Movie Review: (1964) "Mary Poppins" directed by Robert Stevenson

Screen shot

Mary Poppins: as I was scrolling through my TV choices, that charming film showed that it would be playing in a few minutes. I had other writing projects to work on, but, after a moments hesitation, pushed them aside. I have seen this movies three and now four times. Although it is dated 1964, it never is old for me.  Magic (although Mary Poppins would not agree), singing, dancing, playing on roof tops with chimney sweeps, two children (Jane and Michael) are charmed and entertained by this quirky nanny who came to them from the sky. She carried an umbrella and a carpet bag. The head of the umbrella was a talking parrot. The carpet bag held a floor lamp, a great broad leafed plant, her clothes, a measuring tape and whatever else she needed. The measuring tape showed character not inches. Michael: ‘stubborn and suspicious’; his sister Jane: ‘rather inclined to giggle and doesn’t put things away’ and when the children asked about Mary Poppins: ‘Practically Perfect in Every Way’

I was charmed again, laughed out loud and certainly will watch this film again. Both Julie Andrews and Dick van Dyke are white headed now but still living life and working in film. 

“First of all, I would like to make one thing clear: I never explain anything.”

~ Mary Poppins

Directed by: Robert Stevenson

Based on: The “Mary Poppins” books

Screen play by : Bill Walsh and Don Da Gradi

Abbreviated Cast:

Julie Andrews: Mary Poppins

Dick Van Dyke: Bert/Mr. Dawes Senior

Karen Dotrice: Jane Banks

Matthew Garber: Michael Banks:

Glynis Johns: Mrs Banks:

David Tomlinson: Mr. Banks

Hermione Baddeley: Ellen - maid

Reta Shaw: Mrs. Brill - Cook

Elsa Lancaster: Katie Nanna

Arthur Treacher: The Constable

Reginald Owen: Admiral Boom

Ed Wynn: Uncle Albert

Jane Darwell: The Bird Woman

Arthur Malet: Mr. Dawes, Junior

Movie Review: Paddington in Peru directed by Dougal Wilson

In need of a movie that made me laugh, Paddington in Peru was the perfect remedy. I’ve not seen the two previous Paddington movies, but am aware that Paddington Bear is an enduring fictional character from British children’s literature. Brown, fuzzy fur, an old blue coat and a red floppy hat, this ‘Peruvian bear’ had landed at Paddington Station in London, England, many years before this movie. (We don’t know how many years). He always carries a marmalade sandwich under his hat just in case he might need one. Adopted into the Brown family, he is just a bit silly, very sentimental and has a kind heart. He does look a bit stern when someone or something troubles him. 

Paddington (voiced by Ben Whishaw) receives a letter from the Reverend Mother (Olivia Colman) at the Home for Retired Bears that his beloved Aunt Lucy (voiced by Imelda Staunton) has not been herself recently. She feels that Aunt Lucy is missing Paddington terribly and would he come to Peru. This does create a difficulty because the Brown family would have to come with him - I don’t think he travels alone - but Mr. Brown (Hugh Bonneville) is far too careful to make such a frivolous trip. With the right encouragement from his family, he reluctantly agrees, especially concerned about all the creatures in the Peruvian jungle. And, fortunately, Paddington has just received his British passport! 

When the family arrives at the Home for Retired Bears, they learn that Aunt Lucy as disappeared, leaving only her glasses and a bracelet behind. Paddington determines that they must go into the jungle to find her. He has found a map to Rumi Rock in Aunt Lucy’s room. All they needed was a boat to get them to Rumi Rock and once again, fortune smiled on them. Captain Hunter Cabot (Antonio Banderas) and his daughter, Gina (Carla Tous) are at the dock and with persuasion he agrees to take them. What Paddington and the Brown family don’t know is that the Captain knows the legend of Eldorado at Rumi Rock where there is gold to be found.

What follows is the river trip that starts with an almost a cruise like atmosphere, but soon devolves into rough waters, abandoning ship, and getting separated from the Captain and his daughter. Of course, once on dry land it is a long trek through the jungle to Rumi Rock. I can only tell you that the gold is not real gold, and Aunt Lucy is found safe and sound. But the details remain for you to find on your own trek. But be warned:  you will laugh at the antics of them all, and smile at the loveliness of the family that always stays together. This movie is not for the faint of heart! 

“If you ever get lost, just roar.”

