Mini Movie Reviews: August 2020 (#AMonthWithoutTheCode2020)

Hello, friends!

Just like I did in July I'm going to be writing a mini review for all of the films I saw in August! This month I joined in on #AMonthWithoutTheCode2020 hosted by Pure Entertainment Preservation Society (PEPS)!

The goal is that following up #CleanMovieMonth2020 you don't watch any Code films. I watched:
Movies made not in Code years: 15!
Movies made in Code years: 1 (It was for a blogathon that I was a part of.)

Hold up, MC, what is "The Code"? Through the years 1934-1968 (according to PEPS, the more accurate timeframe was the "Breen era" headed by Joseph Breen, which ran from 1934-1954) movies had to be approved by the Motion Picture Production Code, and its purpose was to provide clean movies that anyone could watch. This is what PEPS specializes in! The writers behind this blog, the Brannans, have realized that like all things, some are wonderful examples and some are below par. They have come up with a system of classifying all of the Code films which follows (For more detail, please go HERE):

Non-Code film - How could this have even gotten approval!? It has a core problem that isn't Code compliant.
Poor Code film - Might have a core problem in addition to lots of surface problems.
Fair Code film - No core problems, but some surface ones.
Good Code film - Absolutely acceptable in all ways!
Perfect Code film - This goes beyond a Good Code film because it either has a wonderful message to teach the audience, or it deals with a hard topic in a very good way.

You might say, "That's all good, MC, but it applies to Code films, and these aren't Code films." True, true! I'm going to say that if they would have been allowed to be made in Code years. Maybe it's just as good as a Code film! Maybe there are a few things that could've been adjusted. Read on to see what categories these fell into!

Any titles with an asterisk (*) means that it was a rewatch. If I have reviewed it fully, there will be a link to it. If it is underlined I'm thinking about fully reviewing it but haven't decided yet. Help me decide! If it sounds like something you want to read my thoughts on more fully, let me know!

These are all spoiler free!

Justice League (2017)

Brief thoughts: I prefer the MCU, but, there were some things that I liked! Gal Gadot was awesome, as always, as Wonder Woman. Her story and lines were good. In addition to her, I loved the Flash! The way they decided to portray him was super fun.
If it were in Code it would be: Non-Code
I don't want to give away any spoilers, but I can say this, some core elements would not have gone over with the Code. Quite a few things made me uncomfortable, either core or surface. It's giving me shudders just thinking about it!

The Pirates! A Band of Misfits (2012)*

I hadn't seen this in ages. It is pretty funny!
If it were in Code it would be: Fair
The "un-Codish" elements here are just crude humor and whatnot. The story is fun and actually it has a really sweet message.

STAR WARS: The Return of the Jedi (1982)*

Ah! It had been months since I'd seen a Star Wars movie! I can't let that happen again. This one is my third favorite of all time. It has the most wonderful conclusion ever!
If it were in Code it would be: Good/Fair
PEPS just "breened" this a few weeks ago, so check that out HERE. There are some surface problems, and I agree with some of Tiffany's changes, like the costumes, but I also think some of the gruesome aliens are there for a purpose. Plus, the story is just so good!

Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2015)

I've been meaning to see this movie for years! Since it came out! As I suspected, Dan Stevens's portrayal was hilarious!
If it were in Code it would be: Fair
Crude humor and gross things on the surface, but fine other than that.


The Princess Bride (1987)*

Guys, I hadn't watched this since I reviewed it! That was in 2017! For a movie that I watched every few months growing up, that is too long a time to wait. This is one of those wonderful nostalgic movies, where, of course, I know all of the lines.
If it were in Code it would be: Fair
It took me awhile to decide on this because the subplots with revenge could bring it down to Poor, but I love it so I'm calling it Fair. One 'son of a -----' and killing.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968)*

If there are any absolutely wonderfully fantastical movies in the world, this is it! Watching it makes me so happy!
If it were in Code it would be: Good
I might be a little biased because I've been watching this since before I can remember and I don't want to look for elements that might not have been Code-like. It is full of sweetness and happiness. Truly scrumptious!

The Parent Trap (1961)*

I usually watch the remake of this, so it was good to see the original again!
If it were in Code it would be: Fair
The story line in itself would fit very well with the Code! There are only some minor surface problems, and that's it.

Clue (1985)

Technically this is my third time watching this, but I didn't mark it with an asterisk because it was my first time seeing all three endings!
If it were in Code it would be: Non-Code
I want to write a post about this, but for today I'll just give a quick run down: There is not a single Code element in this film. It's an '80's movie. I liked it because there are some fun parts, but I'll talk more about it another day.

