Suddenly

Suddenly (Lewis Allen, 1954)

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Rating: Q=5, P=4 / Average OJ

Scale 1=2, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=2, Scale 4=2

1950s, Crime, Action, Drama

A spine-tingling story with superb dialogue. The great script makes this film feel like you're in the theater watching a play. And because the film only has one scene (the living room) it makes the viewer feel a part of the claustrophobic and tense situation. So much anxiety! Frank Sinatra is amazing and keeps your attention in every way--interestingly, his character, Baron, was the only villain he ever played. A great classic crime/noir film.

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Explorers

Explorers (Joe Dante, 1985)

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Rating: Q=5, P=4 / Average OJ

Scale 1=2, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=2, Scale 4=2

Action, Adventure, Coming of Age, Science Fiction

The debut film for both Ethan Hawke and River Phoenix (not counting TV shows) is a fun family escape but is less about the actual adventure and more about learning to go after your dreams. The story is a little surreal, a little disjointed, a little weird. The young actors are great, though. I found myself wanting more--especially the nostalgia factor the director only introduced with the few adult characters.

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Zathura

Zathura (Jon Favreau, 2005)

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Rating: Q=5, P=5 / Average OJ

Scale 1=3, Scale 2=2, Scale 3=3, Scale 4=2

Science Fantasy, Adventure, Family, Action

This film was a welcome delight! I had read the original storybook by Chris Van Allsburg when I was young, but had missed when this film came out fifteen years ago. It's a great family adventure story, though, full of great visuals and exciting action. The story is simple and that's what makes it so great. A fun escape that I'll definitely watch again someday.

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A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (Marielle Heller, 2019)

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Rating: Q=6, P=5 / Average OJ

Scale 1=3, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=3, Scale 4=2

Psychology, Complex Relationships, Biopic

What a lovely and emotional film about the complexity of the human experience. Tom Hanks plays Mister Rogers really well and his performance shines. Having watched Mister Roger's Neighborhood practically every day of my childhood and recently reading and watching more about the man behind the show made watching this film a joy. In order to lead our best lives we really do just need to listen to the words of his songs. Mister Rogers was incredibly wise and knew not just what to say but most importantly how to say it.

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