Our Souls at Night (2017)

Our Souls at Night (2017) is kind of a new type of rom-com: a romance for elderly adults 70+. Directed by Ritesh Batra, it’s the story of two neighbors who are both widowed, and despite not knowing each other well, agree to sleep with each other at night for comfort to avoid loneliness. Right from the start of the film, it’s posed as a question by Addie (Jane Fonda) to Louis (Robert Redford). Agreeing to the condition, the two gradually fall in love despite all the entanglements they encounter such as health issues, age stigma, and family problems.

Because the movie stars long time on-screen love interests Robert Redford and Jane Fonda, the premise doesn’t seem weird, awkward, or unwelcome, rather it seems intriguing, because you already know the two stars have chemistry. Our Souls is their official fourth movie together (fifth if you count Redford’s un-credited role as a basketball player in 1960’s Tall Story) playing love interests. They previously appeared together in The Chase (1964), Barefoot in the Park (1967), and The Electric Horseman (1979).

I personally really loved watching this movie because it was sweet and realistic, but not overly sentimental, as there were some serious issues at play. As the movie goes along Addie and Louis become more comfortable with each other and their relationship advances. It doesn’t even hit a snag when Addie’s grandson, Jamie (Iain Armitage) has to stay with her for the summer when his parent’s marriage falls apart. While Louis’s daughter Holly (Judy Greer) seems OK with the new relationship, it’s Addie’s son, Gene (Matthias Schoenaerts) who seems to have a problem with it. Still, the two persist in their romance as they both take care of Jamie, with Louis and Jamie bonding over a train set and Jamie’s new dog.

The plot however, turns serious when Addie has a fall accident at home, and Gene insists his mom live with him so she can be looked after. Addie is then torn between her relationship with Louis or her well being and her son’s concern.

It’s always gonna be LOVE with these two!!

What’s cool about the movie is there are a bunch of little call backs to not only Jane and Bob’s films together, but films from their separate careers. There’s a nod to The Electric Horseman when Addie and Louis drive in the car with Willie Nelson playing. Bruce Dern co-stars as Dorlan, a man at Louis’s coffee gatherings, and he co-starred with both leads in previous productions They Shoot Horses Don’t They (1969), Coming Home (1978), and The Great Gatsby (1974). Louis teaches Jamie some baseball pitches, referencing The Natural (1984). Louis likes to paint, which is a hobby of Mr. Redford’s. The whole subplot of Addie’s grandson coming to stay with his grandma/ the elderly all summer is also a plot in On Golden Pond (1981). Finally, the movie was made in 2017, 50 years after Barefoot in the Park.

But the sweetest callback to Barefoot in the Park is certainly the hotel check in scene, in which Jane grabs Bob’s arm at the check in desk again. It was such a cool moment, not only in movie history, but in the on and off screen relationship of these two together. I was absolutely geek-ing out over it!

Overall, despite the movie being a Netlifx only movie, it’s bigger than the medium of release. I’ve heard some harsh critiques on social media comments saying Bob is sleepwalking in the part, or Jane was so restrained, but I didn’t buy any of that schlock. It was really heartfelt and endearing. Soulmates can find each other, at any age, and this film proves just that!

This post is for MovieRob’s February 2024 Genre Grandeur. You can watch Our Souls at Night on Netflix.

The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974)

This review is for Movie Rob’s December 2023 genre grandeur of animated Christmas movies!

In 1974, Rankin and Bass, made one of their final true classic animagic TV specials, The Year Without A Santa Claus.

The premise is actually based on a 1956 children’s storybook of the same name by Phyllis McGinley. Amazingly, a title song did not exist prior to the special, and one was created specifically for it. It does however, incorporate the pre-existing songs of “Blue Christmas” and “Here Comes Santa Claus”.

The plot of this special is all based on Santa (voiced once again by Mickey Rooney after he voiced Santa in 1970’s Santa Claus is Comin to Town) having a cold, and not wanting to take his big trip at Christmas! He doesn’t feel concerned about about missing the trip either, as he feels the world, particularly kids, do not care about him anymore. After Mrs. Claus (Shirley Booth in her final role) realizes she can’t take Santa’s place, as she would be recognized, she sends elves Jingle and Jangle out on a quest to a town called Southtown, with Vixen, to see just how much people do or do not care if Santa takes a holiday.

Although Santa, the elves, and the boy they meet on their quest in Southtown, Iggy, are all fun characters, the real highlight are the Miser Brothers: Snow Miser and Heat Miser. They sing the most memorable songs and are just so charming!!! I personally adore their backup dancers and lairs with their thrones.

Growing up this was one of my mom’s favorite Christmas specials she remembers watching on TV as it premiered, as she was 9 when it first aired. (Her all time favorite is Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer 1964, but that premiered on TV the year before she was born).

