Carousel (Gordon MacRae)

(Amazon UK link)

One of the films we were given by a friend downsizing at the start of last year is ‘Carousel’. It’s a 1950s classic musical, by Rodgers and Hammerstein, and just over two hours long. We decided we would watch it last night, making sure to allow plenty of time. We have the 50th anniversary edition, with two discs. I don’t know if it was digitally remastered, but the quality of both sound and picture seemed to be very good. 

We had no idea what the story was about when we started watching. However, the opening sequence shows a fairground after dark. There are crowds of people, mostly adults, buying street food, or playing games, or converging on the carousel. It’s an old-fashioned one with wooden horses and other animals going up and down to loud music. It’s impossible to hear any dialogue over the general noise, but apparently that was deliberate.

But then the film moves to a very different scene. Billy (Gordon MacRae) is sitting on a ladder, polishing and hanging stars. I thought at first he was decorating for Christmas, but quickly realised that these are supposedly real stars, set in the sky, and that he is in some kind of afterlife. Someone tells him he’s heard rumours that his family on earth are having trouble, and tells him that he might be able to go down for a day. Billy isn’t sure about this, but consults the person in charge…

This is a good device for letting the viewer know Billy’s back story, as he supposedly recounts it, to explain why he has a family, and why he is no longer with them. Billy was the ‘barker’ (a term I didn’t know) for someone else’s carousel at the fair. That meant he stood at the side, proclaiming the wonders of the experience, to draw people in to buy tickets. He was evidently very good at this, until he became distracted by an attractive young woman called Julie (Shirley Jones)...

Billy is quite a womaniser but Julie is rather smitten, although insisting that she is respectable. And as they flirt a little, they burst into song. I should have expected it - this is, after all, a musical - and they both have good voices. But I found this, and some of the other songs in the film, rather slow and long-winded. The first one is mildly amusing, perhaps… and then the action takes us back to Billy in his afterlife scenario. To remind the viewer, perhaps, that something evidently happened to cause his death.

Back to earth, as he continues talking about what went on, and he’s married to Julie, but all is not well. Billy has no job now, and hates being idle. All the town is going on a ‘clam bake’ (something else I had never heard of) which starts with a trip out in boats… and Billy is persuaded to go by a disreputable ‘friend’ who has proposed a method of making them both wealthy…

I did enjoy the dance sequences, which were cleverly choreographed and extremely well executed. I was also quite surprised to find that I knew a couple of the songs in the film. ‘June is bustin’ out all over’ was written for this musical, as was the quite well-known ‘I’ll never walk alone’. I also quite liked Billy’s gradual change of heart, as circumstances change, although it’s not until the very end that he does something totally altruistic.

We appreciated the settings too; it was filmed in Maine, on the coast and there are quite a few scenes on the beach, or on sailing boats. Despite the title of the musical, the carousel itself only appears at the beginning of the film, as the place where Billy and Julie first meet. 

While there’s some humour and a lot of caricaturing, it’s a bit dark for a musical. I gather that it wasn’t as popular as the writers had hoped when it was first in the cinemas. Perhaps that’s because Billy isn’t all that likeable, and because there is a tragic scene when things go wrong. It’s one which we know is going to happen, but it stops the otherwise light-hearted film being truly family-friendly, despite the U rating. 

While I’d have liked it better if it wasn’t quite so slow-moving, it was very well done, in a 1950s way. The way actors in films spoke - as if they were on stage - seems quaint to us now, as does the way that the women are all perfectly made up at all times, even at the end of a day’s fishing and then smoking sea-food. 

We didn’t watch all the extras, but were interested in one about the making of the film, with some clips from the writers and people involved in the production. Apparently it was based on a much darker Hungarian film called ‘Liliom’ which didn’t have the somewhat uplifting ending of ‘Carousel’. Initially ‘Carousel’ was a stage musical which ran for quite a long time before it was turned into a film. 