Amazing Grace (2006)*

This is one of my favorite movies of all time and I finally got my little sister to watch it! That makes me so happy.
If it were in Code it would be: Perfect
Sometimes people (like my mom and younger sister) get annoyed with how sensitive I am about movies. But hey, this is the reason I started a blog, so I could talk about it! Whenever they say that you can't have a clean movie that talks about serious topics, I point to this movie. It is one of the truly perfect movies in the world! It's a true story and doesn't back away from that, but it doesn't unnecessarily throw in stuff to clog up the message. You can tell that the utmost thought went into every detail and it all has a right place. Please, if you haven't seen this film, you NEED TO. I hardly ever say that, but it's true!

Big Jake (1971)

I reviewed this for Legends of Western Cinema Week!
If it were in Code it would be: Fair/Poor
Go read my review for more thoughts.

Little Women (2019)*

I meant to review this when it first came out, but I haven't gotten around to it. One of these days! Anyway, this is such a good movie! The 1994 Little Women will always have a special place in my heart as my favorite version, but this is fantastic, too!
If it were in Code it would be: Perfect
It has such beautiful themes about family. There is nothing offensive or wrong about it!

Spirited Away (2001)*

Studio Ghibli movies are amazing! Also, I think Sen is one of my favorite fictional characters, because her growth through the story is A+!
If it were in Code it would be: Fair
Now, there are so many strange and odd and unique and crazy things about this movie. A few of them would be too gross for the Code, I think, but they all add up to make it such a magical experience or certainly a wild ride!

Mirror Mirror (2012)*

ANOTHER ONE OF MY FAVORITE MOVIES. I cannot watch this enough. I love the dialogue, the creativity, the characters, all of it!
If it were in Code it would be: Fair
Just some crude humor, gross things, and such, and usually it would bother me, but this movie is so good all the same.

Letters to Juliet (2010)

I'd heard about this for ages, and I'm happy to say that it didn't disappoint me! I don't usually like Rom-Coms, but this was sweet! I loved Claire.
If it were in Code it would be: Fair

Snow White (1987)

I'm a little obsessed with the fairytale Snow White and will read or watch anything that involves it. This was so strange, I laughed the whole way through!
If it were in Code it would be: Fair
It was perfectly acceptable until the end then something gruesome happened. My sister said, "That ruined the whole movie!" Not really, but it was bizarre.

Puss in Boots (1988)

So sorry about the terrible quality of this photo! It was the best I could find!

If it were in Code it would be: Good
I kind of fell asleep during this, but in my defense, it was really late. It was hilarious and had songs! My sister and I couldn't believe it!


Code films:

Three Guys Named Mike (1951)

Code Rating: Good/Fair
Watched for the Van Johnson Blogathon! Read my review to see what I thought of it!



Those are all the movies I saw in August! Thanks to PEPS for hosting this!

Now your turn: tell me what you've watched recently! Have you seen any of these? Can you quote all of The Princess Bride? Thanks for reading!

MovieCritic

#AMonthWithoutTheCode65!: Wrap-up

Hello, everyone!

During July this year Pure Entertainment Preservation Society (PEPS) hosted #CleanMovieMonth85! where the goal was to only watch Code films.
So, during August, they hosted #AMonthWithoutTheCode65! where the goal was to watch only Non-Code films to compare to the movies we saw last month, and to think of how they would be different in the Code years! I am happy to say that I did it! I didn't watch any Code movies, but it was hard!

Here are my thoughts on each of the movies I saw to see if they could have been made between 1934-1954. I'm only counting movies that I saw all the way through because I have a bad habit of just watching parts of movies.
Movies watched: 10
If it has an asterisk next to it, then I was rewatching it:

The Fix It Boys (2017)

My sister and I watched this with two boys that we were babysitting. The acting and cinematography was really cringe worthy, but it was such a sweet story!
In Code?: Yes, I would definitely say so.

Descendants 3 (2019)

My sisters and I saw the premiere of the first movie, and since have seen the second one and both are two of my favorites. I was really looking forward to this... but was disappointed. It wasn't as fun as the others, the songs all sounded the same, the costumes were weird, everyone needed a haircut, and the plot was crazy. I am happy for you if you liked it, though. Carlos was my favorite so it was bittersweet.
In Code?: Um, I'm not sure what the Code says about magic. It would need a little "tweaking", but it is fine.

Back to the Future Part 2 (1989)

My little sister and I had so much fun watching this! I won't say too much because I hope to write a review soon.
In Code?: It shows how being greedy can really corrupt you and the world. There are bad things, but there are also consequences, which I think is really important to show. It would have been interesting to see how the self-regulators of the Code would have done it!

