain Pollard (Walker) and perennial first-mate Owen Chase (Hemsworth) butt heads from the get-go, but their determination to fill the ship with oil and return to port to be rid of one another fuels most of the voyage. Along the way, a young Thomas Nickerson (Holland) learns from them and the crew as they are beset with tragedies and unspeakable horrors after encountering the white whale.

Historians can pick this movie to pieces, but they are missing the point.

The sinking of the Essex did happen.

What happened next did happen.

Melville based Moby Dick on those events.

This movie puts all of the above into a blender and hits "go".

It's here to entertain, not turn into a faithful historical adaptation.

Ron Howard brings confident direction to the tale that failed to find an audience in theaters.

Perhaps too long...perhaps not interested enough in "another Moby Dick adaptation", I can't venture to guess.

It kept me interested from beginning to end, and the performances by everyone in the cast were exceptional. Gleeson's Nickerson as the man who's hidden shameful secrets for so long is positively heartbreaking when he finally expresses what happened in the lifeboats as the survivors waited endlessly for rescue.

Hemsworth is a commanding presence as the man who should be captain, and while he is the focal point of the movie, his supporting cast rounds out the film nicely.

A flawed gem from Ron Howard, but they can't all be masterpieces.

Final Grade:  B-

It Took Nearly 30 Years For This "Cocoon" To Be Watched Again

Cocoon (1985)

Rated PG-13

Starring Don Ameche, Wilfred Brimley, Hume Cronyn, Jessica Tandy, Maureen Stapleton, Brian Dennehy, Steve Guttenberg, Tawhnee Welch

Directed by Ron Howard

The Story:

An alien race (Dennehy, Welch) return to Earth to bring home 20 of their own they had to leave behind centuries earlier.  They charter a boat from a local Florida captain (Guttenberg) and put them in a swimming pool to revive them.  However, a group of local senior citizens (Ameche, Brimley, Cronyn) have been breaking in to use that pool.  When the regenerative powers of the pool have an unexpected fountain of youth quality, the group comes back with the aliens blessing, but things are going to get bad in a hurry.

It's been a long time since I've seen this one.

First things first, it holds up pretty well from start to finish.

The acting is great, and the assembled cast is wonderful.

Ron Howard pulls together a great cast of actors and gave them plum roles in their careers.

Just because they are getting older, that doesn't mean they still can't act, and the cast pulls it off wonderfully.

Don Ameche won a Best Supporting Actor award for his role.  It's a great performance, but after all these years, he really has probably the least screen time of all the actors.

The special effects are a bit on the cheesy side, but there really aren't a whole lot of them.

It was nice to revisit the film, and it was fun to watch again.

Final Grade: B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: It's probably been over 20 years since I last saw it.  Still pretty good, but not quite as good as I remembered. 

What A "Rush" !!

Rush (2013)
Rated R for language, nudity

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Bruhl

Directed by Ron Howard

The Story:

The intertwining story of two drivers destined and determined to be Formula 1 drivers. The first, James Hunt (Hemsworth), lady killer and all around cocky Brit.  His rival, Austrian Niki Lauda (Bruhl), who is icy and meticulous.  Their rivalry culminates in 1976 as the two battle for the championship.

Based on a true story.

I opted for a later poster to represent this film.  The original, a close-up of Hemsworth indicated that the movie was centered on his character, James Hunt.  And really, the movie is based on his life... and yet...

It is the fascinating counterpoint of Lauda who brings balance and interest to this film.  It is easy to see why Hunt was going to be successful, he was boastful and a braggart who backed up his bravado on and off the track.

But the sheer determination of Lauda to succeed when he was an uncharismatic robot that nobody liked, even his own teammates, is the crucial piece of dramatic device that is needed to make this movie, and their rivalry, work.

When an accident nearly claims one of these two during their run for the championship, it is the sheer anger of watching their rival go for the championship that drives him to get better, get out of bed, and against all odds, get back onto that track!  Insane and unheard of, but it happened.

The racing scenes are spectacular, but nothing you don't expect when you're watching any Howard film.  He always gives it 100%.  Another feather in the directing career of Ron Howard who simply makes entertaining movies.

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I could watch it again, but no need to own it.

100 Greatest Movies of All Time...That I Own. # 21 ~ Parenthood

Today's entry is a movie that we have watched so often, we actually wore out the VHS copy that we had.

It marks director Ron Howard's only movie on the countdown.  He's done lots of great films over the years, but for me, this was his finest moment.  He takes an ensemble cast and presents... a family.  All of their ups, downs, sideways, quirks, flaws and love...

And the whole thing works.  This isn't an ensemble comedy that feels dated like some of the madcap 60s or 70s comedies.  There is strong actor after strong actor anchoring this film so that while it may be a product of the 80s, it truly feels timeless.

For those that have never watched this film... shame on you... it is the story of the Buckman family.  Patriarch Frank (Jason Robards) and his 4 children: Gil (Steve Martin), Susan (Harley Jane Kozak), Helen (Dianne Wiest) and Larry (Tom Hulce).  All 4 of those children are grown and having families of their own.

Their spouses, kids and significant others include Mary Steenburgen, Rick Moranis, Martha Plimpton, Keanu Reeves (Whoa!) and Joaquin Phoenix.

Steve Martin would be considered the main character in the cast of thousands.  His only foray on the charts, though Roxanne was a tough one to leave off, is my favorite role that he's done.  He proves that he can reign in the zany, and just be a fun, lovable dad.  Truly, every actor in the film hits the mark and is pitch perfect in making you care for them and their issues.


It's a must-see for anyone that has kids, wants to have kids, was a kid, knows a kid, or was ever born.  Yes, it's a comedy. Yes, it's a drama.

You'll laugh. You'll cry.  You'll enjoy what you saw.

Always living 3000 miles from home, we have to rely on ourselves as family.  There are no get-togethers, so we miss out on a lot of the craziness that ensues when generations get together.  Of course, you take the good and bad that comes with that. : )





Watching the events unfold in the Buckman clan, you should be able to see similar relationships within your own family, whether it's parent/child, sibling/sibling or married spouse.

The movie itself is infinitely quotable, and yes, much like many other movies on the list, many a Parenthood gets broken out as applicable.

Lucky for us, our 4th one wasn't Larry... but we've simply changed the number each time we've had another child.

So far, so good. : )


Tomorrow: Is it time for the Top 20 already??!!