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March 10, 2016

Reel Time with Tom

The Revenant: Despite Golden Globe awards, cannot recommend

Raise your hand if you know what the word “revenant” means. (I thought so). I’d never even heard of the word until the movie promos started on TV. I looked it up and the word is akin to “resurrection,” (secular only please).

The Reel Deal: 2015 films in review

This is our last edition of the year, and our tradition here at the Sun Day News is to take a look at the best and worst films of the year, giving you the opportunity to compare notes and let me know what you think.

Spotlight shines with Oscar-winning potential

In January 2002, the Boston Globe published a blockbuster story detailing the massive scandal of child molestation and cover up within the local Catholic Archdiocese, shaking the entire Catholic Church to its core. Spotlight is the story of the five newspaper reporters who brought this to fruition.

Spectre: Another 007 Triumph

This is the twenty-fourth James Bond movie – is it the last? We’ll see. Daniel Craig appears for the fourth time as agent 007, and, as usual, gives us a great performance. I thought his best was Skyfall, but this one is not far behind. As I have stated before, Sean Connery is a legend from his Bond movies, but Daniel Craig is the best ever.

Three movies to rent this month on a cold November night

Poring over the movie listings this week, I couldn’t find anything worth seeing that I haven’t already written about. Accordingly, I am offering you a look back at some great films you may have missed the first time around, perfect for Netflix or On Demand viewing.

Bridge Of Spies: As good as it gets

The Cold War was a state of political and military tension after World War Two between powers in the Western Bloc (the United States and its NATO allies) and the Eastern Bloc (the Soviet Union and its allies). The “war” lasted from 1947 until the dissolution of the Soviet Union on December 26, 1991. The threat of nuclear war hung over the world during those years, with each side engaging in espionage of all kinds to learn what the other side was up to.

The Martian, rescuing movie theaters everywhere

“Life is unsustainable in outer space.” Chilling words for those brave enough to enter the new frontier knowing that one mistake could be fatal for all.

Grandma: A profane trip

Now, twenty-four hours past my deadline, I picked the earliest movie I could get to, which was a morning matinee of Grandma. I should have called in sick.

A Walk in the Woods: Great scenery, little else

Most of us harbor some kind of wish or desire for that one great adventure in life. Mine was to drive to Alaska, and on June 13, 2002, I climbed into my Nissan Pathfinder and headed out. Even though I was in Salt Lake City at the time, it was still a 7,000-mile round trip and one I will never forget. During that entire time I only recall uttering one (minor) profanity, when I almost drove into a moose.

Mr. Holmes hasn’t got a clue

Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle was a British writer and physician, most noted for his fictional stories about the detective Sherlock Holmes, which are generally considered milestones in the field of crime fiction.

Streep rocks in Ricki and the Flash

The next time you are in Tarzana, California look for the “Salt Well” Tavern. Be warned, however, as you enter this little Nirvana of rock and roll, you will not want to leave as it is the home of Ricki Randazzo and her band Flash.

Ant Man: a giant surprise

Frankly I was at a loss about which movie to report on for this edition. My editors crack the whip on deadlines, eliminating any hope of Mission Impossible, which will most likely be my next column. One of my neighbors said “well there is always Minions,” (I’d rather resign).

Reel Time Extra: Looking at John Grisham films

John Grisham is one of the most prolific and popular authors of our time, his books to date have sold over 300 million copies, and he cranks out a new one every year or so. Most of his fans appreciate his exciting and sometimes mysterious plots and his adherence to detail. Some of us appreciate the fact that profanity and sex do not rear their ugly heads in his stories.

Inside Out: Another Disney/Pixar magical production

First things first, the little heroine in this movie is named Riley, and I have a fourteen year old Granddaughter with the same name. So, to my Riley, this review is dedicated to you. Love, Poppa.

Love & Mercy, a Beach Boys triumph of a different kind

If you are a member of the “Greatest Generation,” and many of you reading this are, the Beach Boys music is indelibly locked in your memory. Ranked by Rolling Stone magazine as the twelfth greatest band ever, and with sales of over 100 million records, how could we forget?

My list of the best ever

You’ve been banished to a beautiful tropical island for the duration. Among the belongings you are allowed to bring is a DVD player and ten movies. Since there is no satellite receiver on this island, you’re stuck watching these films over and over. Which ten would you pick? Here are my selections.

This film won’t steer audiences ‘far from the madding crowd’

Based on Thomas Hardy’s renowned novel, the British drama “Far From the Maddening Crowd” focuses on Bathsheba Everdene, a beautiful young woman who inherits a picturesque farm from her Uncle.

Avengers: Age of Ultron – take your smartphone

I should have sensed something foreboding as the trailers began.

‘Woman in Gold’ shines

This is a true story; it is unlikely anyone could have created fiction that would approach it.

Rental recommendations

Here is a list of a few films for the Netflix/On Demand crowd. If you missed these the first time around, you might consider them. Any or all will provide a great evening’s entertainment.

Cinderella – perfect family fare

The history of Cinderella goes back to the early 1600s when Charles Perrault first penned a story about the “persecuted heroine.”

The Oscars ain’t got nothin on Mayberry

The newspapers, airways, and countless websites were filled with comments and analysis for days following the Oscar presentations. Buried somewhere in all that nonsense was the fact that viewership was down 16 percent from last year. One pundit wrote a lengthy story trying to explain why.

McFarland, USA a good run

This is a true story about McFarland, California. It’s a town of 12,000 people located in the San Joaquin Valley, famous for its rich farmland and vegetable production. The population is 95 percent Hispanic, virtually all of them dependent on picking crops as their only source of income.

Black or White a gray area

I once admitted publicly that I had “never seen a Kevin Costner movie I didn’t like.” My perspective on him hasn’t changed after seeing Black or White, but admittedly this is at the lower end of my “Costner scale.”

My scope on American Sniper

Several weeks ago Warner Brothers released American Sniper>, which set seven box office records in its first weekend. This is also based on true events, the story of Navy Seal Chris Kyle and his four combat tours in Iraq. It also features a battle of wits between Kyle and an Iraqi sniper who has killed a number of Americans.

American Sniper right on target

I promise this is the first, last, and only review where I will use the words “Wow, this movie blew my mind.”