Taking Chance - A True Story

Taking Chance

English

2008, 78 minutes

5 Stars

This HBO movie is based on the true story of LTC Michael Strobl, USMC (Ret) as he escorted a 19-year-old fallen Hero home for burial. PFC Chance Phelps lived in Dubois, Wyoming. Rainy Day did manage to make it through the first 10 minutes before tears began leaking. It is a simple story, really, of one man paying respect for another. And all the everyday Americans along the way who also paid their respects – ground crews at plane terminals, passengers, flight crews, and even an impromptu honor guard along the final highway journey. This is one of Kevin Bacon's best performances. Yes, it will tug on your heart strings, but in a good way. Get some kleenex and deal with it. Watch the movie!

For a trailer, click here.

Rainy Day thanks all you Vets out there, and all you families of Vets!

To read the original essay, click here.

Spirited Away (truly!)

Spirited Away

anime, English (or Japanese with subtitles)

2001, 125 minutes

5 Stars

Chihiro and her family are moving to the suburbs and her father takes a wrong turn. They end up at what he thinks is an old theme park, instead it is a place for the different Japanese mythological gods to come and relax, human are not allowed. Her parents find an open restaurant, with wonderful food, but no one to serve them, or take their money, and they start eating only to turn into pigs. Chihiro, a rather sullen child, now discovers her parents as pigs to eventually be slaughtered, and she must find a way to rescue them and to get back to the real world. She learns the value of friendship and love. It is possibly the best movie Hayao Miyazaki has done. But Rainy Day hasn't seen all of them, yet.

For a trailer, click here.

Shaolin Intruders

Shaolin Intruders

Chinese, English Subtitles

1983, 86 minutes

4 Stars

A fun movie! Rainy Day enjoyed the fight scenes and the choreography was great! A slight difference in that this is not the typical movie where the student sets out to avenge a wronged master – this is the story of three young people wrongly accused of murder who set out to clear themselves and find the murderers – in the Shaolin Temple. Beautiful choreography of the fight scenes as they must pass three tests at the temple, and gorgeous fight scenes at the end.

 For some of the fight scenes, click here.

To download the movie, click here.

I, Robot

I, Robot

English

2004, 114 minutes

5 Stars

Rainy Day's introduction to the science fiction genre was through Isaac Asimov's books, and she loved the Robot books/stories and how Asimov would work around his three Laws of Robotics. When this movie came out, Rainy Day avoided it. How could she enjoy it, when she knew it would not do proper homage to the original? Well, last night, it was on TV--again. Rainy Day realized she couldn't remember much, if anything, about the original story, so watched the movie, and thoroughly enjoyed it! Rainy Day discovered years ago that if she knows a movie will be made from a book she wants to read, she waits until the movie is out, and she's seen it, before she reads the book, otherwise the movie is just too awful to contemplate. Rainy Day is very glad she waited to watch the movie.

click here for trailer

Wind and Cloud: Storm Riders

Wind and Cloud: Storm Riders

Chinese, English subtitles

2004, 109 minutes

5 Stars

Rainy Day won't claim to be able to follow the whole story, but she will state she enjoyed the ride! Basically, it's a Good v. Evil story, with Wind and Cloud two brothers who fight for the Good. Rainy Day has read this movie is condensed from 20+ discs, which makes for a jumpy story. Just pour yourself a glass of your favorite beverage, and enjoy the martial arts and special effects. It is a sequel (10 years later) of the earlier Wind and Cloud movie. The costuming was great, the fight scenes pure fun, and if you have one of those brains that can/will 'fill in the blanks' it's a great ride.

Click here for a trailer

Pitfall

Pitfall

Japanese, English subtitles

1962, 97 minutes

Black & White

4 stars

This movie contains a bit of everything except comedy. It is a socio-political documentary of post-war Japan's coal mining industry, a ghost story, a murder mystery. This is Hiroshi Teshigahara's debut at a full length film, and well worth the watch – as long as you don't mind an ending that isn't 'all happy ever after.' Rainy Day watched the video essay, about 15 minutes, after seeing the movie. Although the narrator brought up some points she had not seen, she didn't agree with him completely. It's a psychological movie, and the viewer may draw her own conclusions. If you need answers, don't watch. If you want to use your imagination, and derive your own answers watch. Teshigahara later did Woman in the Dunes which Rainy Day loved.

This trailer is in Japanese 

Princess Mononoke - Anime

Princess Mononoke

Japanese, English Subtitles (you actually have a choice)

1997, 134 Minutes

5 Stars

For those of you who like dubbed movies, you have that choice. Rainy Day does not. Once again Hayao Miyazaki and Ghibli Studios have brought a delightful story to life via anime. This story tells about Prince Ashitaka, infected with a lethal curse, who must travel to find the cure. And Princess Mononoke, abandoned as a babe and raised by the Wolf God, Moro. Their meeting is not off to a good start; however, they must work together to save the Forest and Deer God, and the animals that live in the Deer God's land as well as the humans who would destroy everything for their greed.

