Iron Monkey (1993) [PG-13]

If you are a fan of movies such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, House of Flying Daggers, and Hero, you will enjoy this movie. It was made years before Crouching and is directed by that movie's action choreographer. This movie is pretty funny, with exaggerated stock characters and great fighting scenes that foreshadow the extraordinary feats shown in the later movies.

The story is based an episode in the childhood of Chinese folk hero Wong Fei-hung and his father and their encounter with the Iron Monkey, a Robin Hood sort of character. Iron Monkey fights a corrupt governor and helps the downtrodden. The governor wants Iron Monkey captured, which is easier said than done, as he is masked, and no one knows his name or where he is from. We learn early on that he is really the village doctor.

After futile attempts by the governor in capturing him, including arresting anyone who has anything to do with monkeys, Wong Fei-hung is kidnapped by the governor and held hostage until his father Wong Kei-ying finds and defeats the Iron Monkey.

This is a fast and furious comedy. I found the later movies to be somewhat pretentious films that took themselves a little too seriously. You won't find that here. This is a simple story, the fighting scenes are excellent and exciting, and the comedy is funny! Check out the fighting scene where everything catches on fire!

This movie is a farce, so there is romance, but nothing even R-rated, and full of fighting but somehow not really violent. I will confess that this is a period piece, with titles, but so much fun that the whole family will enjoy it once they get over these issues. A martial arts classic!

DIRECTOR: Yuen Wo Ping. CAST: Yu Rong Guang, Donnie Yen, Jean Wang, Tsang Sze Man, Yuen Shun Yi, James Wong, Yen Yee Kwan.

AWARDS: 2 nominations

thirtysomething {TV} (1987-1991) (4 seasons)

This television show, about seven friends in their 30's living in Philadelphia, was amazing television when it was first aired. It still is! Centered around a married couple, Hope and Michael, and their friends, the show tried to show many of the life changes we go through in our 30's. The group includes Hope and Michael, Nancy and Elliot, (who are married), Ellyn (note the "y"!) who is Hope's best friend since childhood, Melissa, who is also Michael's cousin, and Gary, Michael's best friend since college.

The various life events include the death of a parent, the death of a friend, someone getting cancer along with all the horrors of chemotherapy, a marriage almost breaking up, getting married, unexpected pregnancy, the decision to have a second child, a miscarriage, a business going belly up, career failure, career change, career advancement, looking for love, and the changing feelings that occur in marriage and friendship. This group of people are perhaps more open with each other than most of us are, but they do get to the truth of their feelings. And although many of the stories are dramatic, there is also great humor.

The acting is truly superb. All the cast were encouraged to direct episodes, which seemed to strengthen the acting even more. There are great moments of acted-out imagination, which was very experimental at the time, although not so unusual today. And there is some amazing and gorgeous camera work along with great soundtracks. Keep an eye on the guest stars, you'll see many familiar faces.

Thirtysomething was also the first television program to show two homosexuals in bed together (although not having sex). Their kiss made some advertisers withdraw which shows how far we have come.

Although a timepiece of the late 80's, the show has not dated (except for fashion [remember those humongous eyeglasses!]) and remains relevant to this day. This is quality television!


Created by Marshal Herskovitz and Edward Zwick. CAST: Ken Olin, Mel Harris, Melanie Mayron, Timothy Busfield, Patricia Wettig, Peter Horton, Polly Draper, Patricia Kalember, David Clennon.

AWARDS: 13 Emmys and 28 nominations; 2 Golden Globes; another 15 awards and 30 other nominations. 

TRIVIA: Ken Olin and Patricia Wettig are married in real life.

"thirtysomething" entered the Oxford English Dictionary in 1993, later followed by "twentysomething" as catch-all words to describe generations.

Love at First Bite (1979) [PG]

It's time for a very silly movie! Love at First Bite is a great antidote to the current high school vampire romance craze. George Hamilton's Count Dracula is evicted from his castle in Romania when it is converted into a school for gymnasts. Having nowhere to go, accompanied by Renfield (Arte Johnson), he decides to try the U.S.