In my life, I was introduced to this special kind of later in my childhood, maybe when I was like 8 or 9, because of the lack of home video and broadcast scarcity. When we finally found it on DVD, my Mom was so excited, as if she was watching it for the first time!!

As far as Rankin/ Bass specials go, one could argue this is the last real classic Christmas special. Rudolph’s Shiny New Year debuted in 1976, however it’s almost rare as it (understandably) wasn’t on heavy TV rotation or as common on VHS like Rudolph 1964 and Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town. 1979 saw the R/B team reunite with Mickey Rooney in Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July. Rooney played Santa for the final time in 2008’s Miser Brother’s Christmas, although R/B was not involved.

NO. Not my Miser Brothers!

I always thought it was cool to see Frosty in the animagic style for Christmas in July, but was very unimpressed with the 2008 special. Even as a 12 year old, I just could not latch onto it they way it did with the original and I’ve dismissed it ever since. The puppets were completely redesigned, which is understandable if they were lost, BUT they were not even made to resemble the originals. The complete redesigns took the real magic away from the the brothers, and the plot was too generic and unoriginal.

For me, and I’m sure many others, The Year Without a Santa Claus is in the same camp as 1964’s Rudolph and 1970’s Comin’ to Town. It has the magic of the puppets, the sentimentality, and the all round cuteness that makes you believe in that legit Christmas magic. Have a very Merry Christmas and remember, “You’re too much!”

Murdoch Mysteries: The On-Going Case

This post is for MovieRob’s November 2023 Genre Grandeur of Detectives!

Murdoch Mysteries is a Canadian long running TV show based on the novels by Maureen Jennings.

Detective William Murdoch (Yannick Bisson) of the Toronto constabulary and his team solve crime and catch the bad guys lurking on the streets of Toronto (and surrounding areas, as some episodes are set elsewhere) during the Victorian (and later Edwardian) era. But Murdoch is no ordinary detective, as he is a Catholic in a Protestant city, and more so, he uses cutting edge science to work out his cases. Math, physics, chemistry, and early forensic investigation skills come into play when solving cases the Murdoch way.

While his eager constable, George Crabtree (Jonny Harris), is curious to learn and assist with these newfangled and sometimes unorthodox methods, his boss Englishman Inspector Thomas Brakenreid (Thomas Craig) is a bit skeptical preferring things to be done by the book (well, to begin with!). Rounding out the core cast, is the forward thinking coroner Dr. Julia Ogden (Helene Joy) who Murdoch’s love interest. The foursome work together, each bringing their own skills to the case, and sometimes, they are even aided by a (future) famous person such young Winston Churchill, Mark Twain, or Nikola Tesla to name a few!

Like many long running TV shows (over 15 years as I write this post), Murdoch Mysteries has it’s really amazing episodes/ seasons/ supporting characters and it’s really poor episodes/ seasons/ supporting characters. I won’t go into too much detail of a list of things I like or dislike, but I will say the show has stalemated since about season 12. With the same 4 core cast members, writers are running out of ideas and are failing to come up with new ones that don’t recycle plots or revisit former long- resolved story lines.

The early seasons of Murdoch are the strongest. They add in so much innovation as there is Murdoch with his science methods, his flashbacks sequences that place himself at the crime scene (which are super cool), and inventions of future objects/ ideas (like headphones, computers, text messages, post it notes, etc). They also incorporate George’s, “theories“, which add charm to the show. George believes in almost anything: Mummy’s curses, werewolves, vampires, mole people, aliens, voodoo, zombies, you name it (except Lake Monsters, he doesn’t believe in Lake Monsters!). It’s also fun to watch Brakenreid and Murdoch see cases with a different perspective, with differing ideas on how to solve them, but still have the same goal of catching the guilty. It adds a fun dynamic between the two. And of course Dr. Ogden, being a female doctor in the Victorian age, she’s progressive and forward thinking, championing women’s rights, and maybe even Detective Murdoch’s heart!

(From the Murdoch Facebook page) This episode (and recurring character) was bottom of the barrel.

The cause of the later seasons (I’d say again, from about 12 on, although some say the show got boring in season 9) to just be boring varies on perspective, but I’d say it’s a handful of things that came together. Jonny Harris has reduced episode counts starting in season 10 onwards, and you just miss George when he’s not around. Brakenreid sort of reverts to being a jerk, and this time a total jerk, not just being tough because he cares. Julia goes from fighting for the underdog and women to just being a snob about women being superior. Sadly, the later and most recent seasons don’t see Murdoch inventing or using science, and for many including myself, to see the show lose that cleverness and edge of what makes it fun, takes the enjoyment out of watching. The final nail, however, is annoyingly the element of PC being incorporated into the plots. It doesn’t matter what or who you support, I think it’s just irritating when a tv show that is a form of escapism must be PC, it takes the show out of its element and it gets tiring to deal with. 

