The Muppet Christmas Carol - 1992

A Christmas Carol - 1999

Ok adaptation of this classic tale that closely followed the basic Dickens plot, but the modernized dialog was definitely a distraction. Also, the contrast between the bleak emotions in the first part of the story and the Christmas cheer at the end were not as defined as earlier films which took some of the impact out of the change in Scrooge and was a weakness in this version. Ok performance by Patrick Stewart as Scrooge, though, that demonstrates his talent as an actor. Only so-so performances by the supporting cast especially the important role of Bob Cratchit who seemed too wooden, and Tiny Tim who definitely seemed a little too healthy. This film also included more special effects than earlier productions which often seemed out of place, but not annoyingly so (with the exception of Christmas Past and his glowing 1960’s “sci-fi” eyes!) Ok filming but the sets and costuming must have had a small budget and weren’t up to par with earlier films. Still, as a fan of this story in all its variations (even the cheesy ones) this is an enjoyable addition to the “Christmas Carol” family. ***

The Preacher's Wife - 1996

Ok holiday movie but poor remake! This story follows a preacher who is struggling to hold things together with his church and congregation. After a prayer for help, an angel (Denzel Washington) is sent to help. This is a pale comparison to the original movie (The Bishop’s Wife). I am a fan of several other movie remakes but this one is really lacking. With the exception of Denzel Washington, the acting of the main characters is pretty wooden. The preacher (Courtney Vance) seems to only have one expression. He is so passionless about his role as a preacher that its hard to believe he would have had the desire to pray for help in the first place. As his wife, Whitney Houston is also barely believable both as a wife and a mother. Her lines seem rehearsed as if she is reading cue cards. The charisma of Dudley came across fairly well as played by Denzel Washington, although his role seemed minor in this version. The plot changes and updates were clever but the plot moved very slowly and I found myself longing to fast forward. An ok movie for the family but there are definitely better holiday movies out there.  ***

Jingle All the Way - 1996

Moderately enjoyable Christmas comedy. Workaholic Howard (A.S.) has forgotten to purchase the coveted Turbo Man for his son’s Christmas. Finding that everywhere is sold out, Howard ends up on a fervent hunt to find one. Admittedly, this is an unrealistic, goofy story. In its defense, though, it never actually pretends to be anything deeper. The situations are mostly ridiculous, the acting is often over-the-top and the conclusion is completely off the wall. But it all seems to be part of the intended outcome. The comic aspects of the film are a little forced with much of the humor coming from comic violence. And the underlying message that at all costs you must get your child whatever they are demanding is moderately uncomfortable, but the story is so improbable that it’s hard to take either of these issues very seriously. In spite of its problems, we usually watch this one every year.  ***

The Storyteller: Greek Myths - 1991

Mildly entertaining. Although patterned after the original Henson "Storyteller" series, these darker myths have little of their charm. Michael Gambon as the storyteller/narrator does an exceptional job but the stories themselves are dreary and depressing. The myths are very adult in nature and far from family friendly. Typical for Greek myths, but unless you are a fan of Greek mythology, they are not as enjoyable as the fairy tales and legends used in the first series. Filming is Ok, but the special effects as well as the sets and costuming are very simple with very dark lighting. Although not rated, this should probably be PG. Just OK. ***

Bye Bye Birdie - 1995

Mildly entertaining musical. Since the storyline has always seemed a little silly, this has never been one of my favorite musicals. Even so, it still had several strengths. This version definitely stays closer to the original play and includes the musical numbers that were cut in the ’63 film. There were several strong performances, including Jason Alexander, Vanessa Williams and Tyne Daly. Unfortunately, the weakest performances were that of Chynna Phillips and Marc Kudisch. As Conrad, Kudisch had a wonderful singing voice, but his dance moves were very stilted. As the teenage Kim, Phillips looked and acted completely out of place. She was simply too old for the role and it was glaringly obvious. Since these were two of the pivotal roles, it definitely weakened the entire film. Just Ok. **

