jkaplan67890 Reviews

Time Share (2000)

Cute but nothing special

[5/10 · 10 January 2024]

This movie was a pain trying to find. I ordered a region free DVD player and got the DVD from Germany. I wanted to watch it because I adore Timothy Dalton. He gives a fine performance as a fun single dad, however his American accent is no good, never has been. Nastassja Kinski, who I have never heard of before this film, also gives a good performance as a more strict single mom.

The storyline is sort of a standard enemies-to-lovers story. Like I said in the title, it is nothing special. The kids are cute but their personalities I feel weren't very fleshed out. Daphne, (Who is Timothy Dalton's character's daughter) is supposed to be considered weird, but I don't feel like that was displayed enough on its own.

All in all, if you get a chance to watch it and are a Dalton fan, then I would say it's a cute enjoyable way to spend 87 minutes. Nothing groundbreaking, just a bit of fun. However, if you are not a fan of either of the actors, then I would not go out of your way to watch it, like I did.

Shockproof (1949)

The too perfect ending stops this from a higher rating.

[8/10 · 12 October 2023]

This feels more like a melodrama than a film-noir. It follows Jenny Marsh (Patricia Knight), a murderess who killed a man for her boyfriend, Harry Wesson. She is put on parole, and her parole officer Griff Marat is played by Cornell Wilde, the two actors having married in real life. I like the beginning and middle of this movie a lot. You can tell from the get-go that Jenny isn't an awful person, she's just had some bad luck. I really thought her budding romance with Griff was sweet.

However, I feel like things started going downhill when the two of them went on the run, then subsequently turned themselves in. It's a great moment of character development for Jenny, however Harry's turnaround does not feel realistic at all. He states that the shooting was an accident, despite that not being in line with his character, and Griff was easily able to wave off the fact that Jenny skipped out on her parole. It felt a bit too perfect, like they were desperate for a Hollywood happy ending. I also would have liked some closure on Griff and Jenny's relationship, how they deal with married life despite her not being allowed to get married.

Naughty Marietta (1935)

Loved it!

[10/10 · 25 January 2019]

I recently saw this movie for the first time and I adored it! The music was wonderful and I still hum some of the songs. The romance was cute and Nelson Eddy was handsome and romantic.

One in a Million (1936)

Fun Film

[9/10 · 15 September 2018]

Sonja Henie's american film debut, and a great first impression. Of course, the ice skating was marvelous and beautiful. We have Menjou, who plays a theatrical manager who's down on his luck. Arline Judge plays his quick -witted wife. And we have the Ritz Brothers, who are pretty funny. But the best part was Henie's skating, especially the number at the end

Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007)

it should be illegal to give this movie more than one star

[1/10 · 24 August 2018]

So a when this movie first came out ,I was around five and my parents took me to see it. I thought it was hysterical but my parents looked physically sick and like they were in pain.

Now let's fast forward to 2018. I was babysitting my little cousin and she had this Dvd at her house, and she wanted to watch it. For a trip down memory lane, I decided to watch it with her.

MY LORD WAS THIS MOVIE IMMATURE, ANNOYING, STUPID, AND DOWNRIGHT TERRIBLE.

So the plot. Dave takes in stupid chipmunks that sing so he can make money. Because this is a really dumb kids movie, of course, he doesn't care about them at first but then he does. The chipmunks are so stupid. I hate Alvin, he's an annoying brat that ruins everything. Like when Dave had Claire over, he ruined their dinner, and then wonders why Dave hates him.

Theodore is so stupid it annoys me. Simon is also just plain annoying.

The humor is terrible.

Like that scene where Simon ate Theodore's poop because he was trying to convince Dave it was a raisin.

UM...WHY WOULD YOU PUT THAT IN A KIDS MOVIE? MY COUSIN LITERALLY LAUGHED AT THAT! YOU PEOPLE ARE JUST MAKING KIDS DUMBER.

The only okay character was Uncle Ian, because he was kind of funny as a selfish guy who wants the chipmunks to make money for him.

Don't watch this. Please. If your kids want to watch it, run for cover in a sound proof room.

Iceland (I) (1942)

Good Ice Skating-but that's where it ends

[5/10 · 16 August 2018]

Of course, you couldn't expect much more from a Sonja Henie movie. The plot was thin, basically about an Icelandic girl who falls in love with a Marine stationed in Iceland, who is reluctant to get married.

The skating numbers and music were terrific. The one where Sonja Henie dressed in Chinese, Hawaiian, and Latin costumes and skates around is exceptionally well done. The end number is also fantastic, and the songs, especially "There Will Never Be Another You" were all good.

This doesn't hold a candle to Sun Valley Serenade, but if you like light entertainment that involves ice skating, I'd say give this a try.

Sun Valley Serenade (1941)

Cute Film

[10/10 · 11 August 2018]

This is the first Sonja Henie movie I've ever seen, and I loved it! Sonja Henie was so cute and her paired with John Payne was amazing.

There were some great numbers and of course the ice skating was amazing. It had some great humor and romance. The Nicholas Brothers number was amazing. I highly recommend

Pagan Love Song (1950)

Beautiful

[7/10 · 5 June 2018]

I've always been a fan of musicals in tropical settings, and Pagan Love Song is no exception.