~ Paddington in Peru, Aunt Lucy

Directed by: Dougal Wilson

Writing Credits:

Michael Bond

Paul King

Simon Farnaby

Mark Burton

Jon Foster

James Lamont

Abbreviated Cast (from IMDb.com) :

Ben Whishaw Paddington bear (voice)

Imelda Staunton Aunt Lucy (voice)

Madeline Harris Judy Brown

Emily Mortimer Mary Brown

Hugh Bonneville Henry Brown

Samuel Joslin Jonathan Brown

Julie Walters Mrs. Bird

Olivia Colman Reverend Mother
Antonio Banderas Hunter Cabot

Carla Tous Gina Cabot

Movie Review: Anora ~ Written and Directed by Sean Baker

Initially I didn’t want to write a review for this movie, because of the opening graphic sex scenes and active drug use. Then I wondered how I would write it, because the story was about Ani’s many attempts to assert herself in her world of subservience ~ and it was full of humour and tenderness. Ani (short for Anora) was one of many escorts in a noisy, bright nightclub called the Headquarters. Private rooms in the back or on another floor were put to good use throughout the night. She and her friends shared a dressing room, and the bickering and secrets of school girls, with many choice words thrown at each other. Despite the glitter and polish, they were just young women doing a job. Sean Baker shows the gritty realism of this side of life. Ani (Mikey Madison) worked hard to earn her money, no matter how tired she got. 

The story twists off when Ani is asked to entertain a rich oligarch's son because she spoke limited Russian and none of the others did. After one night together, Ivan (Mark Eydelshteyn) asked her to be his girlfriend ~ for a week. Ani was invited to his home for a wild party. It was really his father’s house and was a grand playground. When immature Ivan wasn’t occupied with sex, or drugs, he was playing video games. They flew to Las Vegas to continue the fun, and while there, he asked Ani to marry him. They were wed in one of the wedding chapels and the happy couple returned to New York. It wasn’t to last! Toros (Karren Karagulian), a priest who was to watch over Ivan was furious when he learned that Ivan’s parents had been notified of the marriage. Ivan’s parents were furious and were flying in from Russia to get the marriage annulled. In the ensuing 24 hours, Ivan ran away, Ani fought off the two thugs (Garnik and Igor) that had come to contain Ivan til his parents arrived, broke Garnik's (Vashe Tovmasyan) nose, threw whatever she could get her hands on, til she was finally tied up with a telephone cord and gagged. Once Toros had Ani calmed, the four of them spent the rest of the evening going from club to club and finally found Ivan, extremely intoxicated and with one of Ani’s adversaries.

Ivan’s parents arrived, the annulment did go through, and Ivan left for Russia with his parents. Ani had gone from happiness to frustration the day before, too angry at her powerlessness in the whole situation. The movie ends when Igor (Yura Borisov) drives her to the plain home she shared with a friend. The final scene of Sean Baker’s movie, was unexpected and touched me deeply.

My difficulty with the nudity, graphic sexuality vanished as I watched Ani in her humanity despite her circumstances. A beautiful movie that I would consider watching again.

“Sometimes you have to pretend to be strong, 

even when you’re breaking inside.”

~ Ani, Anora, directed by Sean Baker

Directed by: Sean Baker

Writing Credits: Sean Baker

Produced by: Alex Coco, Samantha Quan, Sean Baker

Abbreviated Cast: 

Mikey Madison - Ani (Anora)

Mark Eydelshteyn - Ivan (Russian oligarch's son)

Vincent Radwinsky - Jimmy (Club owner

Aleksey Serebryakov - Nikolai Zakharov (Ivan's father)

Darya Ekamasova - Galina Zakharov (Ivan's mother)

Karren Karagulian - Toros (priest)

Vache Tovmasyan - Garnik (thug)

Yura Borisov - Igor (thug)

Ivy Wolk - Crystal (escort and Ani's best friend)

Lindsay Normington - Diamond (Ani's adversary)

Academy Awards 2025

Original screenplay, film editing, directing and best picture

Movie Review: Fable Deaf ~ Written and produced by Deaf Crows Collective

I was invited to attend the showing of the short film, Fable Deaf, on May 21, 2024. It was held in a banquet room at the Crave Restaurant on Victoria Avenue. The room was crowded with a mix of deaf and hearing Regina residents. The film was silent, with subtitles and full of action and energy. It was a juxtaposition of past knowledge and present trials. An old library of built only of windows and loose boards was cared for by elderly Hugo (Allard Thomas) who would have been content to read his history books and have a cup of tea. Devi (Fatima Nafisa), a young and happy girl, was trying in vain to repair the window frames of the old library that really was falling apart. To Do Lists were posted everywhere, none of the items checked off. Jaul (Mustafa Alabssi), a curious and then angry young man tried to make Hugo understand his concerns but they fought. In a beautiful bout of magical realism, their anger erupted in a violent storm that almost swept them all away and destroyed the library. Jasper (Oscar Grodeki), a child, was seen at the beginning and throughout the film - a young boy alone and seemingly forgotten. In the end, the generations came together and agreed to work together.