Worth watching once, as it’s a classic, if only for the excellent dance sequences. But it’s not one I’m likely to want to see again.

Review copyright 2025 Sue's DVD Reviews

Hotel for dogs (Emma Roberts)

(Amazon UK link)

About eighteen months ago, when we bought some extra DVD shelving (used), we were offered a selection of children’s DVDs. Some of them are of no interest to me, although visiting children sometimes like them. But I thought that the 2009 film ‘Hotel for dogs’ sounded quite interesting, based on the blurb. So last night we decided to watch it.

Andi (Emma Roberts) is sixteen, and very close to her ten-year-old brother Bruce (Jake T Austin). They were orphaned three years earlier - we don’t learn why - and are living in foster care. It’s clearly not working well for them; their foster parents, Lois and Karl, provide a lot of the comedy in the film as they are so dreadful, and clearly unsuited to the role. She makes extremely unappetising food, and the two of them spend most of their time trying to record bad quality music.

Andi and Bruce have a dog called Friday, whom they adore. But no dogs are allowed in their foster home, so they have to sneak him in at night-time. And since they have no money, they try to ‘earn’ enough to feed Friday, through very dubious scams. Their social worker Bernie (Don Cheadle) is excellent; he clearly cares about them, and regularly gets them out of trouble. Although he knows their foster parents are neglectful, there are very few foster families willing to take on siblings of their age. And they are desperate to stay together.

In their neighbourhood there is a van that goes around collecting stray dogs, and unfortunately they come across Friday and impound him. And while they manage to release him, they’re shocked to see that there are many other delightful dogs, and that they’re only allowed to be there, uncollected, for 72 hours…

It’s quite poignant at first, contrasting the young people’s love of dogs, and concern for strays with the rigidity of the dog police. Andi and Bruce discover an abandoned hotel where some of the dogs have made themselves at home. And they decide to take it over, with the help from some friends they gradually acquire. Bruce is a technological genius, and makes some impressive devices from items left behind in the old hotel, and also things he has taken from his foster home…

There’s a lot of humour in this film, which we thought was beautifully made. The dogs are wonderful, more and more of them appearing and being adopted by Annie and Bruce. There are scenes showing the dog police wondering where all the stray dogs have gone. And we loved the way Bruce gradually manages to automate not just the dogs’ feeding time, but their exercise, toilet needs, and other preferences. It’s quite surreal, of course, but while we were watching, we felt quite drawn into the film, rooting for the teenagers and the dogs.

Naturally enough, things can’t continue this way forever, and there’s some tension and an exciting race towards the end. Bernie makes a heartfelt speech which makes for a happy ending - this is, after all, a children’s film - and an even more surreal conclusion, which we thought very amusing.

The acting is excellent, and the dogs are amazing. We watched some of the ‘extras’ on the DVD, which included a section about the dog training, which was impressive. And there was a heartfelt comment from the actor who plays Bruce, saying that there were times when he did everything correctly, but the dog with him didn’t. So they had to do seventeen takes. 

It was clear both from the film and from the ‘making of’ extra that the cast loved dogs - and the crew, too. Some of the dogs used were themselves strays, who were then adopted by cast or crew members. I am not, in general, a dog person. But I thought that, as well as being a well-made and amusing film, it gave a very important message about the responsibility that comes with having a dog. 

Overall, I would recommend it to adults as well as teens and children who want something light-hearted, so long as you don’t mind a bizarre storyline that’s a bit like a 21st century fairy-tale. Apparently this was loosely based on a book of the same name. The teenage actors - or those portraying teenagers - are excellent, carrying the film entirely. Other than Bernie, most of the adult characters are either caricatures, or in some way against the teens' efforts. 

The rating is U, which reflects the lack of anything ‘adult’. There are one or two very minor uses of bad language, and the film might, perhaps, be disturbing to a child who had problems in foster care, or who had lost a dog. I think I would probably rate it PG, suggesting that parents should take responsibility for deciding whether or not their children would be likely to find it upsetting, or funny.