All that being said, at the end of it all, the characters are what keep me watching. I care about George, and Murdoch, and how they will solve these cases. It’s cool to see a famous person from that era popup (and sometimes it’s a famous actor playing that role!).  The show is still solidly good, and it has potential to be awesome again, and I believe it can be. I have been watching the show since 2015 (I binged seasons 1-9 to catch up) and I don’t plan to stop watching until the last case is closed.

Marriage on the Rocks (1965)

This post was written for MovieRob’s September 2023 Genre Grandeur of movies set in Mexico.

I’m oddly, not actually the biggest fan of Frank Sinatra. Everything I know about him initially came from general knowledge. Eventually, I learned more about him when I started becoming a fan of Ava Gardner, and of course me being a major fan of Grace Kelly, I had seen him in High Society (1956). While there is still plenty I don’t know about him, I have come to agree he was as much an actor as he was an singer. I also can say I am learning to appreciate him more, even though he never will be my all time favorite.

When TCM was airing Marriage on the Rocks (1965) a few months ago, I certainly had to make sure I watched it because it just looked intriguingly silly. Despite the less than stellar reviews on IMDB, somehow the zaniness and craziness works with the sweet and funny moments.

Frank plays an advertising man, Dan Edwards, who is much like Don Draper on Mad Men, expect he no longer has the bachelor life that Don has, that aspect is left to co-worker Ernie (fellow rat packer and BFF Dean Martin). Although Ernie is the ladies man (and is very close with Dan’s wife Valerie (Deborah Kerr), he is Dan’s best friend and his kids even call him Uncle Ernie.

As much as Dan loves his kids and job, it’s the husband aspect of his life that has fallen by the wayside. He no longer takes his wife on dates, and when their anniversary comes up, he doesn’t even take notice. This leads Valerie to wish she had married Ernie instead, as he’s more romantic. Valerie eventually manages to convince Dan to go out for dinner to celebrate their anniversary, but they bring Ernie along. When the night at the club goes wrong (it’s way too young for them, and much more suited to their daughter Tracy’s (Nancy Sinatra) age), Valerie becomes convinced her husband is no longer the same man and she considers divorce. Ernie, wanting to fix his friend’s marriage, suggests they go away on a trip to Mexico, without their kids.

Here’s where it gets really goofy: in this version of Mexico, you can get quickie marriages and divorces, all performed by the same man, Miguel (Ceser Romero), who also runs the hotel and is the local doctor too!

Valerie and Dan accidentally get a divorce, but before they can remarry, Dan has to return to work. Dan then gets caught up on an assignment, and sends Ernie to Mexico to explain why he’s caught up, but Ernie accidentally marries Valerie in a quick Spanish ceremony, in which they don’t understand what happened until it’s all over.

This makes Ernie and Dan switch not only homes and job responsibilities, but lifestyles too. Dan becomes a playboy and Ernie becomes a step-father. The funniest parts of this movie come from the kids, Nancy as Tracy has some great scenes with both Dean and Frank, involving her boyfriend and her wanting to move out to live with her girl friend. Dan’s son David has a hilarious subplot in which he tries to use his parents’ divorce to get a Honda (no not a car, it’s a groovy little motor bike, as The Beach Boys explain in their song Little Honda).

It’s easy to guess what happens to Dan, Valerie and Ernie, so I won’t spoil the ending. Like I said earlier, is the plot goofy, 100% yes, but it works because you can tell Frank and Dean are having fun with it. Had this been forgettable actors in the roles, no one would care about this movie today, but you just go along on the ride because it’s worth watching. 

Directed by John Ford (1971/2006)

This review is for MovieRob’s July 2023 Genre Grandeur of Documentaries!

In my life at the movies (so far), no one film director has been as mysterious and complex as John Ford. It seems the more I learn about him, the less I actually know about him. I’ve read books, and seen documentaries, seen mini-featurettes about Ford, watched interviews with people who worked and knew him, and I come away from all of them both fascinated and confused all at the same time.

In 1971, director Peter Bogdanovich attempted to do what no person had done before, make a documentary about the all-American director of the 20th century. Until 2006, the documentary was scarce, but thanks to some revision, and rights handling issues, the restored and slightly re-cut, longer documentary premiered on TCM. For the purposes of this review, I will be referring to the 2006 version, as that’s the version that is available to watch today.

To start, Bogdanovich interviewed the three leading men who worked with Ford the most: James Stewart (3 movies), Henry Fonda (7), and of course, John Wayne (14, but more when you count the un-credited bit roles Wayne did for Ford). Interviews with Ford himself were also included, with more footage being included in the 2006 version, as Ford had passed by then. The revised edition also saw interviews, with Ford collaborators Maureen O’Hara and Harry Carey Jr., and directors Clint Eastwood, Martin Scorsese, and Walter Hill.

