Keep Your Heart Open

Starring: Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, Emily Watson, Joe Alwyn, Jacobi Jupe, Olivia Lynes, Justine Mitchell, Bodhi Rae Breathnach, James Skinner, Noah Jupe, David Wilmot

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"We must never let our guard down. Never take for granted... that our children's hearts beat, that they draw breath, that they walk and speak and... smile, argue, play. Never forget for a moment that they may be gone." - Mary

Why watch this? Stories are best when they take us on a journey rife with happiness and pain.

Plot Summary: Set in 1590s England, the film follows the passionate romance and family life of Agnes and her ambitious playwright husband, William, as they navigate love and marriage in Stratford-upon-Avon. When an unexpected tragedy hits, the couple faces immense, devastating grief that fractures their household.
 

Dad's Preview: Tales set back in the late middle ages remind us how good we have things today. These early populations constantly feared injury, the plague, and fevers that were particularly deadly for children. Yet, people still fell in love and raised families. This lovely film centers on one such couple, Agnes and William. Despite reservations from his parents (they are wary that the forest-loving Agnes is a witch), the pair marry and have three children. The magic here is how director Zhao takes her time in life's moments. This builds our relationships with the characters. When tragedy occurs, it's a literal gut-punch. The film's ending is masterful, a play within a play, that will, very possibly, restore your faith in the human experience.

Hera Pictures, Neal Street Prod., Amblin Ent.,
Book of Shadows; Focus Features

In 2004, a devastating tsunami hit southeast Asia. This is one family's true story of survival.

Starring: Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor, Tom Holland, Oaklee Pendergast, Samuel Joslin, Marta Etura, Sönke Möhring

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"Lucas, look at this place. They're so busy in here. You get to go and do something. Go help people. You're good at it." - Maria Bennett, to her son Lucas after they reach the hospital

Why watch this? ... the tsunami, as it smashes into the resort, is harrowing footage.

Plot Summary: Maria, Henry, and their three sons take a Christmas vacation to Thailand. Unfortunately, that is interrupted by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. The family is separated in the chaos and devastation, forcing them to fight for survival and desperately search for each other amidst the aftermath.

Apaches Ent., Telecinco Cinema;
Warner Bros.

A MAN in search. A WOMAN in need. A story of FATE.

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Aitana Sánchez-Gijón, Giancarlo Giannini, Anthony Quinn, Angélica Aragón, Freddy Rodriguez, Debra Messing

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

DML Top 50 #40 - Dad's Full (Spoiler) Review and Deep Dive of A Walk in the Clouds

"Talking between men and women never solves anything. Where we think, they feel. They are creatures of the heart." - Don Pedro Aragon

Why watch this? Keanu does romance pretty well in this adorable film.

Plot Summary: Paul Sutton is a World War II soldier who returns home to a strained marriage. On his way back to California, he meets Victoria Aragon, a pregnant woman who is afraid to face her traditional Mexican-American family. Paul offers to pretend to be her husband to help her, but this leads to unexpected consequences as they spend more time together within her family's vineyard.

Zucker Brothers Productions;
20th Century Fox

Live in the Moment.

Starring: Julianne Moore, Alec Baldwin, Kristen Stewart, Kate Bosworth, Shane McRae, Hunter Parrish, Seth Gilliam, Stephen Kunken, Erin Darke, Daniel Gerroll

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"I used to be someone who knew a lot. No one asks for my opinion or advice anymore. I miss that. I used to be curious and independent and confident. I miss being sure of things." – Dr. Alice Howland

Why watch this? Alzheimer's Disease. This film is a poignant education for those unfamiliar with this disease.

Plot Summary: The brilliant Dr. Alice Howland, a Columbia University professor, starts to notice that she can't find certain words. She gets temporarily lost on a jog. After meeting with a neuroscientist, she is diagnosed with early onset familial Alzheimer's disease. She and her husband inform their three adult children, and since her disease is familial, they have the option to be tested. Two take the test. Her youngest, Lydia, decides not to know. If you haven't figured it now by now, Alzheimer's is perhaps the most horrible news anybody can receive as a medical prognosis.

Killer Films, Lutzus-Brown, BSM Studio, Big
Indie Pics, Shriver Films; Sony Pictures Classics

A young man. An older woman. Her ex-husband. Things are about to explode...