Review copyright 2025 Sue's DVD Reviews

Tara Road (Andie MacDowell, Olivia Williams)

(Amazon UK link)

I thoroughly enjoyed rereading Maeve Binchy’s lengthy novel ‘Tara Road’ in November last year. Then I noticed a DVD of a film adaptation, which was mostly well-rated, so I put it on my wishlist and was given it for my birthday a few months ago. We decided to watch it last night.

I realised there would have to be a lot of abridgement, to fit the novel into just an hour and a half, and I thought it was done very well. The DVD opens with a brief scene at a party, obviously caught on video, which leads to a terrible tragedy. It’s not something that actually comes into the book, and isn’t mentioned until near the end, but it works very well as a dramatic opening of this adaptation.

The main characters, Marilyn (Andie MacDowell) and Ria (Olivia Williams) are then introduced at the start, with action switching from one to the other. That, too, is different from the book; the first half of the book is only about Ria, and covers her teenage years, her romance and marriage to the handsome Danny (Iain Glenn), and the birth of their two children, Annie and Brian. The story in the film starts when Annie is already a teenager, clashing sometimes with her mother. 

So we know, from the start, why Marilyn wants time away from her husband Greg (August Zirner), and we see, very early in the film, why Danny and Ria separate - that doesn’t happen until half-way through the book. But then, most of the background and many of the minor characters aren’t necessary to the plot, although they add to the enjoyment of the story when reading. I thought Annie and Brian were excellent, very true to the characters in the book. 

Still, the main characters and their families are very recognisable from the book. Marilyn and Ria agree to swapping houses for the summer, and we see them slowly adjusting to each other’s cultures. Marilyn is much more reserved than Ria; this isn’t really shown in her American life, but is clear when she gently rebuffs some local attempts at socialising. And Ria, who is very sociable, befriends Marilyn’s neighbours, hosts parties, and even finds a temporary job. The neighbours and restaurant owners are caricatures, but that isn’t a problem: there’s some gentle humour which is a nice balance to the traumas and tragedies that have taken place.

The theme is of healing and growth in a new environment. Ria starts to move on and find new meanings to her life, while Marilyn slowly opens up about why she is so unhappy. Both of them meet men who are attracted to them, and both experience some temptations as well as making new decisions. I found Marilyn and Greg entirely believable; Ria is very well done, but feels a lot younger than I had imagined her. The actress was apparently in her late thirties when the film was made, but looks about twenty-five.

There’s also an important thread in the film involving Danny’s business, selling houses. Danny is a womaniser, as we learn early on, and not very reliable. But he seems to have been working honestly; so it’s a shock when his boss declares bankruptcy. This leads to some of the tension later in the film (as happens in the book) and the resolution is nicely done. 

Ria’s friend Rosemary (Maria Doyle Kennedy) is a lot stronger - and nicer - as a character in the book than she is in the film. Watching the movie, I couldn’t quite believe that she was such a close friend of Ria’s. But then we learn, early in the film, what she does that Ria doesn’t know about. It’s a shocking twist in the book; yet something obvious that is shown early on in the film, which makes her generally a less likeable character.

But given that the story had to be condensed so significantly, I thought it was very well done. My husband had never read the book, and he thought it an excellent film. The main characters are believable, and there’s a nice blend of humour and pathos. There’s some lovely images of the different locations, and some musical background, though I had not realise just how many until I saw the credits at the end.

The rating is PG which reflects the lack of nudity, bad language and intimate scenes. The opening scene is potentially quite disturbing, and the only other somewhat violent scene is dramatic and exaggerated; nobody is hurt. 

It’s unlikely to be of any interest to children or younger teens anyway. If you’ve read and love Maeve Binchy’s book, you might love it, as I did, or might find it a travesty as so much is left out. So if you’re a fan of the book ‘Tara Road’, I’d only suggest watching this if you’re happy to put aside any preconceptions and enjoy it for what it is.

