THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY (Released to Theaters USA 1947)

 Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.2|5.0 Starsìììì

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty—comical—showcases the talents of actor Danny Kaye. The movie has moved into an academic study arena for anyone studying Danny Kaye or the artistic efforts of others involved in the entertainment industry who helped make this film possible.

 Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline 

Walter Mitty escapes his real life through imagination. 

Additional Thanks 

Thank you to Director Norman Z. McLeod for directing effort. Thank you to Producer Samuel Goldwyn for making the film possible. Cast include: Danny Kaye, Virginia Mayo, Boris Karloff, Fay Bainter, Thurston Hall, Ann Rutherford, Gordon Jones, Florence Bates, Konstantin Shayne, Reginald Denny, Henry Corden, Doris Lloyd, Fritz Feld, Frank Reicher, and Milton Parsons. 

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe? 

Yes. The movie serves perfectly as a movie to run in the background at a party or to view as a light afternoon watch. For a stronger and more entertaining version of a similar story with the same name watch Ben Stiller’s 2013 interpretation of Walter Mitty.

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Ben Meyers 

AMREEKA (Released to Sundance Film Festival Park City, Utah USA 2009)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.6|5.0 Starsìììì

Amreeka—a very well-told tale of the difficulties of re-establishing oneself in a new country—establishes itself as an award-winning story on the difficulties of emigration and assimilation into new cultures. This completely deserves both time and money investment and becomes an excellent addition to the home video library.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia 

Storyline

A divorced, single parent Palestinian Christian woman who lived in Bethlehem and worked in West Bank Palestine. Muna Farah (Nisreen Faour), has been abandoned by her husband for another woman, wins an American Green Card through the lottery, and makes the decision to relocate her teen-age son, Fadi Farah (Melkar Muallem), to the USA. Muna is unable to get the same level of employment she enjoyed on the West Bank and settles for a position working in the fast food industry while living with her sister and brother-in-law. Tensions mount for this middle eastern family living in an American neighborhood after 9/11 and the story is off and running.

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Director and Writer Cherien Dabis. Thank you to Executive Producers Cherien Dabis, Alicia Sams, and Greg Keever for making the film possible. Music Composer is Kareem Roustom. Casting includes: Nisreen Faour, Melkar Muallem, Hiam Habbas, Alia Shawkat, Yussuf Abu-Warda, Joseph Ziegler, and Miriam Smith.

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. This movie promotes understanding of the difficulties of relocating to a foreign country. It serves as an ideal older child/adult share film for the rich, after viewing discussion it provides. It may be good to have a short review of the plotline before viewing, review geography, and discuss what a green card is before viewing the film.

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Ben Meyers

HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS * (Released to the Cannes Film Festival, Cannes, France 2004)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.4|5.0 Stars ìììì

House of Flying Daggers, unexpectedly, stands, if not the best, among the best Asian movies produced over the last several years. It’s a triangle love story that, for once, can tell its story without scene after scene of sex and nudity. While there are some graphic scenes, they are not overdone. A refreshing film to watch. The two male love interests Leo (Andy Lau) and Jin (Takeshi Kaneshiro) become entangled with lovely female Xiao Mei (Zhang Ziyi). Xiao Mei belongs to the deadly Flying Dagger gang. Wait for the 180-degree turns at the end of the movie. Well scripted to the end, the timing is perfect, scenes outstanding, and action superb.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Additional Thanks

Great work for Director Yimou Zhang. Thank you to Executive Producer Weiping Zhang and Producer Zook Yhun (English version) for making the film possible. Cast includes: Andy Lau, Zhang Ziyi, Dandan Song.

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. A great Asian film to see due to its well done presentation.