While some of it was the standard working on set stories, and how Ford acted when cameras were not rolling, what was fascinating was the inclusion of his film clips, and how by watching and analyzing his films, you can actually learn everything you need to know about him. For instance, Ford frequently put music in his movies, with characters singing in Rio Grande (1950) and The Quiet Man (1952). This directly comes from Ford’s own real life interests, as there are stories of Maureen O’Hara saying at dinner at his house, she would have to sing before eating, or after a day on set, Ford would gather his company, the cast and the crew, and sing music around a campfire, or at the bar.

John Wayne telling the story of how he first met Ford while at college at USC is a highlight, as it’s truly being told right in front of you, rather than just reading it in a Ford an/or Wayne biography. It was also very intriguing Henry Fonda agreed to be interviewed, considering the two had a personal and professional falling out during the marking of Mister Roberts (1955). Fonda spoke well of Ford, and did not even bring up the incident, so it was really cool to hear of the insights he had to offer about working for him.

Then there were the scholarly reflections of the directors: Bogdanovich himself, Scorsese, Hill, and Eastwood. All of them talk about their memories of the first time watching a Ford picture, and how he has inspired their own work in the industry. Listening to their opinions of Ford as a director was fun, as they can really see a pattern or stand out elements of what makes Ford great, and it encourages the viewer to try to do the same when watching their next Ford film.

To me however, the biggest bombshell of this documentary was the added audio of Katharine Hepburn, visiting Ford when he was in ill-health. While Ford and Hepburn only worked on the 1936 box office bomb Mary of Scotland together, they had a short but passionate affair that affected them the rest of their lives. Dan Ford (a grandson), brought Hepburn to see Ford in 1973, and according to Bodganovich, the conversation was taped in Ford’s bedroom. At first the conversation is just talking about the old days: golf, the making of Mary of Scotland, then it turns intimate: Ford telling Kate he loves her, with Kate telling him, “it’s mutual“.

Bodganovich explains the tape was left running, recording them without their knowledge. This fact is backed up when you hear Ford ask if anyone is listening and Kate says, “No“.

I was personally stunned by this, as I would never even think Ford and Hepburn felt that way towards one another. I had read previously the character Mary-Kate in The Quiet Man was named actually for Maureen O’Hara, herself, as she pointed out in her book: “Mary” was the English version of Maureen, and “Kate” was for what her father wanted to name her. As it turns out, there may be more to it, as the character Mary-Kate could be named for Ford’s wife, Mary, and Kate, as in Katharine Hepburn. What is it really? I personally don’t know what to go with. Maybe it’s both??

In the end, I think Directed by John Ford, much like the director’s films themselves require more than one viewing, it needs multiple viewings in order for you to really take it all in. Its under 2 hours, but it’s jam packed with info, info for you to ponder and wonder about. It is currently on here on YouTube.

Gordon Ramsay: King of Food!

Honest to admit: I’m not a foodie. Food is not my life, as I’m on the, “eat to live“, side, (opposed to live to eat), and I certainly am not a dessert person, but for someone who says that, I do watch cooking shows because I love to watch Gordon Ramsay.

I was 8 1/2 years old in early 2005 when I first saw Gordon on the US version of Hell’s Kitchen. My mom thought it looked interesting, so I decided to watch with her. Watching Chef Ramsay, I had never seen anyone so angry in the kitchen, yet at the same time, I had never seen someone so understandably angry. Underneath all that frustration, was someone who was so caring and concerned about the food, the diners, and the chefs. It was also really hilarious to watch him, as he has a really wicked sense of humor.

After that, I believe the US version of Kitchen Nightmares started, and my mom of course was watching that. I was unaware of the show until it premiered on TV. In one episode, Chef sat down to say a quick prayer before he was to eat this terribly disgusting dish. I laughed so hard about it and remember asking my mother, “How does he not get food poisoning if he has to eat the gross meal?”
She laughed and said he doesn’t eat the whole meal, just tastes it to see what it’s like. I was really relieved by that, as I didn’t wanna see Chef Ramsay go to the hospital!

It was shortly after Kitchen Nightmares USA started I actually got a chance to watch the UK version, which at the time was airing in reruns on BBC America. Now it’s been years since I’ve seen this show, but one stand out moment I remember was an episode he confronted his own demons of dancing (as he explained the week was about conquering fear, he decided to also conquer his own). I also started watching his UK show The F-Word, which has a freakin’ cool intro and song. Sort of a food documentary show, I just found it entertaining to watch all these segments with food, diners, and most of all Mr. Ramsay’s personal life! It was such a riot!!!

It wasn’t until Masterchef USA however, that I really saw the complete other side of Chef Ramsay, that actually underneath he’s a real softie. I saw the real mentoring side of Chef Ramsay, and someone who was super encouraging to these home cooks, it made me see him as really down to earth. Masterchef JR was another step in this direction, as on that show it was not only super sweet to see him be silly with these kid home cooks, but also really bizarre to not hear him swearing!!!

