Category Archives: Feel Good For All

2011, Acceptable for children, British, Comedy, Crude Talk, DO NOT MISS, Feel Good For All, Fishing, Love Story, Optimistic, Politicians

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (2011)

1 Comment

From NBetFlix:

A sheik with a love for the sport hopes to introduce fly-fishing to the Middle East and turns to uptight fisheries expert Fred Jones for help. Buoyed by the sheik’s enthusiasm (and his comely English aide), Fred sets out to achieve the impossible.

Ewan McGregor does it again. Somewhat of a rarity these days, this film is a feel-good that the entire family can watch. Good plot, good acting, good romance, good humor: what’s not to like?

Kristin Scott Thomas is perfect as a hard-nosed, ambitious, ruthless, and vulgar governmental communications maven.

Emily Blunt portrays Harriet well as a young woman caught between two loves.

Ewan McGregor carries off the role of a fishing geek (possibly with Asperger’s, but that is not completely clear) who agrees to try the impossible and bring salmon fishing to a desert.

Even though there is no sex and violence, DO NOT MISS!

2012, Acceptable for children, Feel Good For All, Redemption

People Like Us (2012)

Leave a comment

From NetFlix:

When Sam flies home for his estranged father’s funeral, the reading of the will reveals a sister he never knew he had — and an order that Sam must bring his alcoholic sibling and her young son their inheritance.

If you like feel-good, wholesome tear-jerkers, do I have a film for you!

What’s not to like when Chris Pine and Elizabeth Banks pair off as step brother and sister. He knows, she doesn’t know that they are siblings. Plot and acting are well done. Michael Hall D’Addario does a great job as her son, his nephew (although I hope someday the boy gets a haircut). And let us not forget Michelle Pfeiffer who plays the mother of Chris Pine (but NOT the mother of Elizabeth Banks). Olivia Wilde has a small supporting role as Chris’ girlfriend. In all of this the villain is the common deceased father that we never see.

Just think: no violence, no serial killer, no sex. How could anyone ever enjoy such a warm-hearted family film?

2011, Acceptable for children, Based on a Book, British, Corny, Feel Good For All, Horse story, Military, Orchestral Music, War

War Horse (2011)

Leave a comment

From NetFlix:

Adapted from a novel by Michael Morpurgo, this majestic World War I drama centers on Devon lad Albert and his steadfast horse, Joey, whose faithful bond cannot be shaken — even when Joey is sold to the cavalry and sent off to France.

Initially I did not know who directed this film. But it does not take long to figure out: What director loves schmaltz? What director lingers a really long time on many of his shots? What director is one of the few remaining directors that use full, romantic, orchestral music (and that part I love!)? What director just does not know when to end the film? Answer: Steven the Spielberg. But at least he is consistent.

Kids will love this beginning-middle-end story where subtlety is not allowed. Who could fail to love a horse with a lion’s courageous heart? Who could fail to love a kid who stays out in a storm to plow his crippled fathers’ field? Who could fail to love a WWI battle scene in which a Brit and a German cooperate mid-battlefield to extricate our hero horse from his entanglement in barbed wire? Need I go on?

Let us honor the reuse of that unforgettable scene from “Gone With the Wind” in which the darkened human figures are outlined in silhouette against a blazing crimson sky.

Don’t forget to read British author Michael Morpurgo’s 1982 children’s novel of the same name. Don’t forget to see the stage play version by Nick Stafford (which uses horse puppets) done in 2007.

Finally, ignore all my snobbish remarks because in fact I could not stop watching this beautifully filmed story.

2011, Acceptable for children, Could Be Sad, Feel Good For All

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (2011)

1 Comment

From NetFlix:

Believing that his father left him a message before dying in the September 11 attacks, young Oskar Schell embarks on an emotional odyssey through New York City to find the lock that matches a key he found among his father’s belongings.

Either you will find the child character Oskar Shell engaging (cute?, eccentric?) or just plain annoying. At any rate the actor Thomas Horn was able to memorize and deliver in a rapid, manic manner an enormous flood of words. Said otherwise, the kid never shuts up. But as I see it, that is the whole point. Oskar is rushing around and filling his and our ears with sound in order to avoid accepting his father’s 9/11 death and to avoid facing something for which he feels guilty. And he is so smart that for awhile he succeeds admirably in his non-stop denial.