Starring: Sissy Spacek, Tom Wilkinson, Nick Stahl, Marisa Tomei, William Mapother, Celia Weston, Deborah Derecktor, William Wise

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"You're bitter, Ruth. And you can point your finger at me all you like, but you better take a damn good look at yourself." - Matt

Why watch this? It's painful on two levels: the murder of a son and coping with it.

Plot Summary: A New England couple, Dr. Matt Fowler and music teacher Ruth, find their lives intertwined with their college-aged son, Frank. Frank is home for the summer and becomes involved with an older, separated mother of two children, Natalie Strout. This relationship, initially a source of worry for Ruth and dismissed as a fling by Matt, leads to a series of escalating conflicts with Natalie's estranged and possessive husband. Ultimately, these tensions culminate in an unthinkable tragedy.

Good Machine, Eastern Standard Film Co.,
GreeneStreet Films; Miramax Films

Joy. Hope. Loss, Love, Life Happens... Here.

Starring: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Paul Bettany, Kelly Reilly, Lauren McQueen, Michelle Dockery, Gwilym Lee, David Fynn, Ophelia Lovibond, Nicholas Pinnock, Tony Ward, Jemima Rooper, Joel Oulette, Daniel Betts

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"It's just that I put things off, and I kept putting them off. And I would say, "Oh, we'll do it next year." And then that next year would come, and I'd say, "Oh, next year, next year." And... I don't want to do that anymore." – Margaret

Why watch this? Here is a place, a plot of land in Pennsylvania, where we live through its many evolutions.

Plot Summary: Imagine a camcorder set up on a single spot. Start filming in, say, 30,000 B. C., and take us to current day.  After some serious editing, this spot will have generated quite a collection of tales. There will be multiple tenants: dinosaurs, deer, native peoples, colonials, inventors, returning soldiers, new families, all with their time accounted for; their stories told.

TriStar Pics, Miramax, ImageMovers;
Sony Pictures Releasing

The Prize Picture They Want to Censor!

Starring: Lamberto Maggiorani, Enzo Staiola, Lianella Carell, Alena Altieri, Gino Saltamerenda, Guillo Chiari, Vittorio Antonucci

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"If you haven't got a bike, you'll have to let someone else take it." – Employment Officer, referring to the job's requirements

Why watch this? In desperate times, desperate men are often forced to do desperate things.

Plot Summary: In post-WWII Rome, times are hard and jobs are hard to come by. Antonio, whose wife and son depend on him, finally is selected for work, but he must have a bicycle. They agree to pawn their bed sheets to get his bike out of hock. Things seem to be looking up. However, on his first day of work, his bicycle is stolen. The police are of no help, so he takes matters into his own hands to track down the thief and get his two-wheeler back.
 

Dad's Preview: Aside from the sheer weight of humanity's cruelty to its fellow man, many of us can relate to Antonio, who just wants his property back so that he can feed his family. We see his frustrations turn into uncharacteristic anger as he takes things out on his young son, a boy who idolizes his father. We also begin to wonder how much a person can take, especially when there is nobody to turn to for help.

Produzioni De Sica; Ente Nazionale
Industrie Cinematografiche

A Story Of An Extraordinary Journey.

Starring: Geraldine Page, John Heard, Carlin Glynn, Richard Bradford, Rebecca De Mornay, Kevin Cooney

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

DML Top 50 #36 - Dad's Full (Spoiler) Review and Deep Dive of The Trip to Bountiful

"I guess when you've lived longer than your house and your family, then you've lived long enough." - Mrs. Carrie Watts

Why watch this? ... this Texas tale captures our hearts as a woman longs see her home place.

Plot Summary: In 1940s Texas, an elderly woman named Carrie Watts lives in a cramped Houston apartment where she feels stifled by her overprotective son and resentful daughter-in-law. Desperate to visit her childhood home one last time, she manages to slip away from her family and embarks on a solo bus journey across the state. Along the way, she reflects on her past and finds unexpected kindness from strangers as she nears the small, fading town of Bountiful.

Bountiful Film Partners, FilmDallas Pics;
Island Pictures

All his life, Ray Kinsella was searching for his dreams. Then one day, his dreams came looking for him.