But overall, we both enjoyed it very much.  And with the above caveat, I would recommend it to anyone who would like a well-made and thoughtful drama with a satisfying ending. 

There are no extras on our DVD.

Review copyright 2025 Sue's DVD Reviews

Failure to launch (Matthew McConaughey)

(Amazon UK link)

I’m not sure why ‘Failure to launch’ was recommended to me by Amazon; perhaps it was because I had previously watched and liked a film with Sarah Jessica Parker in it. Whatever the reason, the blurb sounded interesting and I put it on my wishlist. I was given the DVD for my birthday a few months ago, and we watched it last night.

We’ve recently seen some films that were supposed to be romantic comedies, but which liked either romance or humour. ‘Failure to launch’, however, succeeds in providing both. It’s an unusual story, and felt quite contemporary so I was surprised to learn that it is almost twenty years old. 

Tripp (Matthew McConaughey) is in his mid-thirties, and still lives with his parents. It works well, at least from his perspective. His mother (Kathy Bates) still provides breakfast for him, and even washes his clothes. His father (Terry Bradshaw) would like him to move out, but they haven’t figure out how to let him know. And Tripp uses the situation when he wants to dump a girlfriend - he takes her home, and in most cases they are so shocked to learn that he still lives with his parents that they storm off. 

So Tripp’s parents come up with a scheme. They hire an attractive young woman called Paula (Sarah Jessica Parker) to make Tripp fall for her. She says she’s had a great success rate, usually with somewhat geeky young men, who - after going out with her a few times - decide they need to move out. I wasn’t entirely sure how this would work: Paula didn’t intend long-term relationships with any of them, or even anything too intimate, so I didn’t entirely understand why they were persuaded to move out, nor what happened when Paula moved on.

Paula is pleasantly surprised to discover that Tripp is good-looking and interesting, and he, not knowing what his parents have done, is rather keen on her, too. She follows a typical routine: she goes to dinner with him, joins in one of his hobbies (sailing), she meets his friends and gets along with them, and she engineers an apparent emotional trauma. Tripp finds her very attractive, but he’s afraid of commitments, and when she starts making hints about something long-term, he follows his usual pattern of trying to dump her…

All of which would be rather cliched and predictable if that was the only storyline. But there are some great scenes with Tripp and his two long-term buddies, who also live with their parents. There are also some quite amusing scenes with Paula in her flat with her flatmate Kit (Zooey Deschanel). Kit is getting driven round the bend by a noisy bird right outside her window; her dead-pan comments are perfectly done. .

There are some slightly ridiculous scenes, too, when Tripp gets bitten by several animals - I assume all CGI or whatever the 2006 equivalent was. They’re somewhat realistic, but not entirely, and I wasn’t quite sure what the point of these was, other than to imply that Tripp does not get on with the natural world. The most bizarre scene, however, takes place after Kit and one of Tripp’s friends decide to shoot the annoying bird.. 

It’s all a bit caricatured, of course, and the main storyline predictable from the first. But it’s very well done, and nicely balanced. The actors are excellent, and the timing impeccable. While we were watching, we felt quite drawn to the storyline; I smiled several times and even chuckled once or twice. There were also some scenes that were surprisingly moving and thought-provoking, although the ending is pure farce - and quite amusing too. 

The rating is 12 which I would say is about right, though it’s unlikely to be of interest to anyone younger than about fifteen. There are implied scenes of intimacy but only blankets are shown. However there’s quite a bit of discussion about and references to sex. There’s a scene including rear nudity, played for humour; and there are a few instances of bad or ‘strong’ language, but nothing excessive. There’s some paintball violence and the biting scenes which don’t last long, and a potentially disturbing scene with a dog at the vet’s.  

Overall we liked this film very much, and will probably watch it again in another decade or so.

Review copyright 2025 Sue's DVD Reviews

The Jane Austen book club

(Amazon UK link)

It’s eleven years since we watched ‘The Jane Austen book club’, so more than time for another viewing. We wanted something reasonably light-hearted, and this was ideal for the purpose. We hadn’t remembered much about it, other than that it related to a group of people meeting to discuss Jane Austen’s novels.