Howl's Moving Castle (2004)*

My heart! This movie is so nostalgic!
In Code?: There is a lot of violence, scary images, and war scenes.

The Jane Austen Book Club (2007)

My older sister and I had a lot of fun watching this because we are really big Jane Austen fans, but I'm not sure I'd rewatch it ever. Grigg was the best (though I am annoyed with one part with him that they threw in for no reason)! For some weird reason I couldn't find any posters with him, so I have to include another picture here because it's only fair.

In Code?: There was talk of divorce and different affairs, and some really suggestive things (sometimes more than suggestive. Grrr.) And... other stuff. Can you tell that I'm frustrated!?

Gosford Park (2001)

I want you all to know that I know how Julian Fellows thinks. I got the mystery correct!! It was fun to see all of the actors, but won't be rewatching this.
In Code?: Definitely not. I wish that I could watch a mystery without all of the "bleh" stuff that usually goes with it. Can't all of the directors stop doing this??

The Monuments Men (2014)*

Such an interesting story, and great cast!
In Code?: It is a war movie, so a lot of violence.

Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde (2003)

These movies are cheesy and weird, but also kind of fun to watch if you're not doing anything else. There is way too much pink and not enough blue.
In Code?: There is a lot of crude humor, and suggestive things. There were other bits that I really don't think were necessary.

Black Panther (2018)

I had been wanting to see this for such a long time!! I thought that a few things were a little predictable, but it was fun. The technology is so cool, and I loved Stan Lee's cameo!
In Code?: Another movie were there is a lot of fighting and violence.

The Adventures of Tintin (2011)*

Tintin! This movie is so great! The mystery is so awesome. It was so much fun to rewatch.
In Code?: There is a surprising amount of violence for a kids movie, but other then that it is okay.


And I saw part of The Lion in Winter (1969), but I gave up because it was so bad. It should have been made in Code!


Also, on September 23rd-25th, PEPS is hosting a Phantom of the Opera Blogathon! To all of you "phans", they would love it if you participated!

Thank you to Tiffany and Rebekah Brannan for hosting this!

Thanks for reading! Have you seen any of these movies? What do you think of them?

MovieCritic

Movie Review: What About Bob? (1991)

"Good morning, Gill. I said, good morning, Gill!"
(More like "Good evening, everyone. I said, good evening, everyone!)

Okay, I am finally going to do it. I have had this review in my drafts for such a long time, and now it is finally going to see the light of day! I hope you all enjoy!

My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless I give you warning.

What About Bob? (1991):

"Why don't I start?"
Bob is a really friendly person, but to put it simply, he has problems. It seems like no psychiatrists can help him, until he finds Dr. Leo Marvin. Bob starts to feel a sense of peace, but Dr. Leo leaves for his summer vacation. After a lot of effort, Bob figures out where he went, and steps outside of his comfort zone to go there. Dr. Leo is frustrated that Bob lied to him, and now won't go away! Will Bob stop being afraid, or will Dr. Leo's vacation be "ruined"?
"You won't go away!"

Genre: Comedy.

Length: approx. 99 minutes.

Costumes: 7, I mean, there is nothing great, but nothing bad. There is one time when someone isn't wearing a lot.

Script: 5, there is swearing. Bob has a theory that "If I fake it I don't have it.", so sometimes he fakes having tourette's syndrome by screaming curses.
"It's so right that you and I have come together."

Crew:

Directed by: Frank Oz.

Written by: Tom Schulman, Alvin Sargent, & Laura Ziskin.

Starring:

Bill Murray as Bob Wiley. "I feel good, I feel great, I feel wonderful..."

Richard Dreyfuss as Dr. Leo Marvin.

Julie Hagerty as Fay Marvin.
Charlie Korsmo as Sigmund "Siggy" Marvin.

Kathryn Erbe as Anna Marvin.

Fran Brill as Lily Marvin.
Tom Aldredge as Mr. Guttman.
Susan Willis as Mrs. Guttman.
Roger Bowen as Phil.
Doris Belack as Dr. Catherine Tomsky.

Cinematography: 7, once again, nothing amazing.

Cinematography by: Michael Ballhaus.

Music: 6, pretty forgettable, because I can't remember it right now!

Music by: Miles Goodman.

Quotes: 10! My family and I quote this all the time!
"Baby steps. Baby steps out of the office."

Notes: there is a reference to Singin' in the Rain (1952), which I appreciate because it is my favorite movie! There is also one for The Brady Bunch.

Storyline: 7, there is someone acting in violent ways to another person, it talks about trying to kill someone, talk of suicide, gross things, there is a mention of divorce, and a few suggestive things.
"You're saying I'm all tied up inside."