Over the years, it’s just been guaranteed that if Chef Gordon Ramsay is hosting a TV show, I’m watching it. He’s had a plethora of them on the Fox network: Hotel Hell (a Kitchen Nightmares setup where he helps struggling hotels), 24 Hours to Hell and Back (a 24 hour condensed version of Kitchen Nightmares), The F-Word USA (a continuation of the style of the UK show), Gordon Ramsay’s Great Escape and later his show Uncharted (on both shows, Chef goes to exotic places and learns new cooking skills from locals, making a meal to share with them at the end of the week), and Gordon Gino and Fred (teaming up with fellow chefs Fred Serieix and Gino D’Acampo, these guys are such a crazy bunch! I love it when they go on food adventures together! They filmed an episode in Scotland, and when it aired in America, I finally got to see Gordon in kilt!!! Only took about 17 years!). Chef’s latest show is Next Level Chef, a cooking competition in which cooks rise or fall a kitchen level based on their dishes.

At the time of this writing, the coolest thing is Chef Gordon Ramsay himself follows me on Twitter!  It’s awesome! I have not, yet, been to one of his restaurants, but I plan to change that fact in the near future. My mother has said numerous times over the years, she will try his Hell’s Kitchen Beef Wellington one day! Lucky for us a new Hell’s Kitchen is opening soon in Naperville, IL, and we plan on dining there!!

As for the TV shows, as long as Chef Ramsay continues to host shows, I will be watching them. Some people have a favorite news anchor or favorite home designer they can’t miss, but for me, I can’t miss Chef Ramsay on TV! 18 years of on screen viewing… here’s to another fun 18 years of watching his shows!!! 

THIS post written for the April 2023 Genre Grandeur hosted by Movie Rob!

H2O: Just Add Water

If you would have asked me in middle school what my favorite tv show was, easily hands down the answer would have been the Aussie tv show H2O: Just Add Water.

H2O: Just Add Water is a show about 3 different girls who live on the beaches of the Gold Coast. Emma Gilbert (Claire Holt), Cleo Sertori (Phoebe Tonkin), and Rikki Chadwick (Cariba Heine) (and later Bella Hartley (Indiana Evans)) are our heroines and together they navigate through normal teen life all while hiding their secret: they are mermaids with powers over water. Emma can freeze water, Cleo can shape water, and Rikki can boil water. No one execpt Cleo’s childhood friend (and love interest) science brainiac Lewis McCartney (Angus McLaren) knows about their secret and he helps them navigate everyday problems all while balancing it with mermaid adventures. The show ran from 2006 – 2010 with 3 seasons and 78 episodes.

When H2O premeired in the USA, it was March 2008. I was 11 1/2, and I believe I was the perfect age to get hooked on the show. H2O stood out from all the other teen shows I was watching because the show actually had a serialized storyline that was engaging. I made my own little scrapbook for the show (its gone now!), got the season 2 cd for my 12th birthday, and even had the dolls (they went to goodwill!).

Season 1 is certianly the best, as it had the most stakes and was organic for the story they were telling. With the transformation into mermaids needing to be kept secret, the biggest storyline is the fear of exposure, and the antagonist is a scientist, Dr Denman, who would exploit the girls for fame and money. The season also sees the best character journey of, “bad boy”, Zane Bennett (Burgess Aberthany) from rich snobby jerk, to being more caring and sensitive… especially after he almost drowns in a shipwreck (only to be saved by Emma, but after he catches a glimpse of a “sea monster”) and has a relationship with Rikki (ZIKKI IS MY FAVORITE relationship of the entire show!). Season 1 also has the best mythology backstory building, concerning the dynamics of how the girls powers work. 

Season 2 is pretty good, with the introduction of the infamous Charlotte Watsford (Brittney Byrnes) who becomes a third point in a love triangle with Lewis and Cleo. It’s kind of painful, as their relationship takes up some screentime that was dedicated to the girls friendship in season 1, but its really engaging and keeps you watching and asking when Cleo and Lewis will get back together. Season 2 also continues the myth building with Mako Island and the girls powers, as their powers change to also control weather. The biggest plot of the season is Charlotte becoming a mermaid and the girls having to accept her in their group, while she’s a bully to Cleo and alienating Lewis from having contact with her (and the rest of the girls). Season 2 is still enjoyable and it really strengthens the friendships and ups the ante on everything: the danger, the romance, the fun. I remember bootlegging episodes 14-26 on YouTube because they failed to play on Nickelodeon in America, and I was insanely upset about it. Nothing was going to keep me from this show!