The Music is beautiful and tropical, and Howard Keel and Esther Williams make a beautiful couple. I loved the scene at the end where Howard Keel imagines Esther Williams swimming.

Although there is a very thin plot, Pagan Love Song is great entertainment for any occasion

The Gay Divorcee (1934)

Fun Musical

[6/10 · 18 February 2018]

The Gay Divorcee, is technically Fred Astaire and Ginger Roger's second film (if you count Flying Down to Rio) and it's a fun little romantic comedy musical. It follows Ginger Rogers who travels to England to get a divorce from her husband, and meets Fred Astaire.

Ginger's lawyer suggests that she be spotted with another man in order to get her husband to divorce her, and she mistakes Fred Astaire as the man who she is to be spotted with. The truth comes out, and they dance together. Of course, everything works out in the end.

The plot is a bit stronger than Flying Down to Rio, and I liked the characters a lot more. You can really sympathize with Ginger Rogers as she feels ignored by her husband and is desperate for a divorce. Fred Astaire is a suave professional dancer, and falls in love with Ginger.

The humor in this movie works. I think the scenes with Ginger's lawyer and her aunt are funny, and Erik Rhodes, the man who Ginger is to be spotted with is hilarious. Some of Fred Astaire's lines are funny.

This is a classic movie musical, and it has the usual tropes. Near instant romance, miscommunication that could be solved with a two minute conversation, and elaborate dance numbers. Of course, the dance numbers were excellent. "The Continental" is a fun, beautiful dance sequence. Betty Grable's "Knock Knees" number is entertaining. "Night and Day" is a beautiful sequence with a beautiful dance by Fred and Ginger. And that's really why you watch these movies. Not for the practically non-existent plot, but the dance scenes.

Overall, The Gay Divorcee is nowhere near the best musical ever made. It's not even the best Astaire/Rogers film. But it's still a fun, enjoyable, happy movie to watch.

Flying Down to Rio (1933)

Not Good-Not Bad

[4/10 · 17 February 2018]

Flying Down to Rio is a 1933 black and white musical "romance" film (I'm hesitant to call it that) that follows Gene Raymond, who falls in love with Dolores Del Rio. He gets his band fired from a gig, and offers to fly her back to Brazil, but they get stranded on an island, fall in "love," get into a fight, and split up. Gene Raymond soon gets back to Brazil, and meets Dolores Del Rio's fiance. Complications ensue, including her father's new hotel, but they soon get back together.

So, Gene Raymond and Dolores Del Rio's romance is unbelievable. He dances with her once, then they get stranded on an island. He purposefully sabotages his plane so he can spend more time with her, instead of getting her back to Brazil. I guess they make out? Then they fight, and he hits her, then once they're back in Brazil....she's in love with him?

Okay?

I don't understand why Dolores Del Rio didn't just stay with her fiance. He seemed like a caring guy who actually loved her. Gene Raymond saw her, didn't even know her name, and fell for her just for her looks. He didn't even know anything about her.

Now Gene Raymond's character is awful and unlikable. He constantly gets his band fired from gigs because all he cares about is sex/women. He feels little sympathy afterwards, and just continues his ways every time. Besides that, I really can't tell you anything else about his character. He likes sex. He's a "bandleader." He abandons Fred Astaire in Miami so he can take Dolores Del Rio with him instead of him.

At least Gene Raymond actually HAS a character. Dolores Del Rio is so bland and has no personality. She's only there for Gene Raymond to fall for. No character, at all. She really doesn't do much the whole film, either.

Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers are easily the best characters in the movie, even if they do have little personality. At least they have more than Dolores Del Rio. Ginger Rogers is a wise cracker. Fred Astaire wants to keep Gene Raymond in line so they don't get fired. I wish they had more screen time, because their "romance/friendship" was so much more believable. You know that they traveled together for a long time, and must've built up some chemistry.

And as this is a Rogers/Astaire film, the dancing is amazing. The "Carioca" number is easily the best scene in the movie, and of course, they dance beautifully. But sadly, that was their only dance together in the movie, because of course, we had to make time for Gene Raymond and Dolores Del Rio.

Ginger Roger's "Music Makes Me" number in the beginning is kind of weak, but it was still catchy and enjoyable. I really don't like her singing voice that much, but the song is still pretty fun.

"Orchids in the Moonlight" is a sweet, romantic ballad. I liked it when Dolores Del Rio's fiance sang it to her.

The end, where the girls were dancing on the planes, was a pretty fun sequence, but in my opinion, it was a bit too short.

The humor was somewhat funny. I never had any laugh out loud moments, but I smiled a lot, especially at Ginger's Roger's comments and the scene where Fred Astaire was carried out of the bakery.

All in all, this movie wasn't good. Paper thin plot and unlikable/virtually non existent characters were abundant. But the dance numbers were amazing, and some of the humor worked. So if this movie wasn't a musical, I would probably hate it and give it a one star. But at least we had a fun dance number, some okay humor, and Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. So, I don't recommend it, but if you're a die hard Astaire/Rogers fan, just watch it (even though they're not even main characters.) But if you're new to them, I recommend watching Top Hat, Swing Time, Follow the Fleet, or Shall We Dance first.