This entire evening was in ASL (American Sign Language) with an expert interpreter for those of us who did not understand or communicate in ASL. Following the film and a brief Q & A, we were treated to an explanation of how the film was made as well as a synopsis of its meaning. The ‘library’ was built at Thom Collegiate. The storm scene was shot in a local back yard in a swimming pool! 

It was an excellent production. If you would like to contact the Deaf Crows to see a trailer of this film, or just to ask questions their website is deafcrowscollective.ca

“I am fourth-generation deaf, which means everyone 

in my immediate family is deaf. So I grew up always having

 100 percent accessibility to language and communication, 

which was wonderful and something so many deaf people don’t have.”

~ Shoshannah Stern, actress

Written and produced by Deaf Crows Collective

Directed by Chrystene Ells

Starring

Mustafa Alabssi as Jaul

Oscar Grodecki as Jasper

Fatima Nafisa as Devi

Allard Thomas as Hugo

Shot on location the John Hopkins Regina Stage, Regina, Sk

Movie Review - The Color Purple - Directed by Blitz Bazawule

There is so much to unpack in this powerful movie. Set in a small black community in Georgia in 1909, Celie is pregnant and living with her sister, Nettie and their father. She has had one other child. When she delivers, she is allowed to keep the baby for two days, but her father takes the newborn from her as he had her first child ‘giving them to God’. Celie never told what that meant and mourned for her babies. Nettie has an admirer who asks for her hand in marriage. Her father declines that request, but soon after he tells Celie to pack her bags. She was to marry this man. He has three children that ‘need a mother’. Celie is beaten from the first day she is there if she doesn’t jump when asked, or if this man that they call Mister, is in a foul mood or drunk. 

Nettie had remained with her father, but turns to Celie when her father touches her indecently. She is allowed to stay as long as she pulls her weight and does as she is told. One evening, while she slept, Mister tries to climb in her bed. When she fights back he picks her up and throws her out in the rain. Holding a shotgun at her, he tells her to get off his land and not return. It will be the last Celie sees of her sister for several years. 

Celie learns of a woman who is her husband’s girlfriend. Shug is a blues singer who has Mister wrapped around her little finger. Shug, soft hearted and kind, comes to their home for a visit. She is the one to tell Celie her husband’s actual name: Albert Johnson. The children grow up, the eldest son, Harpo, builds a house for a new wife. The house is connected to his childhood home by a bridge across the swamp. Harpo and Sofia's marriage is tumultous.

In the intervening years, abuse of women continues. Harpo’s wife, Sofia, is one woman who will speak up for herself. Not a gentle woman, but kind hearted, she refused to bow down to the mayor’s wife. This scene is extremely troubling. She is beaten by white men, jailed and then made to work for the mayor’s wife ‘until she was recovered' from the beating.

It is clear that the women were controlled by the men. Sofia is the first person Celie saw who fought against the control. Celie had never been able to stand up for herself, didn’t know that she could and continues to tolerate the abuse. Shug is the second to see the abuse and finally take Celie away from it. On that day, her husband yelled her “You’re poor, you’re ugly, you’re black and you’re a woman.” That from the porch of their house as she was driven to safety by Shug’s new husband, Shug and another woman. 

Because of the cruelties they faced, women supported each other when they could. This movie told their story with wonderful choreography and song. Brilliant casting, wardrobe and lighting made this a joy to watch. I’ll not give away more of this story except to say that the ending was joyful and very satisfactory.

“Everything want to be loved.”

~ Alice Walker, The Color Purple

Directed by: Blitz Bazawule

Second movie adaptation of : The Color Purple by Alice Walker

Screenplay: Marcus Gardley

Abbreviated Cast: 

Fantasia Barrino - Celie

Taraji P. Henson - Shug Avery

Halle Bailey - young Nettie Harris

Phylicia Pearl Mpasi - young Celie

Danielle Brooks - Sofia

Colman Domingo - Albert “Mister” Johnson

Ciara - adult Nettie Harris

Cory Hawkins - Harpo Johnson

Deon Cole - Alfonso

H.E.R. - Squeak

Louis Gossett, Jr. - Mister Johnson, Sr,

Jon Batiste - Grady

Movie Review: Champions directed by Robert Farrelly; starring Woody Harrelson

Drunk driving, arrogance, community service and a basketball team named Friends. A charming story with deep meaning? Light, full of the joy of living and lots of laughter. Woody Harrelon is Marcus, the assistant coach with a minor league basketball team. At a regular game, in a fit of annoyance at the head coach, Marcus shoves him and is kicked off the court. Believing he has been right, he heads to a local sports bar where that scene is being replayed on the big screen TV. Drunk and grumbling to the bartender, he gets in his car, ploughs into the back of a police car and winds up in a court of law. His choice? 18 months in jail or 90 days of community service as coach of a basketball team. All members mentally challenged adults. Against his better judgment and some prejudice, he accepts the Friends. He has some learning to do about humility and the team is more than willing to teach him. 