*Also known as Shi mian mai fu

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Ben Meyers

FANTASIA 2000 (Released to Theaters USA 2000)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.8|5.0 Starsìììì

Fantasia 2000, released worldwide January 1, 2000 in IMAX theaters, stands on its feet as the paragon, the crème de la crème, the quintessence, the ne plus ultra, the iconic blueprint of artistic endeavor of classical music paired with animated imagery. This nonpareil sequel to the original 1949 Fantasia crowns all Disney achievements while sweeping the board with its inimitable arrangements. It is artistic imagination at its zenith. If you’ve been told that joy, happiness, and laughter are not tactile, think again. Disney, with Fantasia 2000, allows something almost outside of itself, three-dimensional, malleable like clay to slide from the big screen embracing, alluring, and seducing completely, finally, and totally. The only possible criticism that may have some validity for this work is that at 75 minutes of breathtaking entrancement, it’s far too short. Set in eight separate pieces, Roy E. Disney captured something that needs, at least, the length of a complete Carnegie Hall performance.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Thank you to directors: James Algar, Gaëtan and Paul Brizzi, Hendel Butoy, Francis Glebas, Eric Goldberg, Don Hahn, and Pixote Hunt. Thank you to Executive Producer Roy E. Disney for making the film possible. Cast include: Leopold Stokowski, James Earl Jones, Penn Jillette, Teller, Quincy Jones, Bette Midler, Ralph Grierson, Angela Lansbury, Wayne Allwine, Kathleen Battle, Steve Martin, Itzhak Perlman, James Levine, Russi Taylor, and Tony Anselmo.

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. This film deserves an uproar of BRAVO! ENCORE! with a long session of clapping. The music combined with the animation makes a wonderful, re-watchable movie.

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Ben Meyers

HEREAFTER (Theatrical Release USA 2010)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.1|5.0 Starsìììì

Hereafter—definitely worth watching, not boring for even 1 of its 129 minutes—confirms the talents of Clint Eastwood as a terrific film director as well as completes what everyone knows, that Peter Morgan (The Queen, Frost/Nixon, The Last King of Scotland) is a superb writer. The film, well executed under Eastwood, brilliantly showcases the talents of its actors and actresses, makes one seriously think about life after death subject matter while successfully intertwining three stories into one narrative. Excellent casting choices include Matt Damon, Frankie McLaren, George McLaren, and Cécile De France (as Marie Lelay).

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Journalist Marie Lelay (Cécile De France) sits on a bed in a Thailand hotel room working. She gets up and tells her lover, Television Producer Didier (Thierry Neuvic) to get up; but, he wants to sleep for another half hour. So, Marie Lelay orders room service breakfast after which she goes to the local market stands to shop. The camera shows an ocean tidal wave approaching the beach and surrounding commercial district. As the tidal wave crashes through the town, Marie Lelay tries to save herself and a local girl. A boat hits Marie Lelay in the head, knocking her unconscious. While she is unconscious, she experiences visions of the afterlife. After house residents rescue her, she survives and goes on to research others’ afterlife experiences. Her life intertwines and overlaps the lives of psychic George Lonegan (Matt Damon) and foster child, Marcus (Frankie and George McLaren).

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Director Clint Eastwood for directing efforts. Thank you to Executive Producers Frank Marshall, Tim Moore, Peter Morgan, and Steven Spielberg for making the movie possible. Cast include: Cécile De France, Matt Damon, Cyndi Mayo Davis, Lisa Griffiths, Jessica Griffiths, Ferguson Reid, Jay Mohr, Richard Kind, and Steven R. Schirripa, Derek Sakakura.

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. This film is intriguing and presents an interesting after life scenario for contemplation.

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Ben Meyers

FANTASIA (Released to Theaters USA 1940)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.6|5.0 Starsìììì

Fantasia ushered in an entirely new way to enjoy music while demonstrating Disney Studios' early stage, high level artistic endeavors. The imaginative journeys this film opens to the viewer are endless. The vast scope of this 8-segment film cannot be captured in words alone. It performs as a visual prophecy of what Disney would become to the world as he gradually drew unlimitedly talented people into his creative circle.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Additional Thanks

Than you to Directors Norman Ferguson, James Algar, Samuel Armstrong, Ford Beebe, Jr., Jim Handley, T. Hee, Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske, Bill Roberts, and Paul Satterfield. Thank you to Producers Walt Disney and Ben Sharpsteen for making the film possible. Cast includes: Violinist Paul J. Smith, Conductor Leopold Stokowski, Narrators Deems Taylor and Corey Burton, Percussionist James McDonald, Singer Julietta Novis, and Mickey Mouse (voiced by Walt Disney).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. This first film creates a masterful stream of music and animation from the early days of animated creativity. One of the best films of that era, it deserves a standing ovation and clapping for an extended period of time.  This movie, like no other, deserves every Bravo! and Encore! it receives.   