And the silliness begins. His luggage (coffin) gets lost at the airport ending up at a funeral at a black church in Harlem. (Holy Jeffersons, Batman!) He discovers, to his amazement, that the U.S. has blood banks! He falls in love with a model (Susan Saint James), a direct descendant of Mina Harker, Dracula's true love. Her psychiatrist (Richard Benjamin) is pretty sure he is love with her, but not enough to marry her. He is, however, sure that Dracula is a vampire, and it is his duty to hunt him down and kill him, even though he has no idea how. After all, he is the descendant of Van Helsing, although he has changed his name to Rosenberg for professional reasons.

The movie is full of references to the old vampire movies. My favorite: in the old movies when Dracula hears the dogs (wolves?) howl, he smiles and says, "Ah, the children of the night." Our Dracula says: "Children of the night, SHUT UP!" complete with Romanian accent.

There is a scene in a disco where the music has been changed from the original. Instead of "I Love the Nightlife," we get a disco version of "The Man I Love." It's a shame because it does change the feeling of the scene. (See how much movie music affects a scene!) If you look around, you can find the original version.

Like many of the spoof movies, not all the jokes work and it is uneven and dated, but the jokes come fast and furious, and you will find yourself laughing out loud. It is also a great showcase for the pop culture of the '80's. If you've had enough Twilight, True Blood, and all the other vampire hyper-romances, this should cleanse your palate.

DIRECTOR: Stan Dragoti.  CAST: George Hamilton, Susan Saint James, Richard Benjamin, Dick Shawn, Arte Johnson, Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, Barry Gordon, Ronnie Schell, Eric Laneuville.

AWARDS: 3 wins and 4 nominations.

The Door in the Floor (2004) [R]

I'm not sure why I was so taken by this movie. The acting is indeed superb, with Jeff Bridges and Kim Basinger as a couple whose marriage is not surviving the deaths of their teen-aged sons. The title refers to the Bridges' character's bestselling children's story: a hole in the floor that children fall through.

This couple is cruel to each other, although Bridges' behavior is more overt and pointed. After losing their sons, they have a daughter (played by an incredible Elle Fanning at age 4!) to replace them, which, of course, she cannot do. Bridges is a charming womanizer, Basinger is depressed. Into this situation comes a young man, the son of a family friend, to be an apprentice to Bridges. He bears a strong resemblance to one of the deceased sons and becomes both the pawn and catalyst of this marriage. Is this deliberate on Bridges' part?

The movie is an adaptation, by the director, of the first part of John Irving's bestseller A Widow for One Year. As a result, this is a moving, multi-layered drama. All four main characters go through their own process alone, even as they share the same space.

The theme: you may not always hurt the one you love, but you sure know how! I was deeply affected by this movie, it made me cry, yet somehow can't really find the words to describe my experience.

A fascinating movie about marriage, love and relationships.

DIRECTOR: Tod Williams.  CAST: Jeff Bridges, Kim Basinger, Jon Foster, Elle Fanning, Bijou Phillips, Mimi Rogers, Robert LuPone, Donna Murphy, Louis Arcella.

AWARDS: 1 win and 4 nominations.

Beauty and the Beast (1946)

This is one of the most beautiful and romantic movies ever. Directed by Jean Cocteau in black and white, in French, is so worth seeing. It is so romantic I want to swoon when I see it! It is visually dazzling! It is surreal, with a corridor of disembodied human arms grasping candelabra that burst into flame as Beauty passes by, Beauty's tear drops turning into diamonds as she weeps over the Beast's fate, and flowing material everywhere.

There are some comic scenes, too, preventing the film from being overwhelming. If you can get your kids to watch, they, too, will enjoy the movie. The theme, of course, is that we should not care about others just based on appearances.

This is also a movie about love: the love which grows between Beauty and the Beast, the love between Beauty and her father, and the lack of love that her sisters have for Beauty.

It is truly a masterpiece with something for everyone. It is also the most accessible Cocteau movie, who is better known as a film surrealist. In this movie, he creates a complete fantastic world. It is amazing what he created, especially in view of how limited the technology was at the time.

The next time you are looking for something different, with no shooting or explosions, make this your movie!

DIRECTOR: Jean Cocteau.  CAST: Jean Marais, Josette Day, Marcel Andre.