GIFT WRAPPED (Released to Theaters USA 1952)

 

Ben Meyers’ Rating: 4.0|5.0 Starsìììì  Gift Wrapped—short animated film—involves Sylvester, Granny, and Tweety Bird. It's cute and worth watching. Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia  Storyline On Christmas Day Sylvester the Cat finds his present is a toy mouse but finds Granny has a cage with a real bird in it.  Additional Thanks Thank you to I. Freleng for directing effort. Thank you to Producer Edward Selzer and John Burton  for making the film possible. Cast includes Mel Blanc and Bea Benaderet with Narrator Daws Butler.  Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?  Yes. Cute and beguiling...well-timed and written...it makes a sweet, quick watch. Video Critique Available Here: Ben Meyers

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3 (Released in Theaters USA 2024)

Ben Meyers’ Rating: 4.1|5.0 Starsìììì  Sonic the Hedgehog 3—Jim Carrey returns as Doctor Robotnik and the grandfather of Doctor Robotnik—follows the Sonic story with the addition of an alter-ego of the lovable Sonic as the protagonist. The movie has a well written story.  Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images Storyline  Sonic becomes involved with his alter-ego and must fight for justice.  Additional Thanks   Thank you to Director Jeff Fowler for directing effort. Thank you to Producers Neal H. Moritz, Toby Ascher, Toru Nakahara, and Hitoshi Okuno for making the film possible. Cast includes Jim Carrey, Ben Schwartz, Krysten Ritter, Natasha Rothwell, James Marsden, Idris Elba, and Keanu Reeves. Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?  Yes. This movie is not as good as the last two Sonic films but definitely follows the flavor and fun of the first two movies.   Video Critique Available Here: Ben Meyers

HAWAIIAN HOLIDAY (Released to Theaters USA 1937)

 

Ben Meyers’ Rating: 3.9|5.0 Starsììì Hawaiian Holiday—cute, suitable watch—does not have the comical element like other short, animated films. It is a bit bland but still serves as a fair watch. Look for Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Pluto the dog, and Goofy the Dog in this movie.  Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images Storyline  Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Pluto the dog, and Goofy the Dog all go to a Hawaiian beach to have fun.  Additional Thanks  Thank you to Director Ben Sharpsteen for directing effort. Thank you to Producers Walt Disney and John Sutherland for making the film possible. Cast includes Walt Disney, Marcellite Garner, Pinto Colvig, and Clarence Nash. Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?  Maybe. It's good to see the Mickey Mouse gang in one movie. This is a suitable short animated film. Video Critique Available Here: Ben Meyers

THE SERVANT GIRL'S LEGACY (Released to Theaters USA 1914)

 

Ben Meyers’ Rating: 3.7|5.0 Starsììì The Servant Girl’s Legacy needs an IMDb plotline read before watching as the subtitling dialogue is sparse. It is a silent era production with shallow character development that requires attention to body language as a means of interpreting the movie. This film is hard to decipher and the connectivity between scenes is often unclear about what happens next. To be fair, it is a short film and does not have a lot of room to flesh out its storyline, but that also places it in the suitable to okay watch range. This has Oliver ‘Babe’ Hardy (Oliver Hardy) in some of his early works that did not yet feature Stan Laurel. Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images Storyline A servant girl receives an inheritance and wealthier people become more interested in her because of her new wealth.   Additional Thanks Thank you to Director Arthur Hotaling for directing effort. Thank you to Producer Lubin Manufacturing Company for making the film possible. Cast includes Mabel Paige, Oliver Hardy, Ed Lawrence, Eloise Willard, Marguerite  Ne Moyer, Raymond McKee, and Bert Tracy.   Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?  Maybe. Read a plotline before going because it is a silent film with limited explanatory subtitles. This is a suitable to okay watch. Video Critique Available Here: Ben Meyers

WEASEL WHILE YOU WORK (Released to Theaters USA 1958)

 

Ben Meyers’ Rating: 4.1|5.0 Starsìììì  Weasel While You Work—short animated film—features Foghorn Leghorn and Barnyard Dawg. It takes a comical poke at country living. It's a good watch and worth that watch. Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images Storyline A weasel wants to eat Foghorn Leghorn. But Foghorn refers him to Barnyard Dawg as a better catch.  Additional Thanks  Thank you to Director Robert McKimson for directing efforts. Thank you to Producer John W. Burton for making the film possible. Cast includes Mel Blanc. Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?  Yes. It's funny to see Foghorn Leghorn and Barnyard Dawg fight it out. Video Critique Available Here: Ben Meyers

THE LITTLE WHIRLWIND (Released to Theaters USA 1941)

 

