December 26 - The Crossing

Today’s motion picture is a war movie with scenes that happen on December 26. Watch and enjoy this film tonight.   

THE CROSSING            

The Continental Army retreats to the Delaware River and crosses into Pennsylvania to escape the British. They barely get away and their condition is very bad. Washington makes a personal reconnaissance towards Trenton. The other two-thirds of the army arrive. Washington proposes and organizes an attack across the river against the Hessians at Trenton.  They cross the river, but it takes longer than anticipated. In spite of being two hours late, on the morning of December 26, 1776 they surprise and defeat the Hessians. [57:00 to 1:26:27]  The Continental army then retreats across the river.

        

A matter of fact film about this famous event. It’s not quite as heroic as myth would have it. This film does show that it was Washington’s refusal to lie down and die that saved the revolution. Everyone else is totally pessimistic about this plan.

General George Washington by Edward G. Lengel (Random House, New York, 2005) at page 185 gives the date

Producer - Robert W. Christiansen, Delia Fine and Rick Rosenburg

Director - Robert Harmon

Screenplay - Howard Fast

Awards – Nominated for the Outstanding Sound Editing for a Movie, Miniseries or a Special Emmy.  

Running Time - 1 hour 29 minutes

Released - January 10, 2000

                       

Starring -         

Jeff Daniels as George Washington

Roger Rees as Gen Hugh Mercer

Sebastian Roche as Col. John Glover

David Ferry as Gen, Nathaniel Greene

Nigel Bennett as Gen. Horatio Gates

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015.
             

December 25 - Toy Story

Today’s motion picture is a fantasy adventure film with scenes that happen on December 25. Watch and enjoy this movie tonight.  

TOY STORY      

                       

In a world where toys are alive when people aren’t around, Woody, a pull string cowboy toy is the leader of the toys of Andy Davis.  At his birthday party, which has been moved up, since the family is getting ready to move, Andy gets a Buzz Lightyear space ranger toy. Buzz believes he is a real space ranger and not a toy. When Andy can only take one toy on a trip to Pizza Planet, Woody’s efforts to ensure he gets taken results in Buzz accidentally getting knocked out the window, causing the other toys to turn on Woody. Buzz climbs in the car and on the way to Pizza Planet he and Woody fight and end up having to stow away on a delivery truck to try and get back to Andy. However at Pizza Planet they both end up being taken by Andy’s toy abusing neighbor, Sid. While at Sid’s house Buzz learns he is a toy and becomes depressed, until Woody tells him he can have purpose by bringing happiness to Andy as his toy. With the help of Sid’s toys Buzz and Woody escape just in time to reach the truck carrying Andy’s toys but Sid’s dog causes Buzz to be left behind. Woody tries to save him with Andy’s remote control car, RC, but at first the other toys refuse to help him, until they see Woody and Buzz together.  RC’s batteries die, but Woody lights the rocket Sid had taped to Buzz. They take flight and Buzz uses his wings to cut the rocket free before it explodes and they float down into the Davis’s car. At their new home on December 25, 19__ [1:12:00 to 1:13:25] Andy gets a puppy for Christmas.

                    

The first installment in the fantastic Toy Story franchise.

                     

Producers - Ralph Guggenheim and Bonnie Arnold

                       

Director - John Lasseter

Screenwriters - Joss Whedon, Andrew Stanton, Joel Cohen and Alec Sokolow

Awards – The film won a Special Achievement Oscar. It was also nominated for the Best Original Score, Best Original Song and Best Original Screenplay Oscars at the 68^th Academy Awards

                

Runtime – 1 hour 21 minutes

Released – November 22, 1995

Voice Cast - Tom Hanks as Sheriff Woody, Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear, Don Rickles as Mr. Potato Head, Jim Varney as Slinky Dog, Wallace Shawn as Rex, John Ratzenberger as Hamm, Annie Potts as Bo Peep, John Morris as Andy Davis, Laurie Metcalf as Andy's mother, Erik von Detten as Sid, R. Lee Ermey as Sarge, Sarah Freeman as Hannah, Joe Ranft as Lenny

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015.

December 24 - The Polar Express

Today's motion picture is a fantasy film with scenes that happen on December 24. Watch and enjoy this movie tonight. 

THE POLAR EXPRESS       

On December 24, 195_ [00:27 to 1:15:55] a boy, who is starting to have doubts about whether Santa Claus is real, is awakened by a train outside. He learns it is the Polar Express that is heading to the North Pole to see Santa. On board the boy meets a girl, a know-it-all kid and poor boy Billy. After a series of adventures and difficulties they reach the North Pole.  There Billy, the boy, and the girl end up separated from the other children and in Santa’s magical toy bag. Santa gives the boy a bell that only makes a sound he can hear after he decides he believes in Santa. He loses the bell on the way home, but it turns up as one of his Christmas presents under the tree.

