Guardians of the Galaxy, 2.5 Stars

If you like the comic book genre, and lots of violent action, you'll like this movie. I love the former but can do with less of the latter. (My daughter loved this film and would rate it higher than my 2.5*.)

The story, as I assume is the comic series also, is about some misfits who decide to save the galaxy. It's good and humorous, but on the long side.

The characters are fun. Chris Pratt (Moneyball) plays his role in a similar fashion to the captain on Firefly and Zoe Zaldana (Star Trek) is good. But it is the voice of Bradley Cooper (Silver Linings Playbook) as Rocket (the Raccoon) who steals the show and who could have a separate movie on his own. Cooper has 'upped his game' in recent films and perhaps we can expect greater things in the future?

I might see it again to pick up some one-liners that zoomed by, but I'm not in a hurry to do so.

Rainmaker, 2 Stars

This film is from 1997. rottentomatoes.com critics liked it better than I - it was slow and tedious.

Nevertheless, Matt Damon (The Adjustment Bureau) is always great to watch - some of his facial expressions are predictable but still fun to see. Danny DeVito (Matilda) plays his usual, limited self and Claire Danes (The Family Stone) shows a wide range of emotions. Jon Voight (Midnight Cowboy) is well cast.

The story is along the lines of Erin Brokovich, and does require you to pay attention. It's good, perhaps I just wasn't in the mood.

You can probably rent it somewhere.

Pride & Prejudice, 3.5 Stars

There are several versions of Pride & Prejudice (not including the Bridget Jones fluffy stories). This one is the BBC Six Part TV Series from 1995 and it is excellent.

Colin Firth (The King's Speech) is effectively moody and wonderful to watch as Mr. Darcy - he dominates each scene that he is in. Jennifer Ehle (also The King's Speech) is very good and does a more than adequate job as Elizabeth. (I prefer Keira Knightley's Elizabeth, who is angrier and less sure of herself.)

Six parts on television gives the writers ample time to develop the characters and story in more depth than in a shorter 'movie-length' production, and they do a good job. The rest of the cast are fine but not notable.

This does require a greater time commitment to view, but I recommend it to you.

The Hundred-Foot Journey, 3 Stars

As a friend described it, this is a charming movie.

The story is basically as the trailer describes it. The script is good - it drags occasionally but the food shots are scrumptious.

Helen Mirren (The Queen) is superb (as usual), as is Om Puri (whose work, in India, I am not familiar with). Manish Dayal (whom I also don't know) is also very good and (Canadian) Charlotte Le Bon (relatively new) is delightful to watch.

I highly recommend this on the big or small screen and look forward to seeing it again.

Robin Williams

Much has been said about this interesting complex man. The outpouring of grief from more than one generation speaks to his wide appeal as an artist. I’ve been reflecting on his early appeal in Mork and Mindy. I seem to recall that he and the show were nominated for awards at the time but totally snubbed, because Hollywood thought he was just a 'flash in the pan'.

We saw Robin in: Jumanji, Mrs. Doubtfire, Patch Adams, Good Morning Vietnam, Hook, Aladdin, Awakenings, Dead Poets Society, Good Will Hunting, Toys, The Birdcage, Night at the Museum (both), August Rush, and Lee Daniels’ The Butler. Through the power of film and television we felt we knew him.

I feel very sad that depression finally took him. But perhaps, with his death, he has opened a discussion about mental health that continues to be needed and let’s hope that dialogue doesn’t end. As one dealing with depression, I welcome this dialogue.

My impression is that he was a kind man. I heard of a situation while Robin was in town filming. He was at a bar in a hotel and someone approached him, saying that there were teenagers up on the 10th floor who were with Junior Achievement and would he be kind enough to go up and say hi for five minutes? Not only did he go up but he stayed for over an hour. The clips that we have seen of him have been hilarious but this is my favourite story. He will be missed.