Season 3 is honestly my least favorite. At the time of release, in 2009-2010, in the UK (it aired there first before Australia), I was one of the bootleg viewers. I would get home from 8th grade, and a recording of the new episode would be uploaded. I recall I had to be quick about it because they would be deleted for copyright claims, so that was always a problem. Nonetheless, I made sure exactly right when the videos were uploaded I was at the computer screen.
What I hate about season 3 is the whole friendship dynamic changes. Claire Holt left the cast due to a scheduling conflict being replaced by Bella, a new girl who moves to town with her never seen on screen family (I’m team Emma over Bella!).  Angus McLaren has reduced episodes and left the main cast, and Lewis was “replaced” by Will (Luke Mitchell), who in comparison is a dull character. The friendship of the 3 girls just doesn’t gel properly and it’s basically the case of, “Oh Bella! You’re a mermaid too, we must be friends!”.
The show also starts chasing some trends of other teen shows around this time: Bella has her own band and sings! Will takes of his shirt a ton! Zane now owns the local cafe (no boss to answer to) and calls it Rikki’s!

Add in Zane’s character just completely reverting back to being a total jerk due to lazy writing and it just sucks. Not to mention the overall plot of the water tentacle being the enemy and the payoff completely not following what they set up, this season is a frustrating watch. There are some highlights however: as Cleo and Lewis (Clewis!) are so adorable (until they write him out) this season, and Rikki has some strong emotional  development.

I’m no ordinary girl

Overall, H2O will always be that special show in my heart. It’s the only show from my childhood preteen years I genuinely still care about, and do not regret watching. I may have come to it only because mermaids are my favorite mythological creature, but in the end, this is what got me open to Australian TV. It planted the seeds for me to watch Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, A Place to Call Home, Dance Academy and for that I’m really grateful.

This post was written for the March 2023 Genre Grandeur of beaches hosted by MovieRob.

Defending Part of The Godfather Part 3

This post was written for MovieRob’s February 2023 Genre Grandeur of Movies set in Italy. Thanks so very much Rob for allowing me to choose this month’s theme!

Warning: This post contains spoilers regarding The Godfather Part III and the re-cut of the 2020 Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone.

When it comes to The Godfather Trilogy, most people would count the first two movies in a class by themselves. Both the first and second parts won Best Picture at the Oscars, and have gone on to set a new standard for storytelling. However when it comes to Part III, it often is tolerated, ignored, or seen as an all out mistake in film making, being the antithesis of what a movie installment should look like. Francis Ford Coppola himself wasn’t even satisfied with Part III, and in 2020 re-cut the movie, giving it its original title he wanted to give it in 1990: The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone.

While it’s easy to admit Part III has some serious issues, it should not be discounted as a mistake, as it really does draw a conclusion to the story of Michael Corleone and his time as The Godfather. Truthfully, I personally cannot defend all elements of the Godfather Part III, what I will do is point out the positives of the story, as well as discussing what could have been fixed to create a stronger film.

First up, there are the strengths of this movie that work naturally well with the narrative. What Francis Ford Coppola did with Part III is focus the narrative back on the roots of the story: the family. The entire intrigue of The Godfather has always been the characters. The viewer cares about the Corlene family and how Michael (Al Pacino) has changed as a person in regards to being The Godfather. While the mafia brings a fascinating angle to the family unit, it’s ultimately Michael’s choices and the balancing act of being a Don versus being the head of his family that the audience really cares about. Part III doesn’t really have many ‘dealing’ or ‘business’ scenes, as it’s all centered on the family unit and the transition point of Michael’s decline and transfer of power to Vincent (Andy Garcia).

Moreover, Part III also brings the saga full circle as some outsiders are brought into the main narrative. In Part I, Michael was the outsider, and in this movie we see characters Kay (Diane Keaton), her and Michael’s children Anthony and Mary (played by the last minute replace Sophia Coppola), Connie (Talia Shire) and illegitimate nephew Vincent, become directly impacted by Michael’s choices. They all play heavily into Part III’s narrative, and are not the “normal” people who would be pulled into the business’s affairs. While Anthony refuses to become his father’s successor, Vincent does, with Connie playing a major role in final decisions. Mary and Kay while admittedly don’t participate in the business, they are subsequently pulled in due to Michael’s choices and they face the consequences.

Lastly, the fact a majority of this movie’s setting is in Italy (well Sicily, and YES there is a legit difference, my great grandma would attest to this!), really hones in the whole experience of the ancestry and the backstory. The landscape of Palermo, especially towards the end, heightens the emotion of the whole story knowing they are all in this sacred land.

On the other side of it, Part III has some legit problems regarding its plot. It’s no secret the Vincent and Mary romance plot is BAD and creepy. Vincent may be an illegitimate son of Sonny’s, but his dad and Michael are brothers. Mary and Vincent are still first cousins any way you slice it. It’s understandable the writers were going for the whole, “forbidden love angle”, but it’s just creepy, for a modern day narrative set in modern day. One could argue literature and real life is peppered with cousin romance but usually it’s set in far away, long ago times, and it’s almost never first cousins, as the most common relation is usually distant.

