If there is a movie that fully gets by on the talents and charisma of its stars, it is this one. The story is a very typical romantic comedy and if you have ever watched the Hallmark channel then you know everything that was going to happen. What gives this movie charm in spite of its familiarity is the likability of the stars and of the characters they play. The main characters in this film are played by George Clooney, Julia Roberts and Kaitlyn Dever (Booksmart, TV's Last Man Standing). These three are simply overflowing with charm and enhance any film they are in. In this movie, they are at their most likable and charming and make some of the corniest most predictable moments quite a bit of fun. I also like that this film makes their characters always very likable even when they are being selfish or being angry at each other. This makes the film feel a bit like a pleasant vacation with nice people. The movie also takes good advantage of its island setting and this makes for a very visually pleasing film. While the humor never made me laugh out loud, quite a few of the jokes made me smile a little bit and there weren't many really bad jokes here.
The problem with this film is that is extremely similar to a great number of romantic comedies and does nothing to make it stand out from the pack. As such this is one of those films that you might forget about rather quickly after watching it. Also with the movie's predictability, many of the plot points feel too painfully obvious and there are too many times when we are simply waiting for what we know is bound to happen to happen.
This film provides a pleasant trip to the movies but little more.
Though his name may not be known to a lot of you, if you are a Charlie Chaplin fan you have probably seen Loyal Underwood. He was briefly a member of Charlie Chaplin's stock company and appeared in numerous of the great comedian's silent films, including The Count (1916), Easy Street (1917), The Cure (1917), The Immigrant (1917), Shoulder Arms (1918), Sunnyside (1919), Pay Day (1922), The Pilgrim (1923). He would later return to Charlie Chaplin to play a brief role in Charlie's talkie feature film, Limelight (1952). After his original stint with Charlie Chaplin, he would work for the radio station, KNX. This following article fills in some other parts of his career. If you have any trouble reading it click on the page below and use your touch screen to zoom in. Also, his favorite movie actor in the talkies was Rin-Tin-Tin, of course. It is of course always worth noting that magazine articles like these should be taken with a grain of salt.
Radio Doings, 1930
The following article tells a love story involving Loyal Underwood. Again things you read in these articles should be taken with a grain of salt. Also I disagree heavily with the author's view that even the serious films of the silent era were laughable. Click on the pages and use your touch screen to zoom in, if you have trouble reading.
Radio Doings, 1931
The following article about silent film comedian Harry Langdon, mentions a Loyal Underwood from KNX. HMMMM....
Exhibitors Herald, 1926
Here is an example of Loyal Underwood in a Charlie Chaplin film. Loyal has a dual role in this picture. He plays the small father of the big brood and one of the policemen.
Though Mary Eaton appeared in only a few films, she is immortalized in movie history as the leading lady in The Marx Brothers' first feature film, The Cocoanuts (1929). Before her brief movie career, she had a much more successful career on stage. On stage she appeared with Fred and Adele Astaire and in three editions of The Ziegfeld Follies. She had what is said to be a very impressive dance number in her Ziegfeld Follies appearances.
Now to take a look at the life of this often-overlooked stage and movie star with a 1929 article from Screenland Magazine. This article mentions her getting engaged to Millard Webb, who directed her in the film, Glorifying the American Girl (1929), which featured many Ziegfeld Follies performers and was produced by Flo Ziegfeld, himself. Though they would separate Mary and Millard would remain married until his death in 1935. If you have any trouble reading the pages below, click on them and use your touch screen to zoom in.
Here she is singing Irving Berlin's When My Dreams Come True in The Marx Brothers movie, The Cocoanuts (1929).
One of my favorite of The New Superfriends episodes.
When the Wonder Twins are on a nice boat ride, something pulls them down into the Earth's core. Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Robin and Aquaman all travel there to save our heroes.
This episode shows perfectly why, I really enjoy this show. Despite the corny dialogue this episode is just what I want in a superhero adventure. It is highly imaginative and a lot of fun. The design of the prehistoric world at the Earth's core is incredibly fun and atmospheric. Obviously a lot of work went into the artwork in this episode and shows. This is simply a beautiful looking episode. The artwork also gives a feeling of something truly other worldly and yet it is all based off of familiar parts of nature we have all seen, just used in very creative ways. The creatures our heroes meet down there are wonderfully designed and creative. This episode also moves at a very fast speed and the story is never boring for a second. At the same time, it doesn't feel rushed in any way. The story may be familar but it is a lot of fun with some delightful action. The episode also makes good use of all of the Super Friends and not one of them doesn't contribute someway to saving the day.
It is also wonderful that there is not much of Gleek here. I have never found that space monkey either funny or charming, and he is easily my least favorite part of this show. Luckily in this episode you hardly notice that he is there and that is a wonderful thing if you ask me.
This is an episode that shows perfectly everything that makes me a fan of this show.
