Toy Story: "To infinity, and beyond..."

Due to technical difficulties, Singing in the Rain, next on the list, had to be scrapped. Thankfully children live in this house, and they came to the rescue with number 100, Toy Story.

Toy Story is the animated film about Woody, an old school cowboy doll who leads the toy community in young Andy's room. They know the rules of being a good toy, and no one knows them better than Woody, Andy's favorite. The day of Andy's birthday party, Woody's world is rocked by the arrival of Buzz Lightyear, a space ranger with newfangled components, lasers and a cool rocket ship. Buzz also has the unfortunate problem of not realizing he's a toy; he's convinced he's a space ranger who needs to return to his mission. His complete lack of understanding about his role drives Woody to the edge. After accidentally throwing Buzz out the window before the family's move and earning the disgust of the rest of Andy's toys, Woody sets out to save Buzz. The adventure leads them to Sid's room, the next door neighbor who works out his issues by torturing toys. Hilarious adventures ensue, including a comeuppance of Sid (where Woody steps out of comfort zone and breaks some "toy rules"), Woody's redemption among his toy peers, and a rocket ride right back into the car, next to Andy, where they belong. The movie ends with Christmas presents being opened and Andy receiving a puppy, which brings trepidation to the toys. (Since they mostly all showed up in the sequel, we can assume they made it through the chewing stage.)

This is really a great movie, with several applicable life lessons: accepting the changes of life and finding your place (Woody), learning who you are and being happy with it (Buzz), that bad people should watch it, because you never know when it could all go haywire (Sid). Cool graphics for that time, funny for kids and adults, great voice overs by Tom Hanks and Tim Allen. A winner.

Pros: The dear daughter of the house joined us for the movie...she finally got one that wasn't "very boring".
Cons: I can't think of any. I would have rated it higher.

Next week: I believe Singing in the Rain if technical difficulties can be solved. If not, we'll move on--and "never go hungry again...."

Raging Bull: "So give me a stage where this bull can rage..."

Raging Bull was one of the more disturbing movies the group has watched, and for about half the room, the least favorite. I was intrigued by it, enjoyed it, and was incredibly depressed by it. Knowing it was a true story was the worst part.

Raging Bull is the story of Jake LaMotta, an Italian boxer from the Bronx, forced into boxing by his father who used the money he earned fighting neighborhood children to pay the rent. The film opens up to a flashback to 1941, when LaMotta loses the match with Jimmy Reeves, inspiring a fight amongst the crowd and creating a riot. The film then follows his career with numerous fights, his relationship with his brother and manager, Joey, the demise of his marriage and his relationship with the teenager Vicki, who he meets at a swimming pool and eventually marries. There are implications of his relationship with the mob, his downfall after fixing a fight for them, and his quest for the title. All the while, he is almost constantly overwhelmed by rage, jealousy and masochistic tendencies. He leaves his life with his wife for Vicki, but can never be happy, always assuming his own inadequacy and her infidelity. He nearly beats his brother to death after Vicki says in jest she's had an affair with him and half the neighborhood, and their relationship is severed. He moves to Miami, gives up on his boxing career, and spirals downward as a drunken bar owner. Vicki leaves him, he goes to jail for allowing underage girls into his club (in one of the most heart wrenching and uncomfortable scenes in the movie), and wanders through the world as a nomad with a nightclub show. The end of the movie shows him about to go on stage for a performance, repeating the lines from "On the Waterfront": "I could have been a contender; I could have been somebody".

This movie was brutal, not only because it's painful to watch someone ruin their life in general, but you got the feeling that he was almost unable to stop himself. His scene in the jailed revealed his feelings of inadequacy and shame. The movie may have saved Robert De Niro's life, but that's not enough redemption for this viewer.

Pros: I thought it was pretty riveting throughout. Some of my fellow moviemates would disagree.
Cons: The near constant muttering, especially of Vicki's character. I know, a superficial complaint. But a complaint none-the-less.

There's another film coming out about Jake LaMotta, according to online sources. Apparently, and in some ways, unfortunately, there's more sad stories to tell here.

Casablanca: "I wore gray, you wore blue"

First off, I apologize for the delay in posting. We've had a few weeks off based on schedules, etc.

So then, Casablanca.

Set in Rick's Cafe in 1942, it chronicles the ill-fated love story of Rick Blaine (an American expatriate and general crusty guy with baggage but a good heart) and Ilsa Lund (Czech beauty full of allure and mystery). Rick and Ilsa met in Paris and fell immediately in love, but Ilsa left him waiting at the train station after he proposed; it turns out that she's married to Czech freedom fighter Victor, who had shown up alive and well. Rick found his way to Casablanca and opened up a club, aptly titled Rick's Cafe, a swinging hotspot for all the Europeans trapped in Casablanca before they could make an escape to America.

Rick has two exit visas, which Ilsa and Victor need to escape to America. Will he deny them freedom and ensure Victor's certain death as the Nazis move to take over North Africa? Will he leave with Ilsa? Will he swallow his own pride and love, give them the passes, and live out his lonely life in Casablanca, with only the beginning of a beautiful friendship with Captain Renault to give him comfort?

Of course, Rick sends the couple on their way, with the promise that he and Ilsa "will always have Paris".

Certainly a classic. The wonder that is Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman is before you for the entire film. And the wonderful lines of the movie--"here's looking at you, kid", "round up the usual suspects", and of course, "Play it again, Sam" (which isn't actually said, but who's counting? It's pop culture.)

Pros: the mellow tones of Bogie, the smoldering of Ingrid Bergman, the power of a true love story.
Cons: can there be cons? It's Casablanca.

I eagerly await some posts from the other club members. *Ahem*. That means you, guys. We even have a Casablanca expert who joined in to watch....