The other element weighing down this installment is of course some of the cast – or lack of cast. Tom Hagen’s absence hurts the narrative. We all know the behind the scenes pay dispute between Robert Duvall and the Paramount executives, and why he chose not to participate, yet it still makes the story weaker. The substitute of the B.J. Harrison (George Hamilton) character not playing a major role is just a reminder of what could have been.

Then there’s Sophia Coppola. While her acting may have been somewhat cringe-worthy bad, and she got the role in part due to nepotism, I think it’s harsh to say she was the entire problem with the movie. The part of Mary was that of a naive young girl, and that’s the way she played the character. Her reactions were awful, but I think she grasped the essence of who the character was.

Finally, let’s discuss the ending: the original and the Coda version and why actually a blend of both is actually the best. In the original ending we visually see Michael die: he slumps over in his chair. In the coda, there is no physical death, as he puts on his glasses and miserably sits alone in the courtyard. I actually prefer the final shot of the Coda, as Michael having a spiritual death alongside his daughter outside the opera house is a fitting conclusion to his character. Being doomed to spend the rest of his life alone with no one, anticipating death is a much harsher fate.

But what the original ending has that the Coda cuts out is the flashback sequence of Michael dancing with the women in his life: Mary, Antonia, and finally Kay. If I were to recut the ending, I would keep this dancing flashback montage, then end it right where Coppola did in the Coda, and that’s what I believe to be the strongest ending. The montage added to the emotion, and then to see Michael sit and cope with how he lost all THREE of them, would be the ultimate powerful ending.

All in all, The Godfather Part III is flawed, but it’s not completely disposable. It contains a great ending for one of the most beloved movie characters of all time. To see Michael’s success as a Don come at the expense of his family is enthralling and amazing, and it all unfolds in Part III. Watch the 1990 version or even the Coda, but don’t cheat yourself out of the full ending. Sure it may be a little messy, but much like Michael Corleone himself, it’s an iconic one! 

Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)

This entry is written for the December 2022 Genre Grandeur of Santa Claus in movies hosted by MovieRob.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) for me is probably my all time favorite Christmas special (different from movies, right?!). I can’t tell you exactly the first time I ever saw it, all I know is I can’t ever remember a Christmas in which I didn’t watch it. Every year no matter what I have to make sure I watch it, along with A Christmas Story (1983) (which is on my top Chirstmas movies of all time list).

Rudolph is the first Christmas feature from the Rankin/Bass studio (which was known as Videocraft International Ltd. at the time of release), and it set the precedent for the specials that would follow including 1969’s Frosty the Snowman and 1970’s Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town.

For me and for a majority of the people watching, the “animagic” style is probably what caught our eye as kids. The unique movements of the puppets (who are actually made out of wood, not clay) was just so magical to watch, and its not something that ever wears off. Secondly, the characters whom of which we think we know, but not really know, because they are all given depth to their cliche Christmas personalities.

Sam the Snowman (Burl Ives) moving through the snow at the beginning of the special immediately captivates you, and you just find him to be a cool character. Santa cutting a skinny figure at the start was a bizarre image, yet you wanted to find out more about how he gets to be the fat man we all know. Hermey, an eccentric but lovable elf does not enjoy making toys, and you want to discover what he actually does want to do (by the way, any Beach Boys fans out there thinking Al Jardine was an inspiration for Hermey?). And of course our hero Rudolph, who shows us being a misfit isn’t a negative, rather it makes you stand out in a positive way.

Hermey quitting elf duties, or Al Jardine quitting the Beach Boys?

For my Mom personally, her all time favorite moment that will bring her to tears every single time she sees it is the moment Santa asks Rudolph to guide his sleigh. Christmas season 2022, I watched with her, and when the scene played I looked over and saw her tearing up, but it’s always in the most sentimental and sweetest way. She says it just brings her back to being a kid, and that magic of Christmas- I can’t disagree with her!

A number of years back, Build-a-Bear toys had the Rudolph and Clarisse plushes for sale along with extras, they sold: Hermy, Ykon, the spotted elephant, Charlie in the box, the Dolly for Sue. For Christmas my dad, sister, and I picked them all up for my Mom and she puts them out every year. A couple years later, Build- a-Bear released the Bumble plush and we also picked that up for my Mother because, simply she needed the whole collection!

As I type this review, Christmas has passed, but the next Christmastime is always around the corner, and Christmas in July is even sooner than we think! No matter though, I can guarantee you Rudolph will be on my Christmas watch list.

The Doctor Blake Mysteries (2013-17): The Good & The Ugly

This was written for Movie Rob’s November 2022 Genre Grandeur of Doctors!

