Since I have been quarantined all month, you would think I would have seen even more movies. But I concentrated on baseball movies to fill the void of not having live games on TV. And the movie theaters are closed, so this was the best that I could do! New movies (for me) are indicated with an asterisk, and all are rated on a scale of 1-5 cans of tuna fish, 5 beings the top rating. Numbering picks up from previous months.
41. Die Hard 2 (1990) – This second film in the Die Hard franchise is a step down from the first one, when our hero, Policeman John McClane (Bruce Willis at his smirky best) saves the people in the Nakatomi building in LA in his bare feet. This time he is in our nation’s capital, waiting for the arrival of his wife (Bonnie Bedelia), when he notices bad guys in the airport terminal. He is the only person convinced something sinister is going on, which means he has to buck authority (Dennis Franz), befriend an unlikely accomplice, in this case a maintenance guy (Tom Bowers), to take on a squadron of killers (led by William Sadler). I can’t even find my way around an airport by reading signs, but McClane can find his way through tunnels underneath the airport that lead to the exact runway where he needs to go to stop a plane. Do I sound like I am not buying it? The improbably actions here far outdo the incident at Nakatomi, as an experienced and emboldened McClane can now feel safe in taking on even more dangerous terrorists. I don’t much like action-adventure movies, with “Die Hard” The First as one of the few exceptions. But not this one. 3 cans.
42. The Scheme* (2019) – The rumor mill surrounding college basketball claims numerous illegal tamperings with players, inducing them to sign with this team or that team for under-the-table benefits. From shoe company reps to so-called managers and agents, the culture around kids from the time they show potential – even as early as middle school – is allegedly toxic and full of opportunists who want to “help” a kid make the right college choice so he can turn pro. That’s where the complex “The Scheme” comes in. Christian Dawkins had established himself as an influencer as far back as 16, when he created and sold a scouting service to colleges. He went on to work as an erstwhile agent and then dreamed of bigger things, which the FBI was only too happy to provide as they delved into this morass of immorality undercover. They are dozens of taped conversations here with big shots in the college basketball world, including major coaches, promising them payoffs to lure players to their schools. Everyone comes off as dirty here, including the self-assured Dawkins, who ended up convicted of money laundering and other crimes. His case is under appeal. And the games go on. 3 cans. HBO.
43. A League of Their Own (1992) – When American men moved to the battlefield during WWII, American women moved to the baseball field. In this heartwarming recounting of the real-life All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, Geena Davis is a tall and tough catcher who is recruited to join the Rockford Peaches with her feisty little sis, Kit (Lori Petty). The girls bond with their teammates and take the league by storm despite their personal rivalry. They are led by their manager Jimmy Dugan, a former major leaguer (Tom Hanks in yet another winning performance), a big drinker who has no interest in managing the team – at least not at first. The league, bolstered by the deep pockets of a candy magnate (Garry Marshall) didn’t last long, but the women played well and built plenty of special memories. Penny Marshall directed the movie, and Tom Hanks nearly steals the show (“There is no crying in baseball” is his most memorable line.) My only complaint here is that the actresses who played ball (Rosie O’Donnell, Madonna, Tracy Reiner) could not really play ball at all. 3½ cans.
44. Field of Dreams (1989) – Kevin Costner gets the “If you build it, they will come,” message and converts his farmland to a baseball field. Then players from the past appear and play in this engaging fantasy. It is a classic, and one of several Costner baseball-themed movies to fill the gap while baseball is on hiatus. 3½ cans.
45. Major League* (1989) – The opposite of “Field of Dreams” is this raucous comedy about a bunch of baseball misfits who play in Cleveland, a team which hasn’t won much of anything for decades. That’s fine with their opportunistic owner, a former showgirl played by Margaret Whitton, who wants the team to do badly so she can move them to Miami. And just finding out about this disrespect and money grub is enough to make the players excel and become spiteful winners. Nice job by “Wild Thing” Charlie Sheen as the rookie pitcher straight out of prison, Tom Berenger, the catcher with bad knees and a zest for his ex (Rene Russo), Dennis Haysbert as a superstitious hitter who casts spells on his bats and a roster of other minor actors. Not exactly a homerun. 3 cans.
46. Steel Magnolias (1989) – If you are looking for a movie that combines love and loss, laughter and tears and stresses the strong bonds between female friends, look no further than this oldie but goodie. A stellar cast (Sally Field, Julia Roberts, Dolly Parton, Shirley Maclaine, Olympia Dukakis and are a mother, daughter, hairdresser, grumpy older woman, wise older woman and a young newcomer whose lives are led with friendship and love. There are both funny and incredibly corny lines and plots, but this is a people-pleaser that you have probably seen at least once by now. Worth seeing again. 3½ cans.
47. Mr. Holland’s Opus (1995) – Mr. Holland (Richard Dreyfus) reluctantly becomes a music teacher instead filling his aspiration to be a great composer and conductor, but, despite his initial reluctance, he turns out to love his profession and his students love him. This isn’t the typical mushy story of the devoted teacher, because Mr. Holland has his flaws. He doesn’t pay nearly enough attention to his wife (Glenne Headley) or his young son, and he almost falls for a talented young singer he teaches. This movie would have been better if it were not quite as long, but despite the length, it is worth seeing. 3 cans.
