Throwback Thursday-Movies Celebrating Their Silver Anniversaries- Pretty Woman (1990), Goodfellas (1990) And Problem Child (1990)

For a movie to be remembered and talked about 25 years after it’s initial release, it has to be something special. While there are some movies from 1990 that are barely worthy of one viewing, Pretty Woman, Goodfellas and Problem Child are worthy of multiple viewings, especially 25 years later.

In Pretty Woman, Edward Lewis (Richard Gere) is a business man who is in Los Angeles for a week on business. Desiring company for the week, he hires a prostitute, Vivian Ward (Julia Roberts) to join him for the week.  What starts out as a business transaction becomes something much more.

In terms of rom-coms, this movie ranks as one of the best. While the formula is simple, the story is just enough to keep the viewer engaged to the very end.

Goodfellas is the gold standard of gangster movies. Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) is a small time gangster. When he teams up with James Conway (Robert De Niro) and Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci), their goals become much bigger.  As James and Tommy begin to climb up the mob hierarchy, Henry begins to feel resentful. To bring his partners down, how far will he go?

While I am not normally a fan of the gangster movies, this movie is an interesting tale of how far we will go to achieve our goals, even it means betraying our closest allies.

Junior (Michael Oliver), in Problem Child, is well, a problem child. He has been adopted and returned to the orphanage several times. The nuns who run the orphanage know all too well what Junior is capable of. Ben (the late John Ritter) and Flo (Amy Yasbeck) are unable to have children the old fashioned way and turn to adoption. They hope to adopt a sweet, loving child. Instead they get Junior.

I remember thinking, that as a kid, this movie was incredibly funny.  While it does not stand the test of time as other movies from the early 1990’s do, I still have fond memories of this film.

I recommend all three.

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I Have A Dream

I have a dream that I am sitting on a beach, my toes curling in the warm sand.

The weather is a comfortable 85 degrees, with only a light breeze caressing my bare legs.

In my hands is my favorite book, at my feet is a cold drink. My sandals rest next to my beach chair.

The ocean comes and goes in front of me.

It is, in short, the perfect day.

And then I wake up.

It is a cold, dark March weekday morning. The alarm bleeps that it is 5:00 in the morning, time to wake up.

The temperature is barely above freezing.

Snow that fell two weeks ago is still frozen solid on the ground. My snow boots sit near my door, waiting to be put on for the umpteenth time since New Years Eve.

My bed beckons me back to it’s warm, loving arms.

But I know that I must get up.

Spring cannot come soon enough.

Excuse Me?

Rape is not a new phenomenon. It is as old as humanity. Rape is used to control and suppress victims and potential victims, making them feel powerless.

Leslee Udwin is a British filmmaker whose documentary, India’s Daughter is about the rape and murder of a young woman in India in 2012. The Indian government is doing all it can to keep the documentary away from the public.

Mukesh Singh is one of the men who  was sentenced to death for the crime. He believes the following:

A decent girl won’t roam around at 9 o’clock at night. … Housework and housekeeping is for girls, not roaming in discos and bars at night doing wrong things, wearing wrong clothes.

Excuse me?  Are my ears deceiving me? In 2015, the fact that these words are still being uttered is disgusting.

Let me tell you something, buddy. If there is anyone who should be locked away home and forced to cook and clean, it should be you.  Men and women are equal. If a woman wants to go out in the evening, it is her right to do so. Just because YOU believe that we are living in 1915 and not 2015 does not give you the right to tell a woman how to live.

I hope at the time of your death, whenever that is, Just A Girl keeps playing over and over until you go insane. And then maybe you will remember what century we live in.

Throwback Thursday-Look Who’s Talking (1989)

First person narrative is a common storytelling technique. But it is uncommon when the first person narrative is through the eyes of a baby.

In Look Who’s Talking (1989), Mollie (Kirstie Alley) is a single, career focused woman who only wants a normal boyfriend. Unfortunately, she has a penchant for unavailable, older men. She soon finds herself pregnant by a married colleague.  While in labor, she hails a cab to get to the hospital. The  man in the drivers seat, James (John Travolta), might be the man she is looking for.

The story is told through voice over of Mikey (voiced by Bruce Willis), Mollie’s son. It’s one of those movies that is enjoyable, funny and still relevant after 26 years. Adding to it’s likability is that contrary to the rules in Hollywood, the sequels to this movie,  Look Who’s Talking Too (1990) and Look Who’s Talking Now (1993), do not decline in quality as some movie sequels do.

I recommend it.

Something There Between Dan Stevens And Emma Watson?

In movie news that makes me incredibly happy, a new live action Beauty And The Beast will soon be in the process of being filmed.

In the title roles will be Emma Watson (Harry Potter) and Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey). Playing Belle’s unwanted and obnoxious suitor , Gaston, is Luke Evans (Dracula Untold).

This movie is only in pre-production, but I am so excited about this movie.

In other Beauty And The Beast news, a French language Beauty And The Beast was released last year. As far as I know, it has yet to be released in the states either in theaters or on DVD.