I think I would be able to say that as an American, I’ve seen more Australian TV than the average citizen. Starting from the time H2O Just Add Water came to America in 2008, I kind of started down a rabbit hole of finding these really fun Aussie TV shows. I saw Dance Academy (which I wrote about), Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, A Place to Call Home (I also wrote about it) Ms. Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries. Then there is another Aussie show called Doctor Blake Mysteries, which aired from 2013-2017. I started watching in 2015, catching up with the first two seasons and then watching 3 on-wards as it was airing. I credit my good friend Marie who sent me links on YouTube so I watched before America got them.

Now, I admit, because I had this huge void left after watching Miss Fisher, I then got hooked on two shows: Dr. Blake and also the Canadian TV show Murdoch Mysteries (which in my personal opinion has gone on for far too long, and should have ended on a high note, rather than dragging it out for, as it currently stands, 16 years in counting).

Ever since Dr. Blake ended on an extremely sour and somewhat premature note, I’m not sure I can exactly say I love the show as much, (although the show is good), Craig McLachlan’s (the title character!) accusations are pretty serious. He somewhat ruins the show for me. Personally, I always want to find out as many details of situations before deciding for myself if I stop watching shows/ movies with certain people, but there are some pretty explicit pictures on the internet that back up the claims that were made. With all of that being said I will say this show introduced me to the fabulous Joel Tobeck (Chief Superintendent Matthew Lawson) and Nadine Garner (Jean Beazley, Blake’s housekeeper/ receptionist).

Dr. Blake is a show that relies heavily on a backstory, which is as follows: Dr. Lucien Blake left his native Ballarat as a young man to study medicine in Scotland. When World War II broke out he served in the British Army medical core, and after being posted to the Pacific theater, met and fell in love with a Chinese woman. They eventually married and had a daughter, but when Singapore fell, he lost all contact of them. Blake himself was then a POW in Thailand, and after 33 years abroad, in 1958 decides to return home to Australia to take over his father’s medical practice.

Season 1 deals with Blake coming home and re-adjusting to Australia, all while clashing with Lawson on different approaches to solving murder. Blake and Lawson work together very frequently, as Blake also takes on the role of police surgeon. Police constable Danny Parks (Rick Donald), who is Jean’s nephew) works closer with Blake than he does with his own boss on the cases, and rounding out the cast is Dr. Blake’s lodger Mattie (Cate Wolfe), who is a nurse and taking classes to further her medical education. Overall, its a solid season and it naturally leaves the door open for season 2. What no one on production expected was the revolving door cast that would effect the rest of the show.

Season 2, Danny is posted to Melbourne, and Charlie Davis (Charles Cousins) steps in as the constable (for the rest of the show), and towards the end of the season, Lawson must face up to his superiors and leaves his position in Ballarat. Season 3 sees a new police superintendent William Munro (Craig Hall- love him as an actor!) who has it out for Dr Blake. Season 4 is probably the weakest season of the show as Mattie departs for a new position abroad in London and yet another superintendent comes in Frank Carlyle (Rodger Corser), whom of which Blake gets along with. Lawson makes occasional appearances in seasons 3 and 4, but for the main part is not in the show, as Joel Tobeck took on other projects, but within the show, in season 4, his niece Rose (Anna McGahan) comes in as a new journalist in town.

All throughout the show, one of the driving elements of the narrative is the romantic relationship (or lack of romantic relationship?) between Blake and Jean. Craig and Nadine have amazing chemistry as they met when they were 15 and 20 when doing Aussie soap operas. The fact they know each other as actors and friends really translates through and you believe in their chemistry and budding romance throughout the show. (Note: some may not see it this way anymore after knowing of McLachlan’s accusations)

The terrible element of the show that is now apparent throughout, is the undertones of the accusations of Craig McLachlan. He was accused of some pretty nasty and inappropriate acts while on Dr. Blake and a 2014 Aussie production of the Rocky Horror Picture Show, and due to some pictures of some past productions that surfaced on line, its easy to believe they all are true. McLachlan left a 2018 production of Rocky Horror, and really hasn’t worked since as Dr. Blake was cancelled and the short lived one off spin off that centered around Jean carried on without him. For me, its a creepy when his character is consoling various young women, when you know that behind the scenes different events played out.

The REAL star of the show for me: Joel Tobeck, as Matthew Lawson

Overall, If you’re willing to look past Craig McLachlan’s accusations and personal debacles, Doctor Blake Mysteries is a show that has great acting, interesting plot lines, and a great cast of supporting characters, all set against the late 1950s. But, if you cannot get past Craig McLachlan- then the show is certainly something you shouldn’t watch. I watched it through once completely through before the accusations, but now have struggled a bit to re-watch the show, often fast forwarding the Dr.’s solo scenes. To each their own.