Anna and the King of Siam (1946)

It would be easy to dismiss this movie as the whitewashed version of the semi-true story of Anna Leonowen's life as an English teacher for the King of Siam’s 60 plus children but it’s actually a beautifully crafted classic with excellent performances by everyone involved. Sure it would have been nice (and moral) if they would have hired an actual Asian actor to play the king instead of using English actor Rex Harrison but that was a different era back then (this is a big rationalization but it’s a truth that shouldn’t be excused but should be understood). The shining star of this production is Irene Dunne who is radiant as Anna, taking the audience on a deeply rewarding journey.  I'm kind of shocked she wasn't nominated for an Oscar that year.   I like her portrayal of Anne more than any others I've seen.  It is something of a testament to Miss Leonowen that so many adaptions have been inspired by her writings from novels, films and a musical.  Grade: A-

The Secret Life of Words (2005)

This beautiful and quiet film explores the love story between a woman with great inner pain nursing a man with great outer pain. The always subtle and inspiring Sarah Polley plays Hannah who volunteers to take care of a burn victim at a closed down oil rig to escape a forced vacation. Tim Robbins, as the patient, gives a tender performance that’s a pleasure to watch (my biggest criticism is that he’s hard to hear sometimes). This artfully written and directed film by Isabel Coixet feels like a poem at times. But the story is actually quite dramatic and clearly defined. The more I ponder this film the more it grows on me.  Grade: A-

General Della Rovere (1959)

Mr. Bardone, played perfectly by Vittorio De Sica, is a man used to manipulating people. He lies and cons his way into a gambling problem that sees him desperately trying to collect money to perpetuate a lie that he is helping the families of those Italian soldiers captured by the Nazis. When he is found out, S.S. Colonel Mueller decides to use this selfish con man to his advantage. Bardone simply needs to pretend to be General Della Rovere and in prison help Mueller identify the leader of the resistance. This is one of the best Roberto Rossellini films I’ve seen. It’s a complex character study of a man trying to find the courage to be a better man than he has ever been. It gives us a Nazi Colonel that’s not some cartoon stereotype, but a believable human being. Bardone is a flawed man but he’s also a likeable one and that’s a testament to De Sica and a brilliant script. I found Bardone’s journey inspiring and the kind of story perfect to recommend. Grade: A

Star Trek: The Next Generation (Season 3)

The first two seasons of Gene Roddenberry's updated Star Trek series were great entertainment but this was when the show became ground-breaking. The quality of writing jumps up a level, starting with Ronald D. Moore's episode The Bonding and continues all the way to the best cliffhanger in Star Trek history (okay, that might not be correct but it’s the best I've seen so far in my revisit of this show). You can tell that the actors are more comfortable with their characters and they must have loved their writers for refusing to make them caricatures. Most welcome is the return of Dr. Beverly Crusher, a character that was missed from last season. A mistake repaired it seems from fan complains. PulaskiYar (which was awesome) and gives us a completely believable alternate reality. "The Offspring" is one of the best Data centered episodes, when he surprises the crew by building another android, a daughter. Sins of the Father expands on Warf and the Klingon empire, helping develop an alien race into more than barbaric warriors. Then their is "Sarak", the brilliant episode which should have helped Patrick Stewart when and Emmy. Really all the episodes are fantastic. If I had to single out any low points they would be "Captain's Holiday" (where Picard becomes Indiana Jones) and "The Price" (where Diana Troy falls in love with another mind reader). Overall this is a masterful collection of episodes and proof that Star Trek was more than just a fun show or science fictin geeks. Grade: A

13 Assassins (2011)

If you like violent Japanese Samurai stories then this is just the film for you. It’s a mix up of the Seven Samurai with a Dirty Dozen plot. I can imagine Quentin Taratino did back flips over this one. A group of warriors join up to take down an evil war-loving ruler. The last forty minutes are raw classic swordplay with blood and death. There is some character development squeezed in there but I felt it could have used more; some of the characters needed a bit more back story. Still Takashi Miike directs an entertaining film with good drama and tension. And I have to add that I appreciate that there’s no slow motion.  Michael Bay, you could learn a lot form this film.   Grade: B+

The Bank Dick (1940)

I prefer W.C. Fields’ film The Gift more but there are some clever gags in this farce about a bumbling loser father who ends up becoming the head of security for a bank after “accidently” catching a bank robber. The best part of the film is Mr. Sousé family; they’re despicable and hilarious. I almost wished they could have been the center of the film instead of the bank plot line. Grade: B+

Salaam Bombay! (1988)

The despair of India’s slums makes for a dramatic setting but it’s so hard to watch. And to make this story even more discouraging is that its hero is a young boy just trying to make enough money to go back to his home village. Mira Nair directs a drama that remains truthful without letting the poverty of the city take over the story’s main narrative drive. Yet the poverty looms like a dangerous force. At times I had to remind myself that this was fiction. The kids are real and the film making isn’t showy to the point you are constantly reminded you’re watching a movie. I love this kind of film making. Grade: A-