Starring: Kevin Costner, Amy Madigan, James Earl Jones, Ray Liotta, Burt Lancaster, Gaby Hoffman, Timothy Busfield

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"Ray, people will come, Ray. They'll come to Iowa for reasons they can't even fathom." - Terence Mann

Why watch this? It's both so American... and so magical.

Plot Summary: Iowa farmer Ray Kinsella is inspired by a voice he hears in his cornfield to build a baseball diamond. Despite skepticism and financial hardship, he pursues this vision with the support of his wife. His journey leads him to encounter figures from the past and present, all linked by their dreams and the game of baseball.

 Gordon Company; Universal Pictures

An offer you can't refuse.

Starring: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Richard Castellano, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard Conte, Diane Keaton

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse. Okay? I want you to leave it all to me." - Don Corleone

Why watch this? This is ground-zero for the films about the Italian mobsters.

Plot Summary: The story follows the powerful Corleone crime family in the post-WWII era, led by the aging patriarch, Don Vito Corleone. His youngest son, Michael, initially seeks to avoid the family business and live a legitimate life after serving in the war. However, a series of challenging events and shifting alliances force Michael to confront his family's legacy and his own destiny within the criminal underworld.

Alfran Productions; Paramount Pictures

Sicily 1912. Little Italy, New York 1915. Las Vegas 1958. Cuba 1959. Washington 1962.
Miami 1972. The rise and fall of the Corleone empire.

Starring: Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, John Cazale, Talia Shire, Lee Strasberg, G. D. Spradlin, Richard Bright

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"My father taught me many things here - he taught me in this room. He taught me: Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer." – Michael Corleone

Why watch this? This film gives us Don's origin story, and Michael's bloody rise to power.

Plot Summary: There are two interwoven narratives: one follows Michael Corleone in the late 1950s as he expands his family's criminal enterprise, and the other depicts his father Vito's youth and rise to power in New York City in the early 20th century. The film explores the themes of power, loyalty, and betrayal within the context of organized crime and the Corleone family. Both Vito and Michael navigate a dangerous world where they are forced to make difficult decisions that impact their families and the people around them.

The Coppola Company; Paramount Pictures

... an army of one.

Starring: Clint Eastwood, Chief Dan George, Sondra Locke, Bill McKinney, John Vernon, Sam Bottoms

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"You gonna pull them pistols or just whistle Dixie?" -  Josey Wales

Why watch this? Star/Director Eastwood hits his stride with this memorable Western.

Plot Summary: A Missouri farmer's family is murdered by pro-Union militants during the Civil War. Driven by a desire for vengeance, he joins a Confederate guerrilla band, becoming a feared gunfighter. After the war, he refuses to surrender and becomes an outlaw pursued by bounty hunters and soldiers. He must navigate the treacherous landscape of the post-Civil War West, encountering allies and enemies as he seeks to survive and find a new path for his life.

The Malpaso Company; Warner Bros.

From a dimension beyond the living, a terror to scare you to death.

Starring: JoBeth Williams, Craig T. Nelson, Beatrice Straight, Dominique Dunne, Heather O’Rourke, Zelda Rubinstein

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"It lies to her, it tells her things only a child could understand. It has been using her to restrain the others. To her, it simply is another child. To us, it is the Beast." - Tangina

Why watch this? Nightmares come to life in this disturbing, apparition-filled experience.

Plot Summary: The Freeling family's seemingly normal suburban home becomes the site of increasingly strange and frightening supernatural occurrences. These manifestations initially seem playful, but they quickly turn menacing, eventually leading to the disappearance of the youngest daughter, Carol Anne. Desperate to rescue her, the family enlists the help of paranormal investigators and a spiritual medium to confront the malevolent forces that have invaded their home.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, SLM Prod. Gp.,
Mist Ent., Amblin Ent.; MGM/UA Ent. Co.

A deeply moving story of a remarkable family and a wonderful homely old yellow dog!

Starring: Dorothy McGuire, Tommy Kirk, Kevin Corcoran, Jeff York, Chuck Connors, Beverly Washburn, Spike the dog

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"If that don't beat all. I never saw such a dog." - Katie Coates

Why watch this? Because, every once in a while, a grown man needs a good cry.