It’s a tad confusing in the early scenes, as I tried to work out who was going to be a main character, but I soon sorted most of them out in my mind. The early scenes give us a bit of background to each of the six folk who decide to form the monthly club. They’re all American, and the story is set in California. 

The opening scene is of a funeral. It turns out to be for someone who was important to Jocelyn (Maria Bello)... though also rather unexpected. Jocelyn is comforted by her friends Bernadette and Sylvia. Bernadette (Kathy Baker) is a bit older, and quite glamorous. She has been married several times, but is currently single.

Sylvia (Amy Brenneman) has been married for nineteen years to Daniel (Jimmy Smits) and is still very much in love with him. So when he tells her that he feels it’s time to move on and separate, she is devastated. Her daughter Allegra (Maggie Grace) is furious with her father, and decides to move back home to be with her mother. 

Sylvia’s friends suggest forming a book club to discuss Jane Austen’s novels, as they all like them so much. One of the other members is Prudie (Emily Blunt). She is a very organised, neat and tidy French teacher, married to Dean (Marc Blucas). But he seems to care more about football than he does about her, and rarely communicates. She’s quite emotional and needy, and also loves Jane Austen.

Then there’s Grigg (Hugh Dancy) who meets Jocelyn in a bookshop. He’s clearly quite attracted by her, but she doesn’t realise this. Instead, she wonders if she can set him up with Sylvia, since her ex-husband is seeing someone else. Grigg only reads science fiction, but is keen to expand his horizons, and asks if he can join the club…

The story is cleverly done, showing six months where one book after the other is read and discussed. Not that there’s a whole lot of discussion; instead, events in the characters’ lives reflects aspects of the book. Jocelyn, for instance, is an enthusiastic matchmaker, rather like Jane Austen’s ‘Emma’. Prudie becomes disturbingly attracted to an 18-year-old student whom she sees in a play, reflecting a significant part of ‘Mansfield Park’. 

And a whole lot more. There’s some humour in the book, and some quite moving places, as well as a fast pace and some interesting conversation. It’s not necessary to have read any of Austen’s books, although it certainly adds to the enjoyment to see the parallels. And each of the characters reflects, in some way, one of Austen’s characters (or several of them, in Grigg’s case). 

As a book lover myself, I could relate to the characters’ passion for Austen’s novels, and their discussions of the people as if they were old friends. I enjoyed Grigg’s comments, as someone new to the book; he often seemed to have quite insightful points. And I thought his house decorating for the month of ‘Northanger Abbey’ was cleverly done, though slightly disappointed that there was almost no discussion of that book.

The final book group meeting takes place on the beach, with a few extra visitors; once again there’s almost no discussion of the book, but a great deal of interaction. Prudie is tempted to do something that would get her into serious trouble as a teacher, only to pause and reconsider as she gazes at the traffic lights, in a scene that’s both tense and amusing.

The rating is 12, and I thought that was about right. There’s no violence in the book, and no nudity, although there are a few quite passionate embracing or kissing scenes, including some between women. There’s minimal bad language, but a lot of innuendoes. And there’s a woman - the hippie mother of one of the characters - who’s seen smoking pot. 

All in all, we enjoyed this film very much. My husband hasn’t read any of Jane Austen’s books but has seen several of the films, and he liked it as much as I did. We particularly liked the ending, showing everyone at a charity dinner. Several threads are tied up neatly and in encouraging ways, and Bernadette, who likes everyone to be happy, has a surprise for them all. 

Afterwards we watched the ‘making of’ documentary which is an ‘extra’ on our DVD. We also saw the deleted scenes, most of which were quite interesting, but wouldn’t have added anything much to the story.

Definitely recommended if you like books and enjoy character-based films.

Review copyright 2025 Sue's DVD Reviews