48. Cheer* (2020) – I don’t know what possessed me to watch this Netflix docuseries about Navarro College, a Texas college where the main major seems to be cheerleading, but once I started, I gobbled up all six episodes. Led by a stern but loving coach, Monica, the team works extremely hard to perfect its routines to compete in the national championship in Daytona. The kids share similar backgrounds – some are lost in their lives and see cheer as the way to redemption and acceptance. The young men have trouble being themselves and some have been rejected for being gay. The focus tends to be on the ones with the saddest stories, of course, but not to be overlooked here are the tremendous physical challenges required to succeed in this sport. The girls are flung high in the air and then caught by the young men – most of the time. There are leg injuries, concussions, shoulder issues and nearly broken ribs. In the absence of live sports, this documentary series helped fill the void. 3½ cans.
49. Love & Basketball* (2000) – Quincy (Omar Epps) likes Monica (Sanaa Lathan) and she likes him, most of the time. One thing for sure is that they both love basketball. Rivals from the age of 8 through college, they are on and off with each other but never with their passion for the game. I can’t believe it took me 20 years to finally watch this movie, which I really enjoyed. If you love basketball, don’t wait another 20 years to see it. 3½ cans.
50. Eight Men Out* (1999) – Back to baseball for this look at the bad news “Black” Sox, the Chicago major league baseball team forever known for accepting bribes to throw the 1919 World Series. Not all of the players were interested in accommodating gamblers and played their hearts out, but others were happy to pocket the money and play just poorly enough to blow the games. It didn’t matter. Once the secret was out, Major League Baseball appointed a Commissioner, Judge Kennesaw Mountain Landis, to oversee the sport and mete out punishment that even the courts didn’t feel appropriate. The players and their manager were banned for life. So when you think that maybe Pete Rose got a raw deal, this is where it started, back in 1919, with baseball’s first big betting scandal. Well played by director/star John Sayles and a cast that included D. B. Sweeney as Shoeless Joe Jackson, John Cusak, Charlie Sheen, John Mahoney and more. 3 cans and a “Say it ain’t so, Joe.”
51. 61* – Billy Crystal crafted this loving salute to the heroes of his youth, the Yankees’ M&M Boys, Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris, who, in 1961, chased a dream. Maris, the quiet professional, was expected to surpass the 60-home run record set by Babe Ruth from 1927. Mantle, the more jovial of the two and beloved by the fans despite his off-field bad behavior, was his chief rival. Maris was a serious guy, a major leaguer beleaguered by the press and the fans for his taciturn, seemingly unfriendly manner. The challenge was not just to break the Babe’s record but to do it in 154 games, the total the major leagues played in 1927. The pressure was enormous, and Maris’ hair started falling out in clumps. Meanwhile, Mickey was injured and sitting in a hospital when Maris hit #61 to capture the record – until Mark McGwire of the Cardinals broke it with what we now know was the help of performance-enhancing drugs. As an 11-year-old baseball fan who loved the Yankees, I remember this year clearly, I can picture Mantle’s home run trot and see Maris’ teammates pushing him out of the dugout to take a bow after his homer. This movie has great casting, with Barry Pepper as Maris and Thomas Janes as Mantle, and a story of two men who were much more friends than rivals. I’m prejudiced as a Yankee fan, but I loved reliving those days. 3½ cans.
52. Bad Education* – Hugh Jackman takes a turn against type as a Long Island, NY, School Superintendent with unchecked spending habits and power, enough to circumvent any revelation by half-hearted audits since his district has achieved great academic success. Colleague Allison Janney is his chief co-conspirator, and when a high school reporter starts looking into school projects and how they are funded, she takes the Woodward-Bernstein route and follows the money. Fictious companies issuing phony invoices are blatant examples of corruption. The always likeable Jackman seems like a good guy, but, judging by his lifestyle, it should have been obvious that he was all in on the take. Ray Romano is the blustering school board president, eager to celebrate the achievements and success of the Rosalyn, Long Island, school and loathe to believe this corruption could happen in his district. What distinguishes this tale is that it is based on a true story. I am always amazed when I read about adults who steal from Little League treasuries or flim-flam the town council coffers, but, clearly, it happens. 3½ cans.
53. Love, Wedding, Repeat* (2020) – If you are a fan of the British movie “Four Weddings and a Funeral,” or if you can appreciate a bit of screwball in your comedy, you’ll like this romantic comedy about how many things can go terribly wrong despite the best of intentions. Poor Jack (Sam Claflin) is the responsible guy who vows to help his sister to have the best wedding ever. But that’s not an easy task, since her ex Marc (Jack Farthing) shows up and threatens to reveal a nasty secret she is sure her brand new Italian husband will not want to know. And Jack’s ex-girlfriend shows up with her new boyfriend, a jerk who is full of himself just as she is getting full of him. Then there’s poor maid of honor Bryan, who only wants to meet the Italian movie producer and beg for a break. And there is a sleeping pill cocktail meant for Marc that is instead ingested by…Well, you get it. Nothing seems to end up right, so the movie resets and things work out differently – but not much better. This is an enjoyable farce in a beautiful setting with interesting characters (look for the incredibly boring car insurance guy played by Tim Key who shows up wearing a kilt and not having a clue). If you have Netflix, take a look. 3½ cans.
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