Category Archives: Feel Good For All

2014, Acceptable for children, Based on a Book, Corny at times, Digital Effects, Fantasy, Feel Good For All, Horse story, Love Story, Magic Realism, Religious Theme, Ridiculous plot, Sex Scenes, Supernatural, Unusual, Use of Irish Brogue, Violent

Winter’s Tale (2014)

Leave a comment

From Netflix;

Mark Helprin’s novel provides the basis for this film starring Colin Farrell as a thief who breaks into an ill girl’s home and then falls for her. As the action shifts between past and present, the burglar also acquires a flying-horse guardian angel.

Possibly because we had just returned from our daughter’s castle wedding in Ireland, the Irish brogues spoken in this film were music to my ears. We are used to hearing Colin Farrell (as Peter Laks) speaking brogue but this is the first time I have heard Russell Crowe (as the daemon Pearly Soames) also using an Irish brogue. Crowe makes a convincing villain.

Herein is a fantasy fairy-tale for adults. Just when things are going badly, up pops yet another miracle. Sometimes this magic realism seems comical without intending to be funny. Expect some corny dialog.

Will Smith is an unconvincing Lucifer.

Among older actors we find William Hurt. But the biggest such surprise was the “Adult Willa” played by none other than Eva Marie Saint (Edie Doyle in “On the Waterfront”) who is now 90 years old.

Would someone please tell Colin Farrell to get and keep a decent hair cut?

Remember now – it’s all a bit silly.

2012, Acceptable for children, Baseball, Clint Eastwood, Father-daughter relations, Feel Good For All, Love Story, Sports

Trouble with the Curve (2012)

1 Comment

From Netflix:

Slowed by age and failing eyesight, crack baseball scout Gus Lobel takes his grown daughter along as he checks out the final prospect of his career. Along the way, the two renew their bond, and she catches the eye of a young player-turned-scout.

Gather the family for a feel-good Clint Eastwood film. What easily could have been an overly sentimental film is kept in check with good directing.

If there is a bad-guy in the story, it is Matthew Lillard who plays Phillip Sanderson, the character out to get the aging Clint Eastwood’s job. Everyone else is friendly and supportive. Feel-good films have those goose-flesh moments in which “truth” is vindicated (somewhat like hearing “The Lone Ranger ?!?!”). For those moments pay attention to the snotty new baseball talent and the peanut seller.

Lots of old-timers (Clint Eastwood, George Wyner, Bob Gunton, Robert Patrick, and John Goodman, to name a few) fill out the ranks. Among younger actors count Justin Timberlake and Amy Adams.

For what it is worth, Clint Eastwood’s son Scott (Officer Jim Barnes of “Chicago P.D.”) has a minor role.

Watching this film is wholesome time well-spent.

2000, Acceptable for children, B-movie, Based on true facts, Black History, Corny at times, Deep Sea Diving, Feel Good For All, Human spirit, Mediocre, Military, Navy, Navy Diver, Sea Rescue, True Story

Men of Honor (2000)

Leave a comment

From Netflix:

Against formidable odds — and an old-school diving instructor embittered by the U.S. Navy’s new, less prejudicial policies — Carl Brashear sets his sights on becoming the Navy’s first African-American master diver in this uplifting true story.

HBO recently showed this 14-year old film. As with most films about real-life heroes (military and other), the story is compelling while the film can be a bit corny, as in “wearing your emotions on your sleeve”. Nonetheless, Carl Brashear was brave, persistent, and an admirable role-model.

Spoiler: this old-fashioned film has a happy ending. Give the film a B and enjoy it.

2013, Acceptable for children, Alzheimer's disease, B-movie, Could Be Sad, Drugs, Dysfunctional Lives, Father-son relations, Feel Good For All, Mediocre, Melodrama, Optimistic, Plot Twist, Quiet

Straight A’s (2013)

Leave a comment

From Netflix:

Seeking redemption, family outcast Scott returns to his hometown, only to throw everyone’s lives into disarray. It’s particularly troubling for his sister-in-law, who was once his high school sweetheart.

Give this “Straight A’s” a rating of a Straight B.

However, it is (except possibly for many uses of the F-Word) a feel-good film suitable for children. Since it was a 2013 film made immediately available for Netflix streaming, you might suspect this film is not Oscar material.

