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

Book Review: The Crownless King - by Kara Linaburg

Welcome, one and all!

Today I'm reviewing a very special book....and that's because is going to be published tomorrow! Eeeep! I'm so, so, so deeply excited for this! As the sequel to The Broken Prince, I've been waiting for this for over a year! Kara has made an incredible journey with self publishing, and I will continue to look forward to her books for years to come.

Ahem. Today is not about some strange date in the future, it's about tomorrow (yes, I understand that sounds so weird)! On to my review!

My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless I give you warning. This is spoiler free!

Note, this is the second book in a series, and therefore when reading it there will be spoilers to the first book, but in my review there are no spoilers for either.

Disclaimer: I got a free copy in exchange for an honest review. These opinions are my own.


The Crownless King - by Kara Linaburg:

Sabriel is the only lady in the Knights of Norcir, a group of Gifteds determined to overthrow the King of Sindaleer. She has known abandonment and loneliness her whole life and feels that her heart has hardened. On a scouting mission she has the option of killing a lad who would report them in an instance to the Guardians, a group that has sided with the King, but the idea of killing in cold blood is wrong to her. With so many people picking sides can she win the struggle of keeping her own mind and not be controlled or influenced?
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult.
Characters: 10! Wowza, guys, so, these characters are amazing. I wanted more of all of them! I love the struggles each of them face (whoops, I sound so cruel saying that, but INTERNAL CONFLICT for the win!).
My favorite: 
Hands down, 100%, Sabriel. I really loved having her as the main character! She has had to harden herself through the years and even with that the other Knights are always making fun of her and trying to prove that she will betray them, which would've gotten on my nerves so much sooner if it was me. I also liked having a few familiar faces of characters from the previous book throughout the chapters in this book.
Words: 9. There were no bad words. The only thing I thought was kind of funny was that in this setting with a very medieval vibe characters would say "shut up" and "shut it". This is just such a modern usage, it felt a little jarring. If it had been the words "quiet!" or "silence!" it would have felt more natural. But I really love Kara's writing style. It is just so gorgeous, right away I am wrapped in the world building like a warm blanket.

"Glowbugs blinked and played in the velvet darkness. Like stars dancing in the field, they hovered in the tall glasses, their white light breaking through the night."

Content: 8. There is smoking, drinking, and some suggestive things (shown as bad). There was a time when one character randomly took off his shirt which just made me stop and say, "That was weird". This has wars and battles so there are deaths and violence, sometimes graphic, but shown as bad. One of the things I loved so much about this book was a death (sorry, I'm sounding cruel again, but it's not like that!) and how it was handled.

"What in the name of destiny are you talking about?"

Originality: 9. I know it's a popular world building element to give people powers in fantasy, but I really like the variety of the powers of the Gifteds. I've seen some of these before but I like the dynamics carried through. I liked her uses of these even better than the first book, and the plot twists really surprised me!
Good For: People who have experienced loss or loneliness. Fantasy lovers.
Age Range: This is young adult so the characters are older, but that might not matter to younger readers. I would say 13+ because of all the talk of war and torture but it depends on each individual person and their tolerance level.
Overall Score: 9!
Worth reading?: Yes! While I liked The Broken Prince, this book spoke to me on a deeper level. The story was so creative and I enjoyed it thoroughly. It broke my heart in a few places and sewed it up in a new way.

"Little flames danced above her and she played with the fire, forming glowing butterflies that flitted around her..."

Will I read again?: Yes! Especially because it has been so long since I read The Broken Prince I can see myself reading them again close together and enjoying it even more.

Bonus thoughts:

I now want all of you to experience Sabriel's story, so go read it!

Find on Goodreads HERE.

Thank you to Kara for giving me an eARC of this book to review! The opportunity was amazing. Make sure you go over to her blog HERE and congratulate her on this second book!

Thank you as well to my little sister for helping me type this out when I had other things to do. Secretaries are the best!

And thanks to all of you for reading! What is your favorite fantasy book?

MovieCritic

Book Review: Ships, Secrets, & Survivors - by Sarah Rodecker and Helena George

Ahoy, mates!

Today I am participating in the blog tour of Helena George and Sarah Rodecker's debut novel, the first in The Pirate Hunter Chronicles! For more details on this book check out the other spots on the blog tour HERE or HERE.

My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless I give you warning. This is spoiler free!

Disclaimer: I got a free copy in exchange for an honest review. These opinions are my own.


Ships, Secrets, & Survivors - by Sarah Rodecker and Helena George:

The Scaera Dumeda is a test for those wishing to become ambassadors for the Alliance. People sail from all over to get in. Princess Adima knows that she can do better for her country by being in it and is hopeful for entry to the tests. Ravin is on the run from his past, and when his name is called he knows something is terribly wrong. Both of them find themselves wrapped up in an adventure that leads to the sea with the Captain Jay Hill and his crew. Who is behind all of this, and is it too late to prove that they aren't murderers?
Genre: Swashbucker, Adventure, Fantasy.
Characters: 10! I love each and every one of them! They are all so real! I would talk about all of them, but I'm limiting myself to only my top favorites:
Ravin: You have to love this quiet guy indecisivewith a dark past he is running from! His dialogue is the most accurate of all time. I just feel for him.
Justin: This guy, this guy, is hilarious! My favorite of all of them.
Josiah: He's so positive and kind, he just is a sweetheart!
Adi: I love how quick on her feet she is and can make so many decisions! As someone who is the most indecisive in the world, I loved that she is able to do that.
Ash: Of all the characters, I want to know more about her! She is mysterious and tough, but a good leader in training!
Jay Hill: Jay commands all of your attention, so I have to grant it to him. He is the showman! His love for his crew is so great.
Words: 10, characters are mentioned as swearing, but all of the words themselves are omitted, which I really appreciated.
"If you look a horrible disaster, then you're all the more likely to get your named called and have to stand in front of all the people, right?"
Content: 8, there is violence, mentions of blood, and people being sick. There are deaths and killing, but there are discussions around that which are super thought provoking. Characters are hurt and there are mentions of abuse, but are shown as bad.
"If you think you're the only one here with a past, look around. We all have stories to tell, some dirtier than others."
Originality: 10, this gets a full score out of me! At every turn there is something new and I love it. Magical ships, tests for leadership, ragtag crews, count me in!
Good For: any fantasy and pirate story lovers.
Age Range: There are a lot of deaths and whatnot, but that depends on each individual's personal preference. I think I would've been fine with reading this when I was younger than 13, but that's just me.
Overall Score: 9.5!
Worth reading?: Yes, indeed! I feel so fulfilled with my daily dose of adventure now! The plot is so engaging, I'm really looking forward to more stories in this series!
Will I read again?: So far I have read it twice, and I can see this as something to enjoy from time to time, so yes!
Bonus thoughts:
This is an epic adventure if you're every looking for one! I would definitely recommend it.