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Ben Meyers

THE KITE RUNNER (Released to Theaters USA 2007)

 

Ben Meyers’ Rating: 4.0|5.0 Starsìììì The Kite Runner—thoughtfully written—serves its task of crossing international borders to enhance understanding of human loyalty and frailty. This realistic and entrancing story is culturally rich and visually moving. The acting is very good. The stage settings help every part of the movie. There are suggestive themes but not graphic. It is a good film overall. The movie ends on a high note.  Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images Storyline  Two Afghanistan boys are best of friends and do everything together. One lives with his widower father; the others boy's father works for the widower father as a house maintenance and grounds keeper.   Additional Thanks  Thank you to  Director Marc Forster for directing efforts. Thank you to Producers Williamoui Horberg, Walter F. Parkes, Rebecca Yeldham, and E. Bennet Walsh. Cast includes Khalid Abdalla, Homayoun Ershada, Shaun Toub, Alossa Leoni, and Said Taghmaoui.  Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?  Yes. This film is inspiring and life-reinforcing. Video Critique Available Here: Ben Meyers

THE KNIGHT OF THE SHADOWS: BETWEEN YIN AND YANG* (Released to Theaters Malaysia 2019)

 

Ben Meyers’ Rating: 3.6|5.0 Starsììì  The Knight of the Shadows: Between Yin and Yang—interesting, colorful visual presentation—has a story that does not transition well to the international audience. It is  dependent on culture and does not work to increase its range outside of that focus. Its story is tightly bound by cultural folklore and ancient traditions. Read a Wikipedia plotline first if deciding to take this movie on. This movie might be improved if the screen per second rate is increased to improve its impact. Look for an inspiring and interesting behind the scenes presentation at the end of the movie.  Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images Storyline  A well known hunter of bad entities from other realms has to fight a demon.    Additional Thanks Thank you to Director Vash for directing effort. Thank you to Producers Liu Bohan and A'gan for making the film possible. Cast includes Jackie Chan, Zhong Chuxi, Ethan Juan, Lin Peng, and Austin Lin. Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?  Maybe. It will be appreciated more by Asian audiences. The special effects are interesting. *Also Known as: The Knight of the Shadows and Shen tan Pu Song Ling Video Critique Available Here: Ben Meyers

REIGN OVER ME (Relelased to Theaters USA 2007)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.5|5.0 Stars ìììì

Reign Over Me—one of the best 2007 films—tells the story of a friend who helps a friend. This is a terrific drama story, well acted, and well cast. Completely worth a watch.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Dentist Charlie Fineman (Adam Sandler) loses his family in the 9/11 disaster. Charlie fails to move on and begins a gradual downhill slide over a five-year period. When his friend, Dentist Alan Johnson (Don Cheadle), sees him, he is shocked at his friend’s condition. He tries to help him at the risk of his own marriage. 

Additional Thanks

Great work for Director Mike Binder. Thank you to Executive Producers Jack Giarraputo and Lynwood Spinks for making the film possible. Additional Cast include: Don Cheadle, Adam Sandler, Jada Pinkett Smith, Liv Tyler, Saffron Burrows, Donald Sutherland, Robert Klein, and Melinda Dillon.

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. Do not miss this movie.

