Happy Feet

James bond was not prepared for it!! It was Thanksgiving weekend and families throughout the nation were too eager to accept a cute penguin more than they were for some good old action from Agent 007!

"Happy Feet" the sensational children movie about a tap-dancing penguin topped the box office over the long Thanksgiving weekend. The animated movie, which beat the latest James Bond film "Casino Royale" for the second consecutive week, grossed 37 million dollars this weekend, or 50.6 million over the five-day holiday period starting Wednesday evening. The penguin movie has grossed nearly 100 million dollars in two weeks.

"Casino Royale" held onto second place with 30.1 million dollars between Friday and Sunday, and a total of 44.9 million over the five-day period. The latest Bond movie has grossed nearly 95 million over two weeks.

Happy Feet is a funny and inspirational movie — one of the rare ones these days that the whole family can watch together. In the animated film, a penguin named Mumble (voiced by Elijah Wood) is treated differently by his family and penguin community because he cannot sing but he possesses an extraordinary talent in tap dancing. But, since singing is essential for mating, Mumble does not quite feel like he belongs.

He is sent away from the penguin clan because they insist he is the reason the fish supply is diminishing. But he feels that this is unjust. Thus, he sets out on a journey to find out the true reason for the fish deficiency. On the way, he meets a dancing penguin troupe and a wise “prophet.” Together they venture to find the “mystical beings” that are taking the fish from the sea.

Happy Feet is a funny and inspirational movie — one of the rare ones these days that the whole family can watch together. Judging by its No. 1 ranking in ticket sale profits, it seems audiences think it’s great, too.

"Happy Feet" is directed by Australian director George Miller who also directed "Mad Max" and "Babe: Pig in the City". Here is the official site for the movie: happyfeetmovie.com. The film is rated PG for some mild peril and rude humor.

A Good Year

After the roaring success of 'Gladiator' in the year 2000, actor Russell Crowe and Director Ridley Scott have reunited their talents again on a movie that is entirely different in content. It is a slow moving, romantic comedy about life in France with good food, good friends, good wine and good love. The film is thus named appropriately 'A Good Year'.

'A Good Year' is based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Peter Mayle. Mayle and Ridley Scott are longtime friends and together they came up with the idea for the novel. Scott produces from a screenplay by Marc Klein.

The story revolves around Max Skinner (Russell Crowe), an investor in the London stock market and is a killer in the deals. The nastier he can be, the better. He lives for the work and his work is his life.

One day he is notified of his uncle's death and that he is the heir to his estate in France. Slightly annoyed he flies to France to take care of this business. At the villa memories of his uncle (Albert Finney) flood his mind. He remembers that as a boy (Freddie Highmore) he spent some of his happiest times there. But, a complication arises with the sudden arrival of a determined, twenty something California girl, Christie Roberts, a Napa Valley native, who claims to be the illegitimate daughter of the deceased uncle. The revelation, if true, makes her Max's cousin and, according to French law, the beneficiary of the villa. The story goes on in slow pace taking some twists and turns. Max's memories and the passage of time bring forth emotions and feelings he thought were long lost, and afford him a new appreciation of his late Uncle Henry's philosophy on life - and on life in Provence: "There's nowhere else in the world where one can keep busy doing so little, yet enjoy it so much!"

It was an enjoyable journey with Russell Crowe and his endearing performance and charming presence on the screen. Nothing in this movie is rushed. If you wish to just relax and enjoy the story, the scenery, the music on the way, 'A Good Year' would be just the right kind of movie for you.

Here is the official site: agoodyear.com. The film is rated PG-13 for language and some sexual content