Footloose

Let’s talk feet. Or foot… loose, that is. I don’t recall watching the 1984 film, but I was excited to see the one that came out in 2011.

Ren McCormack, played by Kenny Wormald, moves to a small town that had banned dancing and music due to the death of a preacher’s son after a party. Ren falls in love with the preacher’s daughter, Ariel, played by Julianne Hough, and they, along with other classmates, are determined to have a prom with music and dancing.

After referring to bible verses to show how people back then danced to celebrate to rejoice and worship, Ren was still unable to convince the council to change the rules.

Well, in the end they find a way and have their prom. And the party begins.

Why is Footloose cool?

Good dancing is always a plus in a movie. I mean, if it’s going to be a movie about dancing. The dancing in this movie was fun and exciting. And dancing is a stress reliever for one of the main characters, Ren.

The music is upbeat and fun.

And there’s the shoes, oh the shoes… and shocks. I really enjoyed the fancy foot work when you only see people’s feet while they dance with funky socks and shoes. I’m no crazy about the bare feet but all in all, not bad.

Here are a few fun shoes, definitely worthy of the film. J

Oz

When I heard that Oz: The Great and Powerful was coming out, the first thing I thought about was that 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. This new film is not based on the other though. It’s base on novels by American author, Lyman Frank Baum. I confess, I have not read these novels. Actually, I didn’t know they existed until recently.

Anyways, The movie was good. The end. Joking! About “the end” part, not bout the movie being good. When deciding what to watch, I had plenty to choose from, but in the end I couldn’t resist the great and powerful.

One of the things I like about the movie is the scenery: the plants and flowers and hills and strange little flying creatures. And it’s all in 3D. I't's nice to appreciate the little things in life. So, below I've inserted a clip of some of those little things:

It’s nice to kind of see how Oz got to be where he is. It’s kind of hard not to look at it as sort of a prequel to The Wizard of Oz. So, Oscar Diggs, aka Oz is a magician in a traveling circus. And he gets sucked up into a tornado and lands in the magical Land of Oz. Everyone thinks he is the wizard who has come to defeat the wicked witch and rule the land. But he is a fake and has no true magical powers. But he does know tricks. And with that and the help of the good people, he finds a way to defeat the two wicked sisters.

Ok, so that is a sad excuse for a summary. But we all know something about Oz, so if you are at all interested, go see it. Or wait a while and rent it. It’s worth a watch. Now, I like action in a movie. It’s no secret. There are no awesome fight scenes here. No. But that is okay. It’s funny and so cute. Yes, cute. I think most will enjoy if they know what to expect.

So check out the trailer and decide for yourself. Enjoy J ---Ann

Worth Watching

You know those movies you watch only at a discount price, or on cable TV? Sure you do. Warm Bodies and Jack the Giant Slayer are two recent movies I’ve watch that sort of fit into those categories. From the trailer, I felt like I’d like to see them; give me something to watch and take advantage of my discount. And they weren’t bad.

R

Warm Bodies, starring Nicholas Hoult, is one of those fun movies to watch. A zombie’s heart starts to beat because of his love for a girl. So, “R” (because he can’t remember his name) and Julie (Teresa Palmer) eventually fall in love. And eventually, he is back to a human being. It has its funny moments that will keep you laughing here and there throughout the movie. It’s cute.

Jack and Princess Isabelle

Jack the Giant Slayer, also starring Nicholas Hoult, is another fun movie to watch. I wasn't anticipating it, but I managed to catch it on dollar movie night. It has its funny moments and is a bit of a love story. So, you have the poor boy and the princess who has one thing in common: an adventurous nature. After coming across some magic beans, Jack drops one in water and the bean stalk grows and up goes the princess with it. Jack and the king’s knights go after the princess, but it is Jack who ends up saving her. Then the really fun part begins. The action is what I enjoyed the most, and the fact that there were giants. By the time it got to the battle against the giants and the people of the Kingdom of Cloister, it was over before I knew it. It was as if they ran out of time and had to come up with an ending too soon. I could definitely see a longer fight scene. I was getting into it and then…the end.

Jack standing up to one of the lead, Fallon

Both movies are worth a watch. I enjoyed. J --Ann