Plot Summary: In late 1880's Texas, teenage Travis Coates is left in charge of his family's homestead while his father is away on a cattle drive. A stray yellow dog, initially unwanted by Travis, befriends his younger brother, Arliss, and slowly wins over the entire family through its bravery and loyalty. However, the family's bond with Old Yeller is challenged by the threat of rabies spreading through the area.

Walt Disney Prod.; Buena Vista Dist.

Heat of the plains in his veins... the gunfighter's stain on his name, and now a woman's life in his hands!

Starring: John Wayne, Geraldine Page, Ward Bond, Michael Pate, James Arness, Leo Gordon, Lassie

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"You baked today. I can smell fresh bread on you. You smell all over like soap. You took a bath, and on top of that you smell all over like a woman. I could find you in the dark, Mrs. Lowe, and I'm only part Indian." - Hondo Lane

Why watch this? This was John Wayne's favorite Western novel and film. Mine, too.

Plot Summary: Set in Apache territory, cavalry dispatch rider Hondo Lane encounters Angie Lowe, a courageous woman raising her young son alone on an isolated ranch. He tries to convince her to abandon the dangerous area, but she insists on staying. A complex dynamic develops between Hondo, Angie, and the Apaches as tensions rise on the frontier.
 

Dad's Preview: John Wayne had a special place in his heart for this treasure. His estate kept the film out of public distribution for many years after the Duke's death in 1972. In 1990, I was working in California for EDS. It was announced that a local cable TV channel was going to air Hondo - in 3D! Special 3-D glasses were available at the station! It is so easy to watch. Wayne's so very comfortable as the independent, quiet, honorable man-of-action. Here he comes across a woman and her young son, living in Indian territory, and her husband hasn't been home for some time. I particularly admired the honorable portrayal of Vittorio, the Apache Chief. Unlike most white representatives, he was plain-spoken and honest.

Batjac Prod., Wayne-Fellows Prod.;
Warner Bros.

A mighty motion picture experience... touch it... sense it... feel it... you can't forget it!

Starring: Anne Bancroft, Patty Duke, Victor Joy, Inga Swenson, Andrew Prine, Kathleen Comegys, John Bliss

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"The rooms a wreck but she folded her napkin!" - Ann Sullivan

Why watch this? The clash of two indomitable wills is more than worth the price of admission.

Plot Summary: This is the true story of Helen Keller, a young girl who is blind, deaf, and mute and experiences significant frustration and behavioral challenges due to her inability to communicate. Her desperate parents hire Annie Sullivan, a former student from the Perkins School for the Blind who also experienced visual impairment, to tutor their daughter. A battle of wills ensues as Annie, through persistence, tough love, and sheer stubbornness, strives to teach Helen language and connect her to the world around her.

Playfilm Productions; United Artists

Everything is in its proper place... Except the past.

Starring: Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore, Judd Hirsch, Timothy Hutton, M. Emmet Walsh, Elizabeth McGovern, Dinah Manoff

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"A little advice about feelings kiddo; don't expect it always to tickle."-  Dr. Berger

Why watch this? It's an engrossing film about tragedy and its long-lasting affects.

Plot Summary: Set in an affluent Chicago suburb, we see a family grappling with the aftermath of a tragic boating accident that killed their eldest son. The surviving younger son, wracked with guilt and depression, attempts suicide and is subsequently hospitalized. The film explores the family's attempts to navigate their grief and strained relationships, particularly highlighting the mother's emotional distance.

Wildwood Enterprises, Inc; Paramount Pics

The most beloved Pulitzer Prize book now comes vividly alive on the screen!

Starring: Gregory Peck, Mary Badham, Phillip Alford, Brock Peters, Paul Fix, Robert Duvall, Frank Overton, John Megna, Rosemary Murphy, Ruth White

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"If you just learn a single trick, Scout, you'll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it." – Atticus Finch

Why watch this? It's a superb adaptation of the Pulitzer-winning classic novel.

Plot Summary: Scout Finch is a young girl growing up in a racially segregated Alabama town during the Great Depression. Her principled lawyer father, Atticus, defends a black man falsely accused of raping a white woman. Through the trial and interactions with their mysterious neighbor, Boo Radley, Scout and her brother Jem confront the complex realities of prejudice, injustice, and the loss of childhood innocence.

