Frida

English

122 minutes, 2002

16 and over

5 Stars

Oh. My. God! Even in English instead of Spanish, this is a Must See Film. Salma Hayak, Alfred Molina, the whole cast, were superb. There is sex in the film, and it can be pretty graphic, but not pornographic, but it is also required. Julie Taymor, the director, did a fantastic job. The special effects were, well, fantastic, and the music...ah, the music! The classical guitar got to me early on, and the tears were never far after that. Intellectually, I know I watched a movie, but emotionally, I was in it. It's a love story, but not a romance. It's an adult film by, for, and about adults. It will captivate you, draw you in, whether or not you believe in her politics or the openness of her marriage.

Trailer 

Toy Story 3

Toy Story 3

English

2010, 103 minutes

5 Stars

Rainy Day needs to state up front, if it's from Pixar, she's biased – her brother works there. Rainy Day loved Toy Story, and Toy Story 2, and saw no reason why she wouldn't love 3 as much – or more, if possible. And she did. Pixar has done a wonderful job in keeping the story alive, and fresh through all 3 films. This is a laugh-out-loud kind of film, with a spot where tears are appropriate. At one point, it did bring to mind a certain Wookie and trash masher sequence;-) Marvelous voice acting by a terrific cast, and fantastic cartoons. If it comes from Pixar or Studio Ghibli, you know you're in for a great movie!

Trailer

We Were Here

We Were Here

English

2011, 90 minutes

5 Stars

This well-done documentary on the AIDS epidemic is neither morbid nor morose. Rainy Day remembers and wasn't sure she wanted to watch, as she thought it would take at least a case of tissues. It didn't. There were a few tears here and there, but Rainy Day would not classify it a Tear Jerker. Rainy Day thought there was a great deal of hope in the movie. One of the men interviewed became HIV positive during the first wave, and he is still alive and appears to be fairly healthy. The men and woman interviewed lived through it and tell their stories in a straightforward manner, and this documentary clearly belongs to them, not the director or the producer. If you remember the time, you will like this movie. If you are too young to remember it, you will learn.

For a trailer, click here.

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

English

2011, 120 minutes

3 Stars

Rainy Day read the book years ago and loved it. She read it twice, and avoided the movie for a long time. If you haven't read the book, you will probably like this, but it introduces a whole second story line, and skips between the modern storyline and the old story line. Why didn't 'They' do two movies? Yes, Rainy Day cried at the end—she's a sucker for sad and happy, but she remains totally perplexed as to why someone would take such a beautiful book and screw it up by cutting more than half the story, and then jumping forth and back to modern Shanghai. A bit like going from Puccini to Metalica at somewhat random intervals. Both stories are, well, tender, and in Rainy Day's opinion, both stories deserve their own movie!

For the official trailer, click here. There are more trailers online, merely Google the title.

Snow Flower, review by Dame Judith

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

2011, 120 minutes

3 Stars

Unlike the novel, the movie expanded the basic story line to juxtapose the original story line of two women growing up separately in China circa 1880 against the movie's newly introduced two women growing up in present-day Hong Kong.

Thereby presenting the viewer with flashbacks among four different women's histories, and switchbacks between two sets of women's stories.  Hello? Do we now suspect why the movie reviewers were lukewarm about the movie version? 

Beautifully filmed as only what we Hollywood-fed movie goers term "foreign films" always seem to do.

The film is a blend of English and translated-Chinese captioning.

If feminine friends are key in your life, watch the movie.

I think I'm going to re-read the book. Click here for trailer.

I was intrigued by the historical binding of girls' feet and pacts between "sisters of the heart forever."

 How easily the story now "translated" to me. Have you seen the movie? Read the book? Did you find the translation as easy as I?

Dancing By The Star!

Mao's Last Dancer

English

2010, 117 Minutes

5 Stars

Rainy Day seems to be on a run for Biopics. This movie is based on the autobiography of Li Cunxin, a peasant villager taken at age 11 to study ballet in Beijing. From there, he is 'seen' by Ben Stevenson, Director of the Housing Ballet Company, and brought to the US on a temporary Visa. The music ranges from Chinese traditional to Ballet classical; the dancing is breathtaking in its beauty. Li's decision to remain in the US is heartfelt, and sad, and joyous all at once. There are many scenes to bring forth laughs, and a few that bring forth tears.  From the poverty of China in the Cultural Revolution to the excesses of Houston, this is a great movie and a terrific story. 

YouTube Talk

YouTube Innerview    

Have you ever considered how difficult it would be to leave your country, your family, your very language, to pursue your dream? Could you? Would you? 

Temple Grandin, my Heroine! (and her Family;-)

Temple Grandin

English

2010, 120 minutes

10 Stars (out of 5)

Claire Danes stars as Temple Grandin, a woman who had the great good fortune of being born to a family who not only loved her, but was intelligent enough to find their own path through her autism. Diagnosed with Infantile Schizophrenia at age four, the doctor told her Harvard educated mother to institutionalize her. Mama and the family believed she was 'different, not less.' Because of their love, and determination, Temple received a marvelous education in the field of her choice (Animal Husbandry) eventually earning a PhD, she learned at a bone-marrow level she was different, not less, and faced challenges few of us ever will. She learned to walk through doors of opportunities and is an inspiration to all. Many good laughs in this Biographical HBO Movie. For more information on Temple Grandin, click here for her website.

Click here for a trailer.