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Dolphin Tale, a review by Danae Cassandra

Dolphin Tale
Year of Release: 2011
Directed By: Charles Martin Smith
Starring: Harry Connick Jr, Ashley Judd, Nathan Gamble, Kris Kristofferson, Cozi Zuehlsdorff, Morgan Freeman
Genre: Drama, Family

Overview:
In an inspiring story of the bond between animals and humans, a boy named Sawyer discovers an injured dolphin, who is brought to a marine hospital and named Winter. Unfortunately, her injuries cost Winter her tail, without which she may not survive. But with Sawyer's devotion, a marine biologist's (Harry Connick Jr.) and the brilliance of a prosthetist (Morgan Freeman) charged with creating a new tail, Winter may receive a second chance at life.

My Thoughts:
This is a lovely family film, inspired by the true story of the rescue of an injured dolphin. It's very much a feel good movie, with a message of triumph over adversity, and to not give up no matter how hopeless things might seem. Don't give up on yourself, don't give up on your dreams, don't give up on your family.

Don't know why it's rated PG, there's no violence and absolutely nothing offensive. The acting is solid, especially the child actors. I really liked that Sawyer and Hazel are allowed to be children, and that the adults are not portrayed as the enemy. Maybe they don't always understand where the kids are coming from, and maybe they're world-weary when the kids are all optimism, but they're not the villain here. Even the person you think is going to be the villain isn't.

All in all, a warmhearted, uplifting family film, and a solid choice for anyone interested in such things, and any kid who can sit through a 2 hour movie. Recommended.

Bechdel Test: Fail

Overall: 4/5

(From Within My (Mom's) Lifetime Marathon on January 22nd, 2015)

The Quiet, a review by RossRoy

WHAT THEY SAY

This erotic and suspenseful tale of sex, lies and betrayal stars 'Elisha Cuthbert' ('The Girl Next Door') as Nina Deer, a pretty cheerleader whose life is turned upside-down by the arrival of her parents' godchild Dot ('Camilla Belle', 'When a Stranger Calls'), a deaf and mute girl recently orphaned by her father's death. Although Nina looks upon Dot's deafness with disdain, her family and friends develop a strange attraction to her, and Dot soon becomes a sounding board for everyone's heaviest burdens. But when Nina becomes convinced that Dot is hiding a few secrets of her own, she decides to confess a family secret so disturbing, it cannot be ignored. Also starring 'Martin Donovan' (TV's 'Weeds') and 'Edie Falco' (TV's 'The Sopranos').

MY THOUGHTS

Can't believe I still hadn't posted a full review of this little gem! I know I've mentioned a few times how much I like it, but I really was under the impression I had posted a full on review in the past. Oh well, here goes then! What can I say? I love this movie! Even more so, because it was a complete surprise when I first watched it. I had bought the movie solely based on the fact the Elisha Cuthbert and Camilla Belle were in it. And look at that picture? Wouldn't that make you want to watch it and makes the film look really "yummy"? Turns out this drama has a dark secret and really dark story, dealing with a heavy and disturbing theme. But what, to me, makes this movie so great is the so called "twist". The movie already develops like a good drama should, establishing the characters, their relationship, evolving as the movie moves along. And then, the twist hits at the end, and the movie takes a whole new meaning. Some situations that almost made no sense, now play a very important part in the flow of events. I find the ending is very powerful too. I find it hard to actually explain without spoiling it, but I really really love it. And even though I have watched it 4 times now, it still has the same impact on me.

RATING

(From RossRoy's Random Viewings on March 28th, 2010)

Tom's TV Pilots marathon, a review by Tom

The Time Tunnel: Volume One (1966/United States) IMDb | Wikipedia Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (United States) Length: 710 min. Video: Full Frame 1.33:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 1, Spanish: Dolby Digital 1, French: Dolby Digital 1 Subtitles: English, Spanish

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Plot:
FROM THE CREATIVE GENIUS OF IRWIN ALLEN ("Lost in Space," "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea," The Poseidon Adventure and The Towering Inferno) COMES ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR AND ORIGINAL SCI-FI SHOWS OF THE 1960s!

"THE CONTROL OF TIME IS POTENTIALLY THE MOST VALUABLE TREASURE THAT MAN WILL EVER FIND."The Time Tunnel
Season 1.01 Rendezvous with Yesterday 09.09.1966
Writer: Irwin Allen (Created By), Harold Jack Bloom (Screenwriter), Shimon Wincelberg (Screenwriter), Irwin Allen (Story By), Shimon Wincelberg (Story By), Harold Jack Bloom (Story By)
Director: Irwin Allen
Cast: James Darren (Tony Newman), Robert Colbert (Doug Phillips), Michael Rennie (Capt. Malcolm Smith), Susan Hampshire (Althea Hall), Gary Merrill (Senator Leroy Clark), Lee Meriwether (Dr. Ann MacGregor), Wesley Lau (Master Sgt. Jiggs), John Zaremba (Dr. Raymond Swain), Whit Bissell (General Heywood Kirk), Don Knight (Grainger), Jean-Michel Michenaud (Marcel), John Winston (The Guard), Brett Parker (Countdown Technician)

A good introduction to a good series (at least the first half of this series I enjoyed). Compared to later episode, the complex containing the time tunnel is much much bigger here. The sheer size of it is mind-boggling here, but later it seems the project only employs a few people in a much smaller environment.

Rating:

(From Tom's TV Pilots marathon on November 11th, 2012)