The date is given in the film at 00:43

Producers - Steve Starkey, Robert Zemeckis, Gary Goetzman and William Teitler

Director - Robert Zemeckis

Screenwriters - Robert Zemeckis and William Broyles, Jr.

Awards – The film was nominated for the Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing and Best Original Song Oscars at the 77^th Academy Awards.

Runtime – 1 hour 40 minutes

Released – October 21, 2004

Voice Cast –

Tom Hanks as Hero Boy's father, Conductor, Hobo, Santa
Claus, and Narrator

Daryl Sabara as Hero Boy

Isabella Peregrina as Sarah

Eddie Deezen as Know-It-All Kid

Nona Gaye as Hero Girl

Jimmy Bennett as Billy

André Sogliuzzo as Smokey and Steamer

Chris Coppola as Gus the Toothless Boy and an Elf

Julene Renee as the Red Head Girl and an Elf

Steve Tyler as elf singer

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015

December 23 - Mercy Mission: The Rescue of Flight 771

Today’s film is a drama with a scene that happens on December 23. Watch and enjoy this film tonight.  

MERCY MISSION: THE RESCUE OF FLIGHT 771     

Jay Parkins and his partner Frank are free wheeling seasonal crop dusters. Jay’s pregnant wife wants him to get a steady job. Jay and Frank take a job to fly two cropduster planes across the Pacific to Australia. On December 23, 1978 [12:13 to 18:40]they leave San Francisco, bound for Honolulu. Franks crashes on  takeoff from Pago Pago, but escapes unharmed. Jay heads on to Norfolk Island, his next stop. Jay realizes after he doesn’t reach the island that he is off course and his automatic direction finder doesn’t work. Air  traffic control contacts the only plane in the area, an Air New Zealand airliner piloted by Gordon Vette. After determining that Jay is to the west of them, he turns and flies directly at the airliner. After failing to make a contrail with the engines, Gordon dumps some fuel to make a contrail. Jay flies in a circle while the airliner flies on the edge of his VHF radio coverage zone. By comparing when the sun sets at his plane and at  Auckland they zero in on his location. Gordon relays a conversation between Jay and Ellen. The passenger plane finds Jay and leads him into Auckland and in spite of a thunderstorm manages to bring him in for a safe landing.

Based on a true story.

The date is given in the film at 12:27

Producer – Derek Kananagh

Director – Roger Young

Screenwriter – George Rubino and Robert Benedetti

Runtime – 1 hour 35 minutes

Released – December 13, 1993

Starring –

Scott Bakula as Jay Parkins

Robert Loggia as Gordon Vette

Rebecca Rigg as Ellen

Alan Fletcher as Frank

Michael Bishop as First Officer Mann

Kit Taylor as Warren Banks

       

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015

December 21 - Beautiful Creatures

Today’s movie is a romantic fantasy with a scene that happens on December 21. Watch and enjoy this film  tonight (if you can).

BEAUTIFUL CREATURES 

Ethan Wates dreams of a girl then sees Lena Duchannes, who resembles her. She and her family are accused of Satanism and witchcraft. Lena and Ethan become close and she tell him she and her family are ‘casters’, who can perform magic. When sixteen she will have to choose between light and dark. Lena wants to choose light, but her cousin Ridley and her mother Sarafine arrive to force Lena to dark, as they believe she will be so powerful that she can use her magic to eliminate all humans and leave only casters. Ethan and Lena learn their ancestors were in love and when her ancestor used a forbidden spell to resurrect Ethan’s ancestor this put a curse on all the women in her family, steering them to dark. The only way to end the curse is for someone Lena loves to die. Not wanting it to be Ethan, Lena erases his memories of her.   On December 21, 2013 [1:40:43 – 1:53:17] during a re-enactment of the Civil War Battle of Honey Hill, Ridley gives a bullet to Ethan’s fellow reenactor “Link”. When they shoot each other Ethan is mortally wounded. Ridley and Sarafine tell a grieving Lena to use her grief to go dark. However, it is revealed that her uncle Raven had transformed himself into Ethan’s image and he is the one loved by Lena who died. Lena, with the curse broken defeats Ridley and her mother and chooses light.  