Find more information on Goodreads.
Order on the WEBSITE or AMAZON.


Sarah and Helena are also hosting an awesome giveaway which I suggest you check out right HERE, right now. There is some incredible stuff there to send this book off into the world! Check both of their blogs and congratulate them on this achievement!

A huge thank you to them for allowing me to be part of this!

Thanks to all of you for reading! Have I peaked your interest? I hope I have, because this book is totally worth it!

MovieCritic

Movie Review: Three Guys Named Mike (1951)

Hello, hello, hello!

Today I'm writing about a movie I watched for a special occasion (you know me, I'm making to read to the bottom to find out what it was) which I really wasn't expecting it

My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless I give you warning. This is spoiler free!


Three Guys Named Mike (1951):

Based on: 'the story by Ruth Brooks Flippen, from suggestions made by Ethel 'Pug' Wells" (from Wikipedia)

"God didn't mean people to be strangers and with commercial aviation people all over the world are becoming neighbors."

Marcy Lewis is starting her job as an airline stewardess. She is a girl with a bubbling personality and millions of ideas streaming out of her all the time. Throughout her travels she meets three guys in different situations, who all are attracted to her and all happen to be named Mike! Where will Marcy's ideas get her next, and who will be with her?

Genres: Comedy, Romance.
Length: approx. 90 minutes.
Costumes: 7, standard clothing and uniforms. There is a scene where an outfit is really short, but it's part of the story, and is only there for a few minutes anyway.

Costumes by: Helen Rose.
Script: 10, no bad words or swearing!

Crew: Directed by: Charles Walters. Written by: Sidney Sheldon. Ruth Brooks Flippen, Ethel Wells.
Starring:
Jane Wyman as Marcy Lewis.
Van Johnson as Michael Lawrence.
Howard Keel as Mike Jamison. "I feel like a flying busboy."
Barry Sullivan as Mike Tracy.
Phyllis Kirk as Kathy Hunter.
Anne Sargent as Jan Baker.
Jean "Jeff" Donnell as Alice Raymend.
Barbara Billingsley as Ann White.
John Maxwell as Dr. Matthew Hardy.
Herbert Heyes as Scott Bellemy.
Robert Sherwood as Benson.
Percy Helton as Mr. Hawkins.
Bonnie Kay Eddy as Natalie.
Don McGuire as MacWade Parker.
Hugh Sanders as Mr. Wiliams.
Ethel 'Pug' Wells as Herself.
Sydney Mason as Osgood.

Cinematography: 9, while it's nothing spectacular, I was so impressed by all the airplane shots! Now we don't think much about people getting on an airplane, but this was made in 1951, when it wasn't as common! I can't recall many other movies this early to feature shots from an airplane with landings and such, so I thought that was neat.

Cinematography by: Paul C. Vogel.
Music: 7, nothing memorable if there was any.
Music by: Bronislau Kaper.
Quotability: N/A, because I just watched it for the first time so recently.

"In every class that you teach someone will remember something you say, and because of it his life will be changed a little and he'll change someone else's life, and that way you become projected into the future."

Content: 8, smoking, a few lines of innuendo, and one suggestive situation at the end, but that's it!
Originality: 9, I know that there are a few later comedies that focus on aviation (most famously Airplane (1980)), but this one seemed so original to me! I really liked Marcy's character, and everything with the story was just fun to watch.

Good For: Fans of the actors.
Age Range: I think absolutely any age could watch this and get a kick out of it! Very decent for all.
Overall Score: 8!

Worth watching?: Yep! Marcy was such a relatable protagonist! Not that most people have three guys loving them, but with how she handles situations. She messes up, sometimes in really big ways, but she isn't a bad person. She always tries to fix her mistakes and is so friendly to everyone. Just something about her struck me as being great.

"What I did was right, it just turned out wrong."

Will I watch again?: You know what? I will! It was a fun way to spend my time and I can see myself watching it multiple times in the future.

For the blogathon:
Remember that special occasion I mentioned earlier? Well, this is my contribution to The Forth Van Johnson Blogathon!

I first heard of Van Johnson during the first blogathon in his honor, and after that I realized that I had seen some films with him and began looking for new ones specifically with him in it.

I was having trouble deciding which movie to talk about for this blogathon, but I'm so glad I chose this one! His character in here was so sweet. One of my favorite parts was when a little girl, Natalie, asked another character about him: "Don't you think he's handsome?"

Check HERE for other posts about Van! Thank you to Michaela for hosting this!

Thanks to all of my readers for, well, reading! Tell me if you've seen anything with Van Johnson! Best wishes to you all!

MovieCritic