Ben Meyers’ Rating: 3.9|5.0 Starsììì  The Little Whirlwind—better watch than Hawaiian Holiday—has good animation, presentation, and portrayal. The timing is well-coordinated.  Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images Storyline Mickey Mouse is walking a dirt road and the smell of Minnie Mouse's baking a cake catches his attention. He follows his nose and finds the unfrosted cake cooling on her windowsill.  Additional Thanks  Thank you to Director Riley Thomson for directing effort. Thank you to Producer Walt Disney for making the film possible. Cast includes Walt Disney and Marcellite Garner.   Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?  Yes. This short, animated film is cute and makes a good watch overall. The dynamics between Mickey and Minnie are well portrayed. Video Critique Available Here: Ben Meyers

THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR (Released to Theaters USA 1975)

 

Ben Meyers’ Rating: 3.9|5.0 Starsììì  Three Days of the Condor—very good story—is structured well. The acting, presentation, and portrayal are very good.  It's good to see the eclectic casting mix: Robert Redford, Max Von Sydow, Faye Dunaway, and Cliff Roberts.  That mix aids the surprise elements to maximize and enhances the deadliness of the game that is played. There are some sex scenes, but they are easy to skip. This movie is suspenseful and keeps its audience guessing through its conclusion.  Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images Storyline A reader for the CIA is caught in a web of political intrigue and has to find a way to survive assassins.   Additional Thanks  Thank you to Director Sydney Pollack for directing effort. Thank you to Stanley Schneider for making the film possible. Cast includes Robert Redford, Faye Dunaway, Cliff Robertson, and Max Von Sydow.  Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?  Maybe. It is a good overall watch for the adult audience with a terrific, novel approach to its story. Video Critique Available Here: Ben Meyers

WHEN LOVE TOOK WINGS (Released to Theaters USA 1915)

 

Ben Meyers’ Rating: 3.9|5.0 Starsììì  When Love Took Wings is a cute, comical short film and tells a good story. The portrayal is suitable to good. It is a Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle silent era film. It is an excellent film to include in academic studies of that period but also has retained its entertainment factor through the years to serve as a quick entertainment piece for the modern audience.  Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images Storyline A girl has sequential suitors. One man wants to marry her. The father finds out and is overjoyed. Then a second man comes to the door with flowers and wants the daughter's hand in marriage. The father thinks this is a better marriage partner and tries to team the second man with his daughter. Then a third man comes to the door and wants to marry the daughter and the father thinks that this is the best choice for a marriage partner. The conflict between the three men, the father, and daughter begins.  Additional Thanks  Thank you to Director Fatty Arbuckle for directing effort. Cast includes 'Fatty' Arbuckle, Helen Carlyle, Frank Hayes, Joe Bordeaux, Al St. John, and Ted Edwards.  Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?  Yes. Cute watch...good story. Great to see Roscoe ‘Fatty’ Arbuckle again. Video Critique Available Here: Ben Meyers

DEVIL MAY HARE (Released to Theaters USA 1954)

Ben Meyers’ Rating: 3.9|5.0 Starsììì  Devil May Hare—Tasmanian Devil—is a short, animated film from Warner Brothers that focuses its interest on the rascally devil from the southern hemisphere. This toon is well written and earns its watch.  Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images Storyline  Bugs Bunny sees the forest animals running away and catches one to find out why. He is told that the Tasmanian Devil is on the loose.   Additional Thanks  Thank you to Director Robert McKimson for directing efforts. Thank you to Producer Edward Selzer for making the film possible. Cast includes Mel Blanc. Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?  Yes. This toon is a suitable watch. Video Critique Available Here: Ben Meyers

 

COSMOS (Released World-Wide 2019)

 

Ben Meyers’ Rating: 3.8|5.0 Starsììì  Cosmos—slow—has introductory dialogue that hinders the rest of the story. This United Kingdom movie raises several questions like why are they in a forest instead of on a high mountaintop? This works as suitable to okay watch of amateurs trying to do what SETI worked to do. Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images Storyline  Three men drive to the woods in their Volvo wagon and set equipment for the purpose of finding life in the cosmos.   Additional Thanks  Thank you to Directors Elliot Weaver and Zander Weaver for directing effort. Thank you to Producers Elliot Weaver and Zander Weaver for making the film possible. Cast includes Tom England, Joshua Ford, Arjun Singh Panam, and Ben Vardy.  Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?  Maybe. It is interesting but that interest waivers off and on. The movie has a definite soap opera whine which does not help it. The best part of this movie is the rush to the observatory to save a computer battery. Video Critique Available Here: Ben Meyers

BUGSY AND MUGSY (Released to Theaters USA 1957)

 

Ben Meyers’ Rating: 3.9|5.0 Starsììì  Bugsy and Mugsy—Bugs Bunny short film—pairs the bunny with gangters. The film is worth a watch.  Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia Storyline  Rocky, the gangster, and his dim witted henchman, Mugsy, try to hide from the police in a condemned building. But Bugs Bunny finds the building is a drier place to live when it is raining than his hole in the ground.  Additional Thanks   Thank you to Director Friz Freleng for directing effort. Thank you to Producers Edward Selzer and John Burton for making the film possible. Cast includes Mel Blanc.   Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?  Yes. This toon is not as good as other films in the Looney Toons lineup. Video Critique Available Here: Ben Meyers