There is a tendency for movies about childhood to idealize this part of life. To look back on it with a wistful nostalgia. Yet if we really take a close look back at our own childhood there are parts of it, we would never wish to repeat. This is certainly true of writer and director, James Gray (Ad Astra), who turns in one of his most personal and emotion films with Armageddon Time. This film strips away all of the wistful nostalgia and instead offers brutal honesty. The movie can be very hard to watch at times, but it is one that had a very strong emotional effect on me. This film does not have a neat traditional three-act storyline, but instead revolves around various smaller plotlines that take place in our main character's life. He becomes best friends with a black kid and sees real racism play out in front of him, he develops a close relationship with his grandfather, he has conflicts with his parents who don't understand his desire to be an artist, he struggles with school and feels no desire or ambition to become what everyone seems to want him to be. While these many smaller plot lines may make this film feel jumbled to some, to me they just made it feel more real and like a portrait of a real person's childhood. James Gray has stated that he drew heavily draws from his own childhood experiences with this film. You can feel that authenticity throughout the whole movie and as we watch the film, we have no trouble putting ourselves in the main character's shoes. For nearly two hours we are living and feeling every experience this character lives through. This film also does a wonderful job of exploring themes like racism and how the school system doesn't always work for everybody. This film really gets us thinking about these subjects and leaves us with a lot going through our mind as the end credits roll.
My biggest complaint with this movie is one scene involving the Trump family. I have no problem with filmmakers inserting political commentary into their films, but here it feels completely out of place and forced. Maybe the film could have done this in a subtler way that would fit the storyline better.
This is a truly great movie that is very emotionally powerful and thought provoking.
Hello my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church.
Today's music selection begins with Gene Autry's 1946 recording of When It's Round Up Time in Heaven. This song was written by Jimmie Davis, former governor of Louisiana and writer of You Are My Sunshine and I'm Thinking Tonight Of My Blue Eyes. Gene recorded this song on June 4, 1946. The same day he recorded another cowboy gospel number, Rounded Up in Glory.
This is followed by Merle Haggard with Softly And Tenderly. The song was written by an Ohio businessman named Will Thompson in 1880. As well as writing gospel songs Thompson also wrote quite a few secular songs and parotic songs. When the songs he wrote were rejected by publishers he created his own company, Will L. Thompson & Company. This company would not only publish music by sell musical instruments. Softly and Tenderly first appeared in 1880's Sparkling Gems, Nos. 1 and 2, a collection of songs from the company. When evangelist Dwight L. Moody was on his death bed he told the songwriter, "Will, I would rather have written ‘Softly and Tenderly Jesus Is Calling’ than anything I have been able to do in my whole life." This was appropriate as Will decided to make songwriting his career while at a meeting held by Moody.
Next is The Charlie Daniels Band with a wonderfully country blues filled version of Just a Closer Walk With Thee. This version of the classic hymn comes from the band's 2002 album, How Sweet the Sound. Unlike their previous Christian albums, that consisted mostly of original songs, this album found the band performing old gospel songs and hymns. It is probably the band's finest album of the 21st Century.
Then comes Glen Campbell with I Love to Tell the Story. When recovering from a sickness, Arabella Katherine Hankey wrote a poem about the life of Christ. This poem was broken into two parts the first being called The Story Wanted (published in January, 1866) and the second called The Story Told (published in November, 1866). I Love to Tell the Story comes from this second part. In 1869 William G. Fisher put this text to music and that is the version we know today. Still it is worth noting that Hankey wrote her own music for these words, but her music was seldom used and is now forgotten.
Afterwards comes The Blue Sky Boys with their 1936 recording of Where the Soul of Man Never Dies.
Now for Anne Wilson with Scatter. This song comes from her 2022 debut album, My Jesus.
Now for The Sons of the Pioneers with their 1937 recording of Power In The Blood. I love the Sons of the Pioneers' gospel recordings of this time period. The meaning of the word gospel is "good news", and these songs perfectly match that description as the are filled with joy and fun. Being a Christian should be a joyous thing that brings us much happiness and these recordings are full of pure joy and fun.
Today's musical selection ends with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans singing I'll Fly Away. This version of the classic southern gospel song comes from their 1973 gospel album, In the Sweet By and By.
Today's movie trailer is for The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold (1958). This is the second feature film, released to movie theaters, based off of the Lone Ranger TV series. Like the first film, this movie is in full color and features Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels playing The Lone Ranger and Tonto. The movie was directed by Lesley Selander, who also directed the previous film and before this had a long history of B-westerns including some Hopalong Cassidy and Red Ryder movies. After this there would be no more feature length Lone Ranger films until 1981.
Now for a message from the Reverend Billy Graham.
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved. Acts 4:12
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. 1 Chronicles 16:34
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Colossians 3:15
Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you. Genesis 28:15
"For I know the plans that I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans for prosperity and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11
Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy trails to you until we meet again.