For the trailer, click here.

For the movie, click here.    

Hanzo the Razor: Who's Got the Gold

Hanzo the Razor: Who's Got the Gold

Japanese, English Subtitles

1974, 84 Minutes

0 Stars

Hanzo "the Razor" Itami, played by Shintaro Katsu. Rainy Day is pulling this review, and changing the rating to 0. This is the 3d in the trilogy, and though it is somewhat violent, as most of Shintaro's movies are, it wasn't too bad. However, she just got one of the other Hanzo movies, and could not watch it. While Rainy Day doesn't mind a good sword fight, one that is totally non believable, she does mind sexual violence, and the beginning to the new movie was too full of it to watch, and she decided to pull this review. Frankly, Rainy Day was expecting something more along the lines of Zatoichi, who though a blind swordsman, and not averse to some of the fun things of life, is also a man of honor.

The Matrix: Revolution

The Matrix Revolutions

English

2003, 129 Minutes

4 Stars

Rainy Day gives this one a step down in the ratings. She almost gave it a 3, but the other two brought it up. The final battle of Zion v. Machines is almost an hour too long. Neo learns a Truth from the Oracle – that Agent Smith is his dark double. His Ying to Neo's Yang. They are conjoined twins. So, the final fight, between the two is a known outcome. Still, it's fun (much more fun than the Armageddon in Zion). The Wachowski Brother (Writers/Directors) did an amazing job with this series. The FX, the music, the costumes - especially Neo's Soutane, the story, everything is wonderful, and worth the watch, probably more than once.

For a trailer, click here.  

The Matrix: Reloaded

The Matrix: Reloaded

English

2003, 138 Minutes

5 Stars

Zion, the last stand for humans, has been discovered by the machines and Armageddon approaches. Oh, if you haven't figured it out by now, when they're in the long black coats, they're in the Matrix. Anyhow, lots of fun fights, though some get a wee bit old. Still, Rainy Day watched them all. When the fighting got to be too much, she concentrated on the how of the fights, and the choreography, and where did the wires attach;-) Rainy Day wants to know how these movies are made. And, isn't Agent Smith, as a computer virus great?

For a trailer, click here.  

The Matrix

The Matrix

English

1999, 136 Minutes

5 Stars

Where to start? You've probably seen it already, at least you've heard of it. You know that it has some of the bestest ever special effects, new to the movie, now used by many. You know the story is confusing, but if you think of it as Order v. Chaos, Good v. Evil, Jesus (Neo) v. Satan (Agent Smith), the philosophy isn't all that hard. The music is fantastic, the direction is marvelous, and The Matrix is one of the most original movies Rainy Day has ever seen. Keanu Reeves is Neo, Laurence Fishbourne is Morpheous, Hugh Weaving is Agent Smith, and Carrie-Ann Moss is Trinity. If you haven't seen the movie, get it, watch it and Part II and Part II back to back to back. You'll love it. Them. And pay attention to the ideas – they'll make you think!

For a trailer for The Matrix, click here 

For a fan-based explanation of the three movies, click here.

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Whisper of the Heart

Whisper of the Heart

Japanese, English subtitles

1995, 111 minutes

5 stars

The Big Question is: Should I follow my heart, or do what's expected? This delightful anime is about two school kids who must face and answer that question. It is also a story of first love. Shizuku is a reader, and soon discovers all the library books she reads have been read by Seiji before her. She sets out on a quest to meet this person who shares her literary taste. The meeting, of course, leads to more than love, it leads to the Big Question, and the answer. Unlike other Ghibli movies, this one lacks the fantasy element, moves a bit slower, but has so much more depth than anything Rainy Day has seen out of Dreamworks or Disney. This movie could happen, and perhaps has and will again. A great family movie.

For a trailer, click here.

To watch the movie, with English dubbing, click here.

Little Big Soldier

Little Big Soldier

Mandarin, English Subtitles

2010, 96 minutes

5 Stars

Jackie Chan and Leehom Wang star in this movie. Chan also wrote and produced it, while Ding Sheng directed it. If any of you wonder if Jackie Chan can really act – he can! He plays a simple farmer conscripted into the army of Liang who manages to survive a horrendous battle and finds and captures the only other survivor, the young general of Wei, his enemy. Jackie is determined to return his captive to Liang, alive, for the reward of five acres of land, and some cash. A well done comedy, well acted, and well, just great fun to see Chan, the simple farmer, with his educated and somewhat condescending captive, as they struggle to stay alive; one to maintain the status quo, the other to escape and change it. Set against the background of the Warring States period.

For a trailer, click here.