One of the early scenes is a lovely woman leaving his bedroom after a one night stand. Turns out that she is the sister of one of the team members. Johnny, played by Kevin Iannucci, is a very central figure in the story and loves Marcus on sight. Later in the movie he gives Marcus the stink-eye for having a relationship with his sister. One of their players and the only girl on the team, is returning to the game after being out with an injury. Constantino, quite a diva, challenges Marcus as soon as she meets him. Anyone for that matter: Marcus, his assistant and the whole team if they don’t meet with her standards.

Each of the team members has their own history. Woody Harrelson, as Marcus, must mold them into a winning team. If they can beat the other local teams, they will go to Winnipeg for the Special Olympics. Getting the money for such a trip is just one more challenge for the Friends. These people have brain injuries, congenital problems, or Down’s syndrome. Darius, for instance, a good player, refuses to be coached by Marcus because his brain injury was caused by a drunk driver.

I’ll not tell you the outcome of the Special Olympics. Suffice it to say it was a satisfactory ending. Laughing out loud at the antics in the movie, our movie group loved the whole story.

“You know the game better than anybody. 

You got to learn to build relationships.”

Coach Phil Peretti,  Champions

Directed by: Robert Farrelly

Based on: Campeones by Javier Fesser David Marqués

Writing Credits:Mark Rizzo

Abbreviated Cast: 

Woody Harrelson - Marcus (Coach of the Friends)

Kaitlin Olson - Alex

Ernie Hudson - Coach Phil Peretti

Alexandra Castillo - Judge Mary Menendez (as Alex Castillo)

Matt Cook - Sonny

Kevin Iannucci - Johnny

Madison Tevlin - Cosentino

James Day Keith - Benny

Matthew Von Der Ahe - Craig

Ashton Gunning - Cody

Casey Metcalfe - Marlon

Cheech Marin - Julio

Joshua Felder - Darius

Tom Sinclair - Blair

Alex Hintz - Arthur

Bradley Edens - Showtime

Mike Smith - Attorney McCurk

Stephanie Sy - Reporter

Movie Review: Women Talking directed by Sarah Polley

As the title suggests, this movie is a group of women talking. Not the chatter of idle gossip or the most recent fashions, but the serious debate about whether ‘to do nothing, to stay and fight or to leave’. Based on true events of horrendous serial and ongoing rape and domestic abuse in a Mennonite colony, the women of the colony knew they had to do something, or stay quiet. Throughout the movie, there were flashback scenes of the effects of the rapes and abuse. Sensitive to the audience, the actual violent acts were not part of the filming. Drugged, they never knew who or when they would be assaulted. They were given many reasons why they woke up with bruises, became infected or pregnant. Reasons of dreaming, making things up, ghosts or Satan were given for the behaviour of the men of the colony. After one such attack, one of the girls saw the face of her abuser, reported it to the colony elders. The abuser named the others and they were taken to jail - for their own protection. At least one woman was angry enough to attack one of them.

 The women discussed how they had never asked for any kind of help at all from the men.  This prompted one of the few scenes of levity in the movie when they realized that the first thing that they would ever ask of the men would be for the men to leave the colony. There were many scenes of happy children playing in the cornfields surrounding the colony.

The setting was the loft of the barn on the colony’s land. One man only was included in their deliberations: the school teacher who was there only to take the minutes of their meeting. Given the content of the movie, the gray/green/brown filter used in the cinematography was very effective in telling this disturbing and hopeful story. We do not know the outcome for the abusers, but the final scene is of a long line of carriages with children, women and belongings leaving the colony.

“Time will heal. Our freedom and safety are the ultimate goals, 

and it is men who prevent us from achieving those goals.” 

~ Women Talking

Directed by: Sarah Polley

Based on the novel: Women Talking by Miriam Toews

Writing Credits: Sarah Polley (screenplay by) and

                           Miriam Toews (screenplay by)

Abbreviated Cast:

Rooney Mara - Ona

Judith Ivey  - Agata

Emily Mitchell - Miep 

Kate Hallet - Autje 

Liv McNeil - Neitje

Claire Foy - Salom

Sheila McCarthy - Greta

Jessie Buckley - Mariche

Michelle McLeod - Mejal

Kira Guloien - Anna

Shayla Brown - Helena

Frances McDormand - Scarface Janz

Vivien Endicott Douglas - Clara

Ben Whishaw - August

August Winter - Melvin