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 Ben Meyers

AMISTAD (Relelased to Theaters USA 1997)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.5|5.0 Stars ìììì

Amistad, based loosely on the true story of a slave mutiny aboard the 1839 slave ship, Amistad, takes us into the courtroom as 50 captured African slaves fight for their freedom and right to return to Africa. The incident involves the United States Supreme Court as well as President Martin Van Buren (Nigel Hawthorne). It’s a true-to-form Stephen Spielberg classic about greed, power, and evil being thwarted by the few just individuals who fight for right. The tale is told through the eyes of Cinque (Djimon Hounsou), the leader of the African ship revolt.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Additional Thanks

Great work for Director Steven Spielberg. Thank you to Executive Producers Laurie McDonald and Walter Parkes for making the film possible. Cast include: Djimon Hounsou, Morgan Freeman, Stellen Skarsgård, Anthony Hopkins, David Paymer, Pete Postlethwaite, and Razaaq Adoti.

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. This watch works well for Steven Spielberg fans. 

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Ben Meyers

AKEELAH AND THE BEE (Relelased to Theaters USA 2006)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.0|5.0 Starsìììì

Akeelah and the Bee—earnest, genuine, and a pleasure to watch—works its story from a Los Angeles ghetto. This is an above average family film that encourages scholarship and development of natural talent.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

The story begins with South Los Angeles rap music and memorable set-up scenes from the Los Angeles ghetto. Akeelah Anderson (Keke Palmer), an 11-year-old girl, walks down the sidewalk as a narrator informs the audience of the humble beginnings of the spelling bee at Crenshaw Middle School. The scene moves from the dilapidated middle school into Akeelah’s class room to show a teacher handing graded papers to her students. The grades are not good. The teacher reprimands her students that they need to study harder in spelling, stops at Akeelah’s desk, and asks her if she studied for her spelling examination. Akeelah says, reluctantly, “No,” and the rest of the students start laughing at her. The teacher sets the paper on Akeelah’s table and says that she wants to see Akeelah after class. Akeelah looks at her grade and it’s an “A+.” She silently sighs in relief and the next scene shows Akeelah’s teacher talking to her about how great Akeelah is doing, that there will be a spelling bee next week, and she recommends Akeelah sign up for it.

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Director Doug Atchison for directing efforts. Thank you to Executive Producers Helen Sugland, Michael Burns, Michael Paseornek, Tom Ortenberg, Marc Butan, Mark Cuban, and Todd Wagner for making the film possible. Thank you to Music Composer Aaron Zigman for scoring the film. Cast include: Keke Palmer, Laurence Fishburne, Curtis Armstrong, J.R. Villarreal, Sean Michael Afable, and Angela Bassett.

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. It’s a refreshing look at winning. The film serves as clean entertainment for both the child and adult audience while providing an educational look at spelling bees from a middle school perspective to the national perspective.

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Ben Meyers

NIGHTCRAWLER (Released to the Toronto International Film Festival Toronto, Ontario, Canada 2014)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.5|5.0 Stars ìììì

Nightcrawler—classy, smart, clever, and dangerous—tells its tale well. Jake Gyllenhaal interprets his character with such realism  that it makes the story completely believable. This is an entertaining watch. 

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Louis Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal), wants to be ‘somebody,’ no matter the moral cost. He finds that news stations will pay money for crimes caught on film and decides to become a crime scene photographer. He sells some of his collected/stolen items to a pawn shop owner to buy a camera. He starts filming and as greed for power and money increase, his ethics decrease.

Additional Thanks

Great work for Director Dan Gilroy. Thank you to Executive Producers Betsy Danbury and Gary Michael Walters for making the film possible. Cast include: Jake Gyllenhaal, Bill Paxton, Rene Russo, and Ann Cusack.

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. The writer caught all the nuances of character downfall when money comes at the expense of others. Very well-written script. The movie is worth its watch.