Sorry, but for me Anna Paquin will always be Sookie Stackhouse from that TV vampire-fest “True Blood”. Ryan Phillipe played Louis Roulet in “The Lincoln Lawyer“.

There is nothing really wrong with this predictable melodrama except for its mediocrity. In fact, if you are watching while doing something else constructive, this is not a bad diversion.

2012, Acceptable for children, Arab Culture, Arabic, Bicycles, Could Be Sad, DO NOT MISS, Drama, Feel Good For All, Human spirit, Optimistic, Religious Theme, Unusual

Wadjda (2012)

Leave a comment

From Netflix:

Persistent 10-year-old Wadjda would like nothing more than a new bicycle so she can beat her friend (a boy) in a race. But it’s going to take some ingenuity to get one — especially in her culture, which sees bikes as a threat to a girl’s virtue.

Because this film is not yet on DVD, and also not available from Netflix, we went to a movie theater. As my hearing gets worse, I am dependent on subtitles. Since this film is in Arabic, there were subtitles.

While re-enforcing my opinions about the sad repression of women under Islam, this film cannot fail to charm even the most skeptical viewer. Spunky Wadjda and her wonderful young friend Abdullah are a pleasure to watch. Abdullah is so thoughtful of his rebellious sidekick that you wonder where in his male-dominated society he learned to care.

“Just tell the story” and the points will come across. Indeed, you will see religious fundamentalism revealed as also hypocrisy. You will see that although Wadjda’s father loves her and her mother, he is under societal pressure to produce a male heir. You will see Saudi natives able to bully possibly non-legal immigrants. And above all you will see a somewhat crushing regimen forced upon the women in a seemingly bleak country.

For a down-to-earth possibly sad but also spirited story, DO NOT MISS!

2012, Acceptable for children, Based on true facts, Conspiracy, Drama, Environmental concerns, Ethical struggles, Feel Good For All, Human spirit, Sad small town, Thought provoking

Promised Land (2012)

Leave a comment

From Netflix:

Taking advantage of hard economic times, two salespeople for a natural gas company come to a small town to buy drilling rights from the residents. To their surprise, a local schoolteacher mobilizes a campaign aimed at blocking the company’s plans.

Watching this film while sitting next to my daughter’s German boy friend Thomas made for some very interesting discussion afterwards. On the one hand, the film has an obvious agenda: FRACKING IS BAD! But my debate opponent, ever the pragmatist, came up with some really good reasons why FRACKING IS GOOD!

No matter which side you take, the movie is well-written, well-acted, and includes some unsuspected plot twists. Moreover, I am pleased to be able to say that despite any doubts I have had in the past, Matt Damon can act. He always comes off as Mister Nice Guy. And what’s wrong with that?

Don’t miss Frances McDormand (married to Joel Cohen the director) trying desperately and unsuccessfully to sing.

Frank Yates is played by the venerable Hal Holbrook who was 87 years old during the filming and very appropriately looked that old.

Suitable for the kids and could lead to some worthwhile discussion.

2012, Arab Culture, Drama, Feel Good For All, Israeli Palestinian Conflict, Jewish Culture

The Other Son (2012)

Leave a comment

From Netflix:

While preparing to enter the Israeli military for his compulsory service, young Joseph Silberg learns he was accidentally switched at birth with the son of an Arab couple from the West Bank — a shocking revelation that sends both families reeling.

Joseph Silberg has been raised a Jew in Tel-Aviv. Yacine Al Bezaaz has been raised a Palestinian Arab. To keep sanity in this discussion we have to use the characters’ names because these two young men (approximately 18 years old) were switched at birth due to the panic of a scud attack.

You can imagine the reactions of hurt, anger, and confusion. For example:

  • Joseph wrestles with “Am I a Jew?”
  • Joseph’s father is Israeli military.
  • Joseph has done nothing with his life.
  • Yacine is about to enter medical school in Paris.
  • Yacine and his brother Bilal have a dream of opening a hospital for their fellow Palestinians.
  • Bilal hates Jews.
  • Yacine’s family struggles with money.

Whether it is realistic or not, the hope of this story is to watch a rapport grow between these two distraught and very loving families.

If nothing else we can see visibly the enormous difference between the lives of the Jewish occupiers and the oppressed Palestinians.

Many languages are used, but the film is basically French with a choice of subtitles.