The date is given in the film at 7:57

Producers - Andrew Kosove, Broderick Johnson, Erwin Stoff and David Valdes

Director - Richard LaGravenese

Screenwriter - Richard LaGravenese

Runtime – 2 hours 4 minutes

Released – February 14, 2013

Starring –

Alden Ehrenreich as Ethan Lawson Wate

Alice Englert as Lena Duchannes

Jeremy Irons as Macon Melchizedek Ravenwood

Viola Davis as Amarie Treadeau "Amma"

Emmy Rossum as Ridley Duchannes

Thomas Mann as Wesley Jefferson Lincoln "Link"

Emma Thompson as Mavis Lincoln / Sarafine Duchannes

Margo Martindale as Delphine Duchannes "Aunt Del"

Eileen Atkins as Emmaline Duchannes "Gramma"

Zoey Deutch as Emily Asher

Tiffany Boone as Savannah Snow

Kyle Gallner as Larkin Kent

Rachel Brosnahan as Genevieve Katherine Duchannes

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015

December 18 - Family of Spies

Today’s movie is a drama with a scene that happens on December 18.  Watch and enjoy this film tonight.

FAMILY OF SPIES  

John W. Walker, Jr. is a cryptologist with the US Navy on a sub. While he is away at sea his wife learns he has been unfaithful to her. He convinces her to stay with him and transfers to a shore post. On December 18, 1967 [19:48 to 26:02] Walker goes to the Soviet Embassy and agrees to become a spy for cash. He starts stealing secrets, but his wife becomes suspicious and learns what he’s doing.  The Navy also becomes suspicious because of the increased number of suspicious encounters between Soviet and American subs. Walker goes on a tour at sea and upon his return his wife threatens to shoot him. The Navy fakes a nuclear accident, which establishes that the Soviets are indeed getting inside info from inside the US Navy because of the way they react. When a Marine officer starts to get suspicious of him, Walker retires from the Navy. Walker recruits Jerry Whitworth, a navy radio operator into spying; telling him the info is going to Israel. Walker and his wife separate. John Walker’s daughter joins the army and he tries to recruit her as a spy, but she gets married, becomes pregnant and leaves the service. Walker becomes a private detective. Walker’s son joins the Navy. Whitworth delivers a blurry role of film because he wants more money.  The Soviets think he has been turned and they try to kill Walker. Eventually Walker repairs his relationship with the Soviets.  Walker recruits his son in the Navy as a spy. His ex-wife blackmails him into paying more so she won’t tell. However, she finally calls the FBI and Walker’s daughter confirms he tried to recruit her. After a lengthy investigation Walker, his son and Whitworth are arrested and sentenced to lengthy jail terms.

Powers Boothe once again does a fantastic job of humanizing a despicable character. This film deviates somewhat from the actual historical facts. However, it is still an engaging and enjoyable movie.

.     

Date given in film at 20:19

Awards – This film won the Outstanding Sound Editing for a Miniseries or Special. It was also nominated for the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Special (Warren) and the Outstanding Miniseries Emmy at the 42^nd Primetime Emmy Awards.

Producer – Jonathan Bernstein              

Director - Stephen Gyllnhaal                           

Screenplay - Richard DeLong Adams                    

Runtime – 2 hours 55 minutes

Released – February 4, 1990

          

Starring –

Powers Boothe as John A. Walker, Jr.

Lesley Ann Warren as Barbara Walker

Lili Taylor as Laura Walker

Graham Beckel as Jerry A.Whitworth

John Wesley as Capt. Lennox

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015

December 17 - The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser

Today’s motion picture is a biography with scenes that happen on December 17. Watch and enjoy this film tonight.  

THE ENIGMA OF KASPAR HAUSER                   

A boy is kept locked in a room by himself with no human contact except for a man in a top hat and overcoat who feeds him. One day the man takes him out of his cell and leaves him in Nuremburg. The former prisoner, whose name is Kaspar Hauser is an object of curiosity and is exhibited in a circus until he is taken in by Professor Daumer who teaches him to read and about music. Then he is attacked by the man in the overcoat. The second attack is a stabbing that causes Kaspar’s death on December 17, 1833. [1:40:19 - 1:46:01]

Producer - Werner Herzog

       

Director - Werner Herzog

Screenwriter - Werner Herzog

Runtime – 1 hour 50 minutes

Released – November 11, 1974

Starring –

Bruno Schleinstein as Kaspar Hauser

Walter Ladengast as Professor Daumer

Brigitte Mira as Kathe, Servant

Reinhard Hauff as Farmer

Herbert Fritsch as Mayor

Florian Fricke as M. Florian

Henry van Lyck as Calvary Captain

Willy Semmelrogge as Circus director

Michael Kroecher as Lord Stanhope

Hans Musäus as Unknown Man

Gloria Doer as Frau Hiltel

Volker Prechtel as Hiltel the prison guard

Wilhelm Bayer as Taunting Farmboy

Johannes Buzalski as Police Officer

Helmut Döring as Little King

Enno Patalas as Pastor Fuhrmann

Clemens Scheitz as Registrar

Alfred Edel as Logic Professor

Andi Gottwald as Young Mozart

Kidlat Tahimik as Hombrecito 

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015.