Jungle Book (1994)

This was in the DVD player tonight.

Is it wrong that I have never seen this movie? 1994 I was stationed overseas or living like a rock star when I got back to the states. I think I saw Forest Gump in the theaters that year and thats all I can remember.

This is a great movie for little boys who like animals. I think its innate for a little boy to want to make animal sounds and be proud of knowing the difference between a polar bear and a brown bear. Jason Scott Lee, known most notibably for playing Bruce Lee in the biopic 'Dragon' the year before, does a great job as a Hawaiian playing an east Indian. In all seriousness he does score an admiral performance playing against his usual typecast. I do seem to remember reading about how he had to strip several pounds of muscle off his physique to play Mowgli after playing Bruce Lee.

Sam Neil (Jurassic Park, Merlin) plays a kindly British officer concerned about his daughter and her friendly relationship with Mowgli. Cary Elwes, (Princess Bride, Saw) but always Wesley to me, does his usual turn as a snobbish elite trying to use people for his purpose.

I think most people remember the Disney movie cartoon, might remember that Robert Louis Stevenson wrote the book a long time ago and maybe hum a few bars of 'Bear Necessities' but when pushed don't remember the plot of the story. I couldn't tell you if this version follows the original work any better or worse than another, but I was captivated how they were able to get the animals to interact with the screen and by that I mean keep kids in their seats.

This is movie for little boys. I don't think it will replace Lion King or a Land Before Time movie in the rotating queue we have on top of the dvd player, but enough to create fantasy on a summer afternoon.

Well also enough action for a three year old to come sit by his dad on the couch when the animals act scary around the humans, ya know...so that dad is not afraid.

Snakes on a Plane

Released in Theaters August 2006

Certainly one of the most anticipated titles to open this summer, Snakes On A Plane, is a pure keep your feet up on the chair as long as you can movie. Starring Samuel L. Jackson, being his bad ass self, plays FBI agent Nelville Flynn. And there is snakes on the plane. That's about the whole plot right there.

After a loose fifteen minute set up, the real fun begins with some of the most, "Hell yeah they really filmed that" snakes killing passengers montage, that wasn't a spoiler was it? The director David Ellis (Cellular) channels his most juvenile fantasy's working with naked bodies and toilet horror/humor. Yes men, he goes there.

Not a movie I would recommend for just about anyone squeamish about reptiles, myself included, but a late night screening full of the 17-30 demographic and you have yourself a great movie to laugh at and laugh at yourself.

I was actually surprised at some of supporting cast. Juilanna Margulies looks way better than she did a decade ago on ER. Personally I think she had some work done and the straight hair is a better look for her. Kenan Thompson (Saturday Night Live) not at his comedic best here but you root for him. Sunny Mabrey (House M.D.) may play an uptight doctor on television but the minute you connect her television persona to the smoking hot stewardess in the micro-mini, your interest in her character jumps significantly. David Koechner (Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgandy) does yeomans work as the beleaguered co-pilot.

This is a movie made for the big screen and made for the crowds. Its a B-movie trying to be a B-movie and does a great job. I personally will not buy this on DVD or watch at home in the dark if I have any value for walking around barefoot ever again.

A body of work

I have always had the desire, though not the inclination to own every best picture movie, based on the Academy awards. I started this process going backwards from 2005 and now I am somewhere around 1980. I immediately hit a road block when I could not find it in me to buy Shakespere in Love over Saving Private Ryan. The Academy is not perfect. I will have to stew over that until a later date.

A diversion

When not working hard, training hard for Ironman Triathlons or being a family man, I am watching movies. I love movies. I used to track all the movies I watched over the course of the years and averaged close to one a day. On average I watched over 350 movies a year. So I thought why not start giving some reviews.