At first you may wonder why Sandra Bullock bothered to join the cast. But eventually she comes through in a surprising and warm way. Any mother with a kid like that would have to be equipped with a special understanding.

Max von Sydow (yes, THE venerable Max von Sydow) plays a very original part. In addition there were some surprising bit parts: John Goodman is Stan the doorman. James Gandolfini is listed in the cast but I never saw him (even IMDB cannot tell us which part he played). Tom Hanks is a wonderful dad. Viola Davis (important part in “The Help”) is one of the many, many people named “Black”.

Expect as happy (and tear-jerking) an ending as is possible when your wonderful dad has died in 9/11.

2002, Acceptable for children, Adventure, Fantasy, Feel Good For All, Sci-Fi

The Time Machine (2002)

Leave a comment

From NetFlix:

Based on the classic novel by H.G. Wells, this sci-fi adventure stars Guy Pearce as Alexander Hartdegen, a scientist and inventor who’s determined to prove to a doubtful world that time travel is actually possible. In the 1890s, he builds a time machine that sends him progressively farther into the future — eventually hurtling him 800,000 years from now to a strange time in which mankind has divided into two races: the hunters and the hunted.

PG-13 is just about right for this sci-fi whose visual effects are on the order of “Hugo”, that is to say, special effects with a more human, old-fashioned, down-to-earth look. Of course there are spooky, nasty, human-devouring creatures living under the earth 800,000 years from now. One of their masters, the Über-Morlock is played by none other than Jeremy Irons (who else would you expect ?).

Just plain kiddie sci-fi fare with orchestral background (did I mention old-fashioned ?) and a happy ending somewhere 800,000 years in the future.

2011, Acceptable for children, Black and White Film, Corny, Dancing, Feel Good For All, Love Story, Silent film, Slow

The Artist (2011)

Leave a comment

NetFlix:

This modern-day silent film artfully recounts the poignant end of the silent-movie era in the late 1920s. The story contrasts the declining fortunes of a silent-screen superstar with his lover’s rise to popularity as a darling of the “talkies.”

Making a black and white and silent film these days is an unusual idea. But it works because the photography is good, the period costumes fun to see, the dog is cute, Jean Dujardin is a handsome ham, and Bérénice Bejo really is peppy (her name in the film). And the best news is that I only napped through part of the film (which might seem a tad slow in places). What is really amazing is to watch the two stars tap dance!

You may remember Jean Dujardin from “OSS 117: Lost in Rio” which is a spoof on James Bond films. On the other hand, Bérénice Bejo was in “OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies”.

Possibly not everyone’s cup of tea.

2007, Acceptable for children, Comedy, Feel Good For All, German, Unusual

Vitus (2007)

Leave a comment

From NetFlix:

Pushed to succeed and live up to his parents’ ambitions at an early age, young Vitus (played by Fabrizio Borsani and Teo Gheorghiu) is a virtual genius and a prodigy at the piano. But as Vitus grows older, he decides on a different path: one that leads to an ordinary childhood. Julika Jenkins and Urs Jucker co-star in writer-director Fredi M. Murer’s heartfelt tale, which won the Swiss Film Prize for Best Film of 2007.

Grab this film soon because true feel-good (non-animated) films for adults and children are an endangered species. However, in order that this film be a feel-good for you, you must suspend disbelief during the entire story. That is because the boy Vitus is too good to be true. But that is the charm of this unusual film. Just watch as the young genius performs miracle after miracle. No, the plot is NOT cloying and is instead full of surprisingly original and fun ideas.

Robert Schumann’s piano concerto in A minor is the musical theme of the film and is the concerto that Vitus plays at the end of the film.

English subtitles are available for this Swiss film in which the actors speak Swiss German,
Hoch Deutsch, and English.

Of all the actors I recognized only one: the Swiss actor Bruno Ganz plays the free-spirited grandfather. If you haven’t seen him in the wonderful Italian comedy “Bread and Tulips” from 2000, don’t miss it!

In my humble opinion, “Vitus” is DON’T MISS !!!