Good For: People who have many phobias, anyone who likes comedy.

Age Range: I think I first saw this when I was about 12, but I think anyone over 10 would find it funny. For someone younger, they might like it, but they might not get it.

Overall Score: 7.

Bonus thoughts:

This is not my favorite movie but it is really funny, and will always make me laugh. Bob is scared of everything, and we can all relate to being scared of different things. What we learn with this movie is that there is always something worse. But don't be scared of that! Live your life and don't be afraid to swim because you might drown, just learn to do it the proper way. Don't do everything based on "what ifs".Just try not to get other people angry at you, okay?


There you go! As I said, I have had this draft for months, and today is finally the day it is published!

Thanks for reading! Have you seen this movie?

MovieCritic

August 2019 Blog Events

Hello, everyone!

I know that we are already 13 days into August (what?? How is this possible??) but I have a few announcements for you! There are a lot of awesome blog events that are going on this month that I have to let you know about!

Current events:

These are already started, but it is never too late to join!


The Fifth Annual Barrymore Trilogy Blogathon!

Hosted by In The Good Old Days of Classic Hollywood and Pale Writer. This started today and goes until the 15th! I have participated the last two years, so I am excited to join again! Look for my post soon!


It's So Classic Blog Party!

Hosted by Rebellious Writing! RW turned two on the 9th, and they are celebrating by having this blogathon all through August, focused on one of my favorite genres, classics!


#AMonthWithoutTheCode65!

Hosted by Pure Entertainment Preservation Society. Last month was #CleanMovieMonth85!, so to show the difference between code films and non-code films, we are only watching non-code films this month! This may be even harder than last month.

Upcoming Events:

The Wizard of Oz Blogathon!

The movie The Wizard of Oz is going to turn 80 years old, so to commemorate this, Taking Up Room is hosting a party completely about it, the 23rd-25th. I can't wait to talk about it!


Are you looking forward to any of these?

I know that my posting lately has been less organized that usual, but don't fear, it is all going to work its self out very soon. Thanks for reading!

MovieCritic

#AMonthWithoutTheCode: Wrap-Up

Hello!
Pure Entertainment Preservation Society (PEPS) hosted #AMonthWithoutTheCode all of August!

I was trying to not watch any Code movies, but it is hard because sometimes you really want to see something good! Anyway, here is how I did, my thoughts on these movies, and whether or not I thought they were "In Code".

Non-Code movies: 8
Code movies: 2

(* means a re-watch)

The Last Jedi (2017)*

Ah, so good! This is my second favorite STAR WARS movie! I have watched it three times since it came out, and each time is so good!
In Code?: Lots of intense action, death, and some bad words (thanks, Poe), but other than that, I would say yes!

The Man From Snowy River (1982)*

Oh, this movie just makes me so happy! It is so great. I couldn't convince my sisters to watch it with me, but my dad did.
In Code?: Mostly.

Moana (2016)*

Ugh. I don't even know why I re-watched it. I really enjoy Disney movies, but this one.... just no.
In Code?: Not in my standards, but probably.

Freaky Friday (2018)

My sister convinced me to watch this, I actually watched it twice in August. I'm not sure if I like it yet.
In Code?: I think so.

For Me and My Gal (1943)

Okay, this was so great. I did not think it was going to be like that, but it was! I can't even say how much I enjoyed this.
In Code?: Definitely! They handled things so well!

The Pirate (1948)

Well, I was looking for a swashbuckler, and I found one, sort of. I really have no clue of what to think of this.
In Code?: I am not sure. Don't ask me.

(NOTE: I watched the previous two because Cordy hosted a Month of Classics Blogathon.)

E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)*

Read my review to see what I think of it.

Sing (2016)

My sister had been wanting to see this since it came out, so we finally watched it. It was better than I thought it would be.
In Code?: Sure, I would say so.

The Force Awakens (2015)*

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh!!!! So good (except the one thing). You might be wondering why I watched The Last Jedi before The Force Awakens in a month. The answer, I've seen them all so whenever I feel like STAR WARS I just get to randomly choose one. It drives my family crazy that there is no order.
In Code?: Same as The Last Jedi.

The Secret Life of Bees (2008)*

Oh man, this is a real tear-jerker. It had been years since I watched this. It is really deep.
In Code?: It's really hard to say, because all of the things are essential to the storyline. There are things that are bad, but they are shown as being bad. Well, there is one thing that I am not sure is in code.

I saw part(s) of:
Cats & Dogs

There you have it! Big, big, thank you to PEPS for hosting this!

Tell me your thoughts on these movies!

MovieCritic