Rebecca - 1997

Interesting adaptation of Daphne Du Maurier’s famous novel. Maxim DeWinter (Dance) and his new wife (Fox) feel the shadow of his first wife, Rebecca, who died under unusual circumstances. This remake is actually a more accurate version than Hitchcock’s 1940 film. With its added length, it was able to include many details left out of the earlier shorter film. Even so, it still seemed to lack the mystical feel of either the book itself or its 1940 predecessor. It did stay true to the circumstances surrounding Rebecca’s death, which definitely had more of an impact on the characters than the changes made in the Hitchcock version. Performances were Ok but DeWinter (Dance) seemed much older than described in the book (age 41) which made the age difference between he and the young Mrs. DeWinter (Fox) feel almost uncomfortable. Nor did there seem to be any chemistry between them. Superb performance by Diana Rigg as the chilling Mrs. Danvers, however. Very creepy! Good cinematography and costuming that fit the period. Just an Ok remake, though, and not our favorite. ***

That Darn Cat - 1997

Pale remake of the Disney ’65 classic. When a watch appears  around the neck of her cat, Patti (Ricci) is convinced it belongs to a woman who has been kidnapped. Admittedly, the premise for this story was not very believable, and unlike its predecessor, this version never succeeded in making you feel otherwise. Although mostly a comedy, this one had little of the suspense of the earlier story, nor did you develop any sympathy for the victim as you did for the bank teller in the ’65 film. Performances were pretty flat. Ricci’s character was pretty unappealing and showed so little curiosity and/or interest in the “mystery” that it was hard to believe she would have contacted the FBI in the first place. The portrayal of the agent (Doug) assigned to the case went beyond incompetent to just plain ridiculous. (sigh) The parents were only so-so and even the CAT paled in comparison! The film also skipped any of the former intelligent physical humor of its predecessor and went straight to the slapstick style, resorting to plenty of gooey stuff, a crazy car chase and spectacular explosions. The only redeeming factor was Dean Jones, and although his inclusion was only minor, it was wonderful to see him again. Definitely wouldn’t watch again. **

Oklahoma - 1999

Outstanding musical with the remarkable music of Rodgers and Hammerstein, including the well known “O What a Beautiful Morning.” Differing from the earlier ’55 film, this was an actual stage production recorded on film. Since the staging is superb and each scene is easily definable, this was actually one of its strengths over its predecessor! Superb performances from Hugh Jackman, Josefina Gabrielle and Shuler Hensley in the lead roles. In fact, they easily lived up to, and sometimes surpassed, the wonderful performances in the ’55 film. Good performances from the supporting cast as well, with some incredible choreography. One definite strength was probably the main confrontation between Curly and Jud. It was pretty intense and was definitely a pivotal point in the story. Although this is not my favorite Rodgers & Hammerstein production, this one will definitely be watched again.  NOTE: Although fairly family friendly, this story does handle some adult topics.****

Jane Eyre - 1997

Disappointing! Although this adaptation follows the book as closely as any of the other big screen versions, it is the performances that are really its downfall. On the plus side, both Ciaran Hinds and Samantha Morton had the perfect "look" for their roles, both in age and appearance. Unfortunately, their portrayal of these famous characters fell far short of the mark. Rochester comes across as a big bully, actually yelling most of his lines, while Jane is completely missing the shy vulnerability interlaced with strength that so defined her character. Consequently, both characters are pretty unappealing. And if you aren't at least partially connected emotionally with Rochester and Jane, the film itself is also pretty unappealing.  **

Jane Eyre - 1996

So-so adaptation of this classic novel. With a great deal of the novel eliminated or changed, much of the emotional impact of this story is almost non-existant. Although shortened, Jane’s early life is fairly well told. Unfortunately, this is such an important part of the plot that you are not left with a great deal of understanding into her character. Her life at Thornfield Hall is also abbreviated although what is left is smoothly told. The final part of the story after Jane flees from Mr. Rochester is simply butchered. Only the barest outline of the original novel remains and what is left is so changed and happens so quickly that the impact of this story is completely lost. The performances are Ok with a strong portrayal of the young Jane (Anna Paquin) but a weak and fairly emotionless portrayal when she is grown (Charlotte Gainsbourg). The brooding Mr. Rochester (William Hurt) seems almost dull and fairly emotionless, but in all fairness, the cuts in the story do not allow the character to fully develop. Worth watching but definitely not the best version.  **