Brentwood Productions; Universal Pictures

The Most Honored Picture In History!

Starring: Fredric March, Myrna Loy, Dana Andrews, Harold Russell, Teresa Wright, Virginia Mayo, Cathy O'Donnell, Hoagy Carmichael

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

DML Top 50 #23 - Dad's Full (Spoiler) Review and Deep Dive of The Best Years of our Lives

"I was burned. When I came to, I was on a cruiser. My hands were off. After that, I had it easy..." - Petty Officer 2C Homer Parish

Why watch this? Civilians need to see this to better understand our armed service veterans.

Plot Summary: Set in the aftermath of World War II, this story follows three servicemen returning to their small Midwestern town. Each man faces unique challenges readjusting to civilian life, including joblessness, changing family dynamics, and physical disability. The ex-servicemen must face the emotional and practical difficulties of transitioning back into society and navigate their new realities.

Samuel Goldwyn Prod.; RKO Radio Pictures

The Joads step right out of the pages of the novel that has shocked millions!

Starring: Henry Fonda, Jane Darwell, John Carradine, Charley Grapewin, Dorris Bowdon, Russell Simpson, John Qualen, Grant Mitchell, Ward Bond

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

DML Top 50 #28 - Dad's Full (Spoiler) Review and Deep Dive of The Grapes of Wrath

"If I was to pray, I'd pray for folks that's alive and don't know which way to turn." - Jim "Preacher" Casy

Why watch this? The Great Depression left a deep scar on an entire American generation.

Plot Summary: This deeply American story follows the Joad family, Oklahoma sharecroppers who lose their farm to foreclosure during the Dust Bowl and Great Depression. Led by newly paroled son Tom, they embark on a difficult journey to California, lured by the promise of work and a better life. However, upon arrival, they face immense hardship, poverty, exploitation, and social injustice alongside thousands of other migrant workers seeking the same elusive dream.

Darryl F. Zanuck, Nunnally Johnson;
20th Century Fox

A Simple Man... A Difficult Choice.

Starring: Billy Bob Thornton, Lucas Black, Dwight Yoakam, John Ritter, Natalie Canerday, James Hampton, Robert Duvall, Brent Briscoe

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

DML Top 50 #30 - Dad's Full (Spoiler) Review and Deep Dive of Sling Blade

"Some folks call it a sling blade, I call it a Kaiser blade." - Karl Childers

Why watch this? Thornton's first film is tender, simple, and brilliant on every level.

Plot Summary: Karl Childers is a man with an intellectual disability who is released from a psychiatric hospital after spending decades institutionalized for a childhood murder. He returns to his childhood town in Arkansas and befriends a young boy named Frank, forming an unexpected bond as Karl works as a mechanic. However, Frank's home life is troubled by his mother's abusive boyfriend, Doyle.
 

Dad's Preview: This film rings so true that the audience has no choice but to believe it's based on real people. Sling Blade was Billy Bob Thornton's personal creation: he wrote the story, directed the film and stars as Karl. Thornton's immersion into the simpleton character is legendary (and oft impersonated by me and way too many TikTokers). There are some intense moments, but at its heart, this movie has a sweetness to it. It's an achievement within its own simplicity. John Ritter and Dwight Yoakam deliver incredible supporting performances, as well.

The Shooting Gallery; Miramax Films

The story of a woman fighting for her children, for her land, for the greatest dream there is... the future.

Starring: Sally Field, Lindsay Crouse, Ed Harris, Amy Madigan, John Malkovich, Danny Glover

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"You took a no-account piece of land and a bunch of people that didn't know what they were doin' and you farmed that land better than anybody could - colored or white. You're the one that brought in the first bale of cotton this year. Don't you ever forget that." - Edna Spalding

Why watch this? ... two reasons, 1) it's about Texas country folk, and 2) Mom loved it.

Plot Summary: In Depression-era Texas, a newly widowed woman, Edna Spalding, struggles to save her family's farm from foreclosure. Facing immense hardship, she takes the advice of a Black handyman, Moze, and decides to plant cotton, a crop she knows nothing about. To make ends meet and keep her children, Edna also reluctantly takes in a blind boarder, Mr. Will.

Delphi II Productions; Tri-Star Pictures