An adult drama well worth seeing.

Acceptable for children, British, Classical musicians, Feel Good For All, Love Story, Melodrama, Senior citizens

Quartet (2012)

Leave a comment

From NetFlix:

A trio of retired opera singers’ annual celebration of Verdi’s birthday sours when their estranged fourth member shows up but refuses to sing. Tensions rise and diva drama erupts — will personal problems prevent the show from going on?

Do not confuse this British film with the American film A Late Quartet.

Maggie Smith (“Downton Abbey”), Tom Courtenay (“The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner”), Billy Connolly (Thomas Bell in “House M.D.”), and Pauline Collins (“Shirley Valentine”) form the quartet of retired opera singers. Michael Gambon (Professor Albus Dumbledore in “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2”) is a self-appointed impresario.

They and a large group of retired musicians reside in a beautiful palace-like home for retired musicians set in glorious British countryside. In fact, the other aged actors are real-life retired musicians. Stay for the final credits in which you see for many of these characters a double set of photos: one photo from the present paired with a photo of them in their performing prime.

If nothing else, the scenery is gorgeous and well worth seeing the film on a large screen as we did in a movie house. Additionally the music is wonderful. Although the story is a bit melodramatic, it is still worth the watch.

Enjoy!

2008, Acceptable for children, Based on true facts, Feel Good For All, Flirting, Love Story, Wine culture

Bottle Shock (2008)

Leave a comment

From NetFlix:

France’s position as the world’s top wine producer went unchallenged until 1976, when the Montelena Winery put California wines on the map — a story delightfully told in this full-bodied tale about the heady early days of Napa Valley’s success.

In this comfortable, feel-good-for-everyone film Bill Pullman plays Jim Barrett and Chris Pine plays his so-far-nere-do-well son Bo. Montelena Winery is the struggling company run by the elder Barrett. When father and son disagree they enter their outdoor boxing ring and batter each other. Enter Alan Rickman as Steven Spurrier, the Englishman who travels from Paris to California seeking American wines good enough to challenge the French wines. Freddy Rodríguez plays Gustavo Brambila, a Mexican employee of Montelena Winery who is a wine expert secretly making his own wine.

Five years (from 2008 to 2013) can change faces. At first I did not recognize the son Chris Pine whom I first saw in Unstoppable. Freddy Rodríguez was the mortician in “Six Feet Under” who had a remarkable talent for making dead bodies attractive. Bill Pullman and Alan Rickman have been around forever.

Despite any historical inaccuracies, just sit back and watch a relaxed family film.

2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, Acceptable for children, Acceptable Science, Asperger's Syndrome, British, Could Be Sad, DO NOT MISS, Dog Story, Drama, Dysfunctional Lives, Feel Good For All, Love Story, Made For TV, School Teacher, Small British village, Small Town

Doc Martin (2004)

Leave a comment

From NetFlix:

Crippled by a sudden and inconvenient fear of blood, flashy surgeon Dr. Martin Ellingham abandons his bustling London practice and sets up shop as a country doctor in this medically minded British sitcom.

Are you looking for a warm, friendly, non-violent, comic, personal British sitcom? Look no further. Beginning in 2004 and extending over 5 years of wonderful episodes, you can relax and enjoy “Doc Martin”.

Doc Martin (played by Martin Clunes) is a very unusual character. For starters he is a family doctor who is sickened by the sight of blood (he looks away when he draws a blood sample). Most importantly he is completely hopeless in any social situation. My guess is that he is supposed to suffer from Asperger’s syndrome. Nowadays we would say that he “doesn’t have a clue”.

He has set up practice in a charming, small, British village on the sea. He is a brilliant diagnostician and much of each episode has him helping people in his impossibly brusque manner. In fact, part of the comedy in the series is his reaction (or non-reaction) to everyone, including his patients.

Do not misunderstand: the stories are not pablum. Some of the situations are harrowing. For example, we see his icy mother just once when she visits and explains that she never loved him because he “got in the way”. Along the way we see villagers afflicted with OCD, vertigo, psychosis, etc. Nonetheless the “cringe” factor is very low compared to today’s British TV plots.

All 5 seasons are available on DVD. NetFlix offers DVD or streaming for all the episodes.

In the area of family sitcoms I would rate this series a DO NOT MISS!