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MY PERSONAL FILM FESTIVAL DURING THIS TIME - WEEK 10 

Dad's drive-in series continues....
My movie-a-day weekly blog recaps have officially reached double digits with WEEK 10 and has 3 new-to-me movies! Here's everything I watched this past week and their ratings via my 5-star system (0 = "Forget it" * 1 ="It's a movie." * 2 = "Well, no promises." * 3 = "Worth Watching" * 4 = "So Good" * 5 = "Must See").

Sunday, May 17, 2020 - McLintock! (1963)
Someone actually asked in a TCM Facebook group: which is the better John Wayne movie The Quiet Man (1952) or McLinktock! (1963)? Since I never saw the latter, I watched it on the MovieGuide Premiere streaming service (it's also available for free viewing on Roku and other apps). And let me say: that question about which is the better John Wayne movie should NEVER been asked. Let's just say: this movie is terrible on multiple levels. The only thing it has to offer is some good one-liners for The Duke. My favorite line: "I don't give jobs, I hire men." But even that can't save a movie with an exclamation point in the title. 
Rating: 1 STAR

Monday, May 18, 2020 - Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)
Last week, Twitter and Facebook blipped out that Disney is considering a live-action remake of this forgotten hand-drawn animated feature. So, yes,  I had to watch it. Don't remember Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)? Don't worry - nobody does. While I liked it, my wife and kids would just as soon forget it. Okay, ONE of my six kids likes it - but never initially wants to watch it until we get about 10 minutes into it. It's fun. Very Young Indiana Jones. Oh, what's that? You never heard of Young Indiana Jones. <sigh>
Rating: 3 STARS

Tuesday, May 19, 2020 - Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles (2006)
Like Star Wars, Robotech has a fan-base that is dedicated and opinionated. We long for another "first time" experience with the franchise while at the same time HATE when "canon" is twisted or altered. At times, I'm sure, there seems to be no pleasing us. Re-issue the original TV show? Complaints about how there's nothing new and the owners are milking the fans for more money. New, innovative story in comics, video games or, in this case, an award-winning feature film Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles (2006)? Met with utmost resistance and receive comments like "I think my cats litter box was a better show than SC" (this was an actual comment posted in a Robotech Fan Group on Facebook). Where do I fall? Blind fanaticism, I guess. I love Robotech - so, so much. I was happy to have this feature film come out, screen (and win awards) at film festivals and be able to be purchases on DVD to own. It's not great, I'll admit. I don't care. I'm even willing to look the other way that this film rewrote the ending of the TV series that made me a fan! And so, I can't recommend this film...but I still love it.
Rating: 1 STAR

Wednesday, May 20, 2020 - The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969)
The only reason I watched The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969) is that Henry Mancini covered the theme song - originally composed by Rod McKuen. I heard Mancini's cover a few weeks ago and realized I must see the film. Luckily, it is available on YouTube. The film is okay, a bit odd and a little spicy, but certainly well-acted. Jean Brodie is played by Maggie Smith - who went on to act in Downton Abbey (2019) and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) ... and six additional Harry Potter films. Smith won the Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role for Jean Brodie.
Rating: 2.5 STARS




Thursday, May 21, 2020 - Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
My series of self-made Drive-In Movie experiences continued this week with my youngest son seeing Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999) for the first time. Well, most of it, before he fell asleep. To be fair, sunset was awfully close to his bed time. Our venue was woods near our home in my best effort to recreate the Gungan forest on the planet of Naboo. We even had movie candy - thanks to Mom. My six-year-old loved everything a six-year-old boy should love about Episode I. He laughed at Jar-Jar and Threepio. He thinks Artoo and the Battle Droid are cool. And boy is Darth Maul awesome!
Rating: 3 STARS



Friday, May 22, 2020 - The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1963)
Thanks to a 5am Charlie Horse that woke me up in a most unpleasant way, I watched The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1963). Both Dear Heart (1964) and Blackboard Jungle (1955) convinced me that I'm a Glenn Ford fan. This flick aired on TCM months ago and has been sitting in my DVR just waiting for me. Ford doesn't disappoint. He also has a superb cast to back him up in including "Ronny Howard" as his son and the lovely Stella Stevens as a "simple girl" who wants to win Miss Montana. The film is a slow burn but definitely draws you in. 
Rating: 3.5 STARS

Saturday, May 13, 2020 - True Stories (1986)
Having missed the original theatrical run, I first saw True Stories (1986) on Comedy Central some weekday afternoon in the 90s when my then girlfriend (now wife) and I were off from our dinner theatre gigs. The movie is so delightfully arty, weird, sincere, silly and innocent. Neither of us were (are) BIG Talking Heads fans - we just liked the characters and simple story of celebrating a small town. And then to find it out it has Jo Harvey Allen (Fried Green Tomatoes, Tapeheads) in it?! Earlier in the 90s, I crewed on a musical called CHIPPY which played in Philly and starred Jo Harvey Allen. Another CHIPPY co-star - musician Telly Allen - appears on David Byrne's original motion picture score. As the film drew to it's conclusion including a small town parade and nighttime talent show, I realized this is what a lot of us are craving right now: a reason to celebrate, come together, hang out, laugh and be goofy, take in art, spin a yarn about the past, drink a few beers or funny-little drinks with umbrellas in them, see a parade, go to a concert, you know...live life before all this social distancing. I'm not campaigning here for anything to open before it's safe, but I'll campaign for you to see this little "completely cool, multi-purpose movie."
Rating: 5 STARS

Art and 1980s small town life merge in True Stories (1986).


IMDB links to what I watched so far (most recent entries listed at the top):

And here's links to my previous week recaps of
MY PERSONAL FILM FESTIVAL DURING THIS TIME (oldest to newest):
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