Oz The Great and Powerful

My View:   Oz The Great and Powerful (2013)  PG    A small-time touring magician (James Franco) dreams of being a huge success. Little does he know that he is about to travel to a magical place called, Oz, where he will have to decide if he is of legend-making material. I liked this film because of its great cast with Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz and Michelle Williams playing the witches, three very distinctive striking actresses who can act. Franco is a proficient con man in Oz and uses his good looks and his Cheshire Cat style grin to get by when he can’t talk his way out of a sticky situation. This film does a great job of giving us background on the characters who make up the Land of Oz. It’s a beautiful film and well worth seeing in 3-D as the director, Sam Raimi, uses the technology to gives us a sense of  wonder and adventure that fill the screen. It’s a film that both children and adults can enjoy, though both (just like in the original Wizard of Oz) might be just a little afraid of the flying baboons.     My Rating: Full Price   Oz The Great and Powerful Website

The 50 (A Movie from My Best/Worst Films of All Time)

#8 Worst Film

Howard the Duck (1986)  PG   A live action film produced by Lucas films (George Lucas of Star Wars fame) starring Lea Thompson and Tim Robbins (he isn’t Howard). The main star of the film is a cigar smoking, foul (no pun intended) mouthed duck about 3 feet tall based on a series of best-selling comic books. The film is filled with bad jokes, horrible dialogue, crappy special effects, and what makes this film almost unwatchable is the sexual attraction the Howard the Duck and Lea Thompson’s character develop.    Howard the Duck Info

Forgotten Film:   The Hunger (1983)  R The beautiful Catherine Deneuve plays Miriam, a vampire who lives on the blood of her lovers, lovers that are promised eternal life. David Bowie plays Miriam’s lover, John, who discovers that he may receive eternal life but not eternal youth. John finds Dr. Sarah Roberts (Susan Sarandon) who specializes in the study of aging, in hopes that she can slow or stop his older appearance. This is a lush, seductive horror film where sex is a weapon and a tool for controlling people. Sarandon is amazing in the role of the doctor who gets pulled into this complex world, a world that she may never escape.    My Rating: Full Price    The Hunger Infor

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD):  The Master (2012)  R  This is a film that you want to see, not because of the storyline, but because the performances in the film are so great, with Philip Seymour Hoffman and Joaquin Phoenix giving it their all. Be warned though, the film is extremely long (137 minutes), and some scenes feel like they are way too drawn out.    My Rating: Full Price     The Master Website

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I’ve Only Seen in Trailers But Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):   Tyler Perry’s Temptation (2013)  PG-13 A film about a marriage counselor whose own marriage breaks apart as she becomes obsessed with another man. All I have to say about this film is Kim Kardashian has a supporting role.    Tyler Perry's Temptation Website

Weird Credits: From the credits of Oz The Great and Powerful : Carnival Choreographer

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:   Admission (2013)  PG-13  Tina Fey stars as a Princeton admissions officer who goes on a recruiting trip to an alternative school and meets its innovative director (Paul Rudd). The part looks perfect for Tina Fey, and Rudd is always good as a love interest.     Admission Website

Until Next Time!