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Ben Meyers

DJANGO UNCHAINED (Released to Theaters USA 2012)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.3|5.0 Starsìììì

Django Unchained—a type of spaghetti western a la Quentin Tarantino flick—delivers blood, blood, and more blood. It’s a rough, rowdy story for the adult audience that relies on an unlikely storyline filled with gore and revenge.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Django (Jamie Foxx) and Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) team together as bounty hunters when Dr. Schultz, disguised as a traveling dentist, asks to buy Django. When the traders refuse to sell, Dr. King Schultz kills two of the traders and injures another. The slaves kill the remaining injured trader. Dr. King Schultz then asks Django what he knows about the Brittle Brothers. Django can identify the Brittle Brothers. Dr. Schultz has a warrant for their arrest and offers Django freedom in exchange for help with hunting/identifying the brothers. After capturing the Brittle Brothers, Django becomes an apprentice to Dr. King Schultz to learn the bounty hunting trade. Django has talent for the business and soon earns money. He desires to find his slave wife and buy her freedom. Dr. King Schultz agrees to help Django find his wife and the real story begins.

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Director Quentin Tarantino for directing efforts. Thank you to Executive Producers Shannon McIntosh, Michael Shamberg, James W. Skotchdopole, Bob Weinstein, and Harvey Weinstein for making the film possible. Cast include: Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Kerry Washington, Leonardo DiCaprio, Samuel L. Jackson, Walton Goggins, Dennis Christopher, James Remar, David Steen, and Dana Gourrier.

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. All the expected Quentin Tarantino story telling techniques are present in this flick. It will not disappoint Tarantino fans.

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Ben Meyers

PEARL HARBOR (Released to Theaters USA 2001)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.0|5.0 Starsìììì

Pearl Harbor—a tribute to the 60^th anniversary of the World War II Pearl Harbor Attack—received nine Golden Raspberry nominations; however, it was nominated for the Academy Award’s Best Visual Effects and won the MTV Award for its action sequences. While the movie received deplorably negative reviews, it made money at box office. The strength of this film lies in its superb visual effects and action sequences and succeeds as a Ben Meyers recommended watch based on those two factors.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

The film opens in Tennessee 1923 with a crop duster working the fields. The camera focuses on a barn where two boys, Rafe McCawley (Jesse James) and Danny Walker (Reily McClendon), are playing inside a plane. They accidently power the plane and it takes off with a series of risings and landings until it finally stalls in the middle of a field. When Danny Walker’s father finds what the boys have done, he is not happy and tries to take it out on Danny Walker, but Rafe defends his best friend. These childhood scenes move to World War II where both boys (as men) are enlisted United States Army Air Force pilots and the story is off and running.

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Director Michael Bay for directing efforts. Thank you to Executive Producers Baja, Bruce Hendricks, Chad Oman, Mike Stenson, Barry Waldman, and Randall Wallace for making the film possible. Cast include: Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett, Kate Beckinsale, Ewen Bremner, and Alec Baldwin.

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. It’s true to the action that viewers have come to expect from Michael Bay films (Transformers, Armageddon). It doesn’t disappoint.

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Ben Meyers

WATERSHIP DOWN (Released to Theaters USA 1978)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.4|5.0 Stars ììì

Watership Down, a British animated feature, is not a simple story, nor a story that can be lightly followed. It takes attention, thinking, and involvement to follow the storyline. But, while not well received in the United States, the movie is a completely, not-to-be-missed, more than interesting, good rendering of the importance of perseverance, instinct, and fight necessary to find, establish, and keep a safe home. Told through the eyes of rabbits, the film thoroughly and creatively explores life, death, the importance of females to the continuation of species, and the link to higher forces to successfully navigate even the most difficult of situations. Even though this film has all these good things, there is a down side to this film. It has little to no character development and the plot is a a little hard to follow as the story moves from warren to warren.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

A colony of rabbits needs to find a new warren.

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Director and Producer Martin Rosen for his directing efforts. Cast includes: Richard Briers, John Hurt, Michael Graham Cox, John Bennett, Simon Cadell, Terence Rigby, voiced by Roy Kennear, Richard O’Callaghan, Denholm Elliott, Lynn Farleigh, and Zero Mostel.

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. The film may have little character development and the story may need a better plotline, but the upside is: the movie has 'impact' in that it is memorable, multi-layered, and appeals to the intellect due to its depth and value. The movie easily earns multiple watches because of the intellectual storyline.

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Ben Meyers