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Thomas Kinkade's Christmas Cottage, a review by Danae Cassandra

Thomas Kinkade's Christmas Cottage
Year of Release: 2007
Directed By:  Michael Campus
Starring: Jared Padalecki, Marcia Gay Harden, Peter O'Toole, Aaron Ashmore
Genre: Drama

Overview:
Returning home from college one Christmas, young artist Thomas Kinkade (Jared Padalecki) is dismayed to learn that attempts to promote local tourism have failed and his mother (Marcia Gay Harden) is dangerously close to losing the family cottage to foreclosure. Inspired by his mentor, Glen (Peter O' Toole), a famous artist who lives next door, Thom accepts a job painting a mural of his small, idyllic hometown. With Glen's help, Thom not only discovers his calling as the Painter of LightMy Thoughts:
I observed once that no one appreciates sentiment any more.  We have uplifted cynicism in its place.  I think perhaps that accounts for some of the reason this film has gotten poor reviews.  Yes, it's sentimental, and maybe a bit schmaltzy, but I enjoyed it and thought it was pretty good.  It's a Christmas movie, and one should expect sentiment in such a film.  The film and its characters felt very real to me, these small town eccentrics and their rivalries and friendships.  If Peter O'Toole is the standout, the entire cast did a good job with their characters.

For those who have said this isn't a "family movie" because of some very brief, and very mild, language, and the portrayal of the town hussy, you are missing the forest for the leaves.  The film is filled with the value of love and community, of putting aside those things that hold you back from others and coming together.  And that makes it a good Christmas film.  Recommended, unless you're a total prude living under a rock, or too-cool for old-fashioned sentiment.

Bechdel Test: Pass

Overall: 3/5

(From Yuletide 2013 on December 19th, 2013)

Zatoichi, a review by Tom

Title: Zatoichi
Year: 2003
Director: Takeshi Kitano
Rating: 18
Length: 116 Min.
Video: Widescreen 1.85
Audio: Japanese: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, Japanese: Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English

Stars:
Takeshi Kitano
Tadanobu Asano

Plot:Awards:
Extras:
Featurettes
Interviews
Scene Access
Trailers

I had some fun watching this movie. It is a little slow at times. Takeshi Kitano ("Battle Royale") did a good job as Zatoichi and as the director of this movie. It is very similar to Ichi, the sequel. Though I remember I enjoyed the subplot and the supporting cast in that one more than in this one.

Rating:

(From Tom's Alphabet Marathon Reviews on July 3rd, 2010)

The One Where It All Began: The Pilot Marathon, a review by DJ Doena

What's the show about?
Three sisters doing spells and stuff. Fighting evil. Looking gorgeous. That's all I know.

"Something Wicca This Way Comes"
After her mother has died the Halliwell sisters Prue, Piper and Phoebe move back into their family house and discover that they are witches and that they are destined to fight evil. Prue can move things with her mind, Piper can see the future and Phoebe can stop time and they have to defend themselves against an evil warlock who wants their powers.

My Opinion
Sorry, I tried, I really did. This is the third time I watched the pilot and I believe I once watched the second episode. This was a blind buy because I thought "What can go wrong: three beautiful ladies, witchcraft, battling evil - cool.". But it wasn't. The way they simply accepted their fate and never really questioned what has happened to them? Not freaking out? Sure, they toyed with a spirit board in their youth but they never even knew that there actually were paranormal events in the world. And yet "Cool, we're witches, let's fight evil!" - no sorry, can't accept that premise.

(From The One Where It All Began: The Pilot Marathon on September 24th, 2009)