with Kurt
Russell as the legendary ice hockey coach Herb Brooks is Disney’s latest
motivation/inspirational offering. Set in the winter Olympics of 1980,
Brooks is hired by the US Ice Hockey Team to create a winning team out of a
bunch of college kids who are splintered and rivals. The goal— to take on
the world, and especially, the Soviets. Brooks creates Team USA, taking on
the Soviets and Finland. In the end, the gold is theirs. Reminds me of
Apollo 13—everyone knows how it ends . . . but it’s an incredible story and
you stay in the moment.
Who Should See It? —
The entire
family.
3½
Golden Eggs.
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is Meg Ryan’s
latest from Paramount, and what a change of scene it is. Sure, she’s
beautiful as boxing manager Jackie Kallen—but she’s rough too (where did the
gravelly voice come from?). Also starring Charles S. Dutton as Felix the
trainer, Omar Epps as Luther the fighter and Tony Shalhoub as bad guy
manager of the current champ. As a kid, Jackie Kallen lived and breathed
boxing through her family. As an adult, she worked for a boxing rep in the
role of secretary—longing to show her stuff. In a challenge, and for a
borrowed buck, she takes the bait. Kallen guides Luther Shaw to a
championship, as she did several other fighters. Along the way, her ego
almost breaks her and her charge. Think Rocky here.
Who Should See It?—Teens
and up, Gramma might like it.
3 Golden Eggs
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LION KING 1 1/2
by Walt
Disney Pictures and Home Entertainment was created for the home on both
DVD and VHS. It’s a story behind the story of Timon and the odorous
Pumbaa as the set up for the popular
LION KING
movie.
Viewers (and this is created for the young ones), will learn why Timon
left his family and friends and went out on his own; how he met up with
Pumbaa and how their friendship actually sets them up to take care of the
stranded and frightened Simba. There’s a new dimension to the Hakuna
Matata musical number. Two discs—games, virtual safari and music video
included.
Who Should See It?—this
is for families—so get the pop corn out and curl up for a safe movie to
watch.
3 ½ Golden
Eggs
UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN
with Diane
Lane as writer Frances Mayes and supporting cast of Sandra Oh, Lindsay
Duncan and Raoul Bova is like having a wonderful dessert that melts in
your mouth. Lane’s Frances is a newly divorced, bummed out writer who
can’t connect with her words, much less herself. Her cronies decide that a
trip abroad will do her good. Sending her off on a tour of Italy, she
impulsively buys a run-down (a very, very run-down) villa.
Acquiring/hiring a crew to fix the old girl, she ends up doing the same
for herself. New friends, new places, and a new life. There is life after
divorce . . . for some, a very good one.
Who Should See It?—Teens
and up if they like the genre, Gramma will like this one—I loved it,
Tuscany, here I come! 4 ½ Golden Eggs
MY BOSS’S DAUGHTER
with
Ashton Kutcher, Terence Stamp, Molly Shannon and Tara Reid is a mess. A
dumb story line that’s old (boy fantasizes about girl who is the daughter
of the boss—who he happens to get tongue- tied every time he’s near her;
girl asks boy to come over to her house—he’s under the pretense she wants
to get to know him—she is roping him into house-sitting so she can boogey
with her boyfriend—did I tell you that there is an owl to take care of?;
girl comes home ticked at boyfriend . . . well, you get the picture.
There’s a good reason this one was filmed and landed in DVD land shortly
after birth. One can only wonder who has millions of dollars to kiss off
in creating this garbage.
Who Should See It?—No one, not
even the dog. 0 Golden Eggs
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