2010, Acceptable for children, Based on true facts, DO NOT MISS, Feel Good For All, Wonderful acting

The Company Men (2010)

Leave a comment

From NetFlix:

Written, directed and produced by John Wells (“The West Wing”), this indie drama stars Ben Affleck as a successful businessman who comes face-to-face with America’s downsizing epidemic when he loses his job and is forced to take a construction gig. Rounding out the all-star cast are Kevin Costner as Affleck’s brother-in-law, Tommy Lee Jones as a conflicted corporate bigwig and Chris Cooper as a paranoid executive.

Films like this make me glad to be retired. Somehow the corporate world seems to get uglier every day. Indeed this film hits the nail on the head. Not only are the situations all too real, but the reactions of the jobless are sadly true to form. Superb acting makes the film a pleasure to watch, despite all the unhappiness.

Some of the men do not survive. Interestingly enough in one such case the wife cannot accept the loss of status and demands that her jobless husband leave the house each day with a briefcase and never return until evening. What would the neighbors think ? There is a similar theme in the British film “The Full Monty”.

Let us hope that it is believable and does happen that some wives (as in the case of Ben Affleck) not only accept the downsizing but help their husbands with the adjustment and the reality check. Affleck’s character gets it right as someone who refuses to accept change but gradually softens to the point that he accepts a job from his builder brother-in-law (Kevin Costner playing his part well).

Additionally I would like to believe that many jobless find a way to fight back in the sense that they have enough self-confidence to begin something new and trust in the future.

Tommy Lee Jones has often played in films that somehow preach on a subject and this film is no exception.

Hats off to Craig T. Nelson who delivers a perfect performance as a corporate swine who fires his own best friend and could care less.

Finally this film is actually a feel-good (at least for some characters).

2010, Acceptable for children, Based on true facts, Corny, Drama, Feel Good For All, Horse story

Secretariat (2010)

Leave a comment

From NetFlix:

When Penny Chenery (Diane Lane) agrees to take over her ailing father’s thoroughbred stable, she transforms from housewife to horse breeder — and owner of the colt that will take the 1973 Triple Crown — in this dramatic biopic. The film explores Chenery’s bond with “Big Red” and depicts her rise to greatness as the “first lady of racing.” John Malkovich plays trainer Lucien Laurin, and Fred Dalton Thompson co-stars as big-shot breeder Bull Hancock.

Secretariat was an amazing horse. No other horse has ever performed as well in the Triple Crown. At the end of the film there are some information screens. Secretariat died at age 19, having sired over 600 foals (lucky horse!). After his death the autopsy revealed that his huge heart (14 pounds) was in perfect condition.

Probably it is the story of the horse itself that keeps this film afloat. We are talking real Walt Disney here (read that “corny” or “hearts on our sleeves”). At least it is a film that everyone can watch.

Dylan Walsh (the husband) will always be Mister “Nip/Tuck” for me. James Cromwell will always be the farmer who owned “Babe” the pig. He was also a very bad guy in “LA Confidential”.

But then it is always exciting to watch a well-filmed horse race.

2004, Drama, Feel Good For All, Quiet

Around the Bend (2004)

Leave a comment

From NetFlix:

Four generations of men are suddenly brought together by the chance to uncover the truth about their family’s past. When their eldest member passes away, the remaining trio embarks on a journey that takes them out on the road and into a world full of surprises — some comic, some dramatic, and all of them personal. Stars Michael Caine, Christopher Walken, Josh Lucas, Glenne Headly and Jonah Bobo.

Where there are Michael Caine and Christopher Walken, you would expect something good. In fact, you will not be disappointed with the eccentric and somewhat sad plot. As the boy Zach’s great-grandfather, Michael Caine’s behavior is “around the bend” as he plans a bizarre final trip for the other three actors as a way to reunite the three immediately following his death. Walken is Zach’s grandfather who abandoned his son Josh Lucas who is Zach’s father. Surprises and quirks along the way keep the plot interesting and eventually lead to some sad final revelations.

Good acting kept the film from being sentimental. Jonah Bobo avoids being too cute. Josh Lucas plays a man who is not only physically cripple, but emotionally repressed. He may fit the category of actors who act by not acting.

Not at all a waste of time.