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Sequoia (1934)
Beautiful gem!
I saw this on New Year's eve online, glad I did! This is one of those rare gems that isn't shown much on TV (apparently it is sometimes shown on Turner Classic Movies (unfortunately a channel which I don't own, but if yu do, keep an eye out for it).
This is a great tale, as far fetched as it might be, about the story of two orphans coming together and become unlikely best friends. The wildlife and environmental cinematography in this movie is absolutely stunning, especially considering that the motion picture was still in its infancy at the time of its release. The lack of big names works for this movie and helps keep the focus.
Sticks & Stones: The Battle for the Soul of Curling (2014)
Solid documentary
Curling is at the top of my list for favorite sports to watch and follow (tied with horse racing). I love everything about the roaring game; the strategy, the skills, the social aspect, and the intriguing characters whose stories of decades ago still are told today.
It is also a game with controversies and this documentary delves right into some of those here, particularly in regards to how Curling became an Olympic sport (the trials and tribulations that the athletes had to go through those early years . The game has certainly changed even since the documentary and IMO no necessarily for he better. Certainly few miss having picks as a result of ashes on the ground but once curlers get good at something, only a matter of time until it.
This documentary is of very high production value with a smattering of cameos and interviews from the likes of Muirhead (retired), Ulsrud (sadly passed May 24th 2022), Homan, Goswell, Jennifer Jones,, the late, great Sandra Schmirler, and lots of old footage and newspaper articles. Since this was made the Continental Cup has unfortunately been put on the bench, a shame since it's a fun event where you can see your favorites having fun and letting their hair down (if they have any) prior to the grind that is the Brier/Scotties/Worlds. Hope it comes back again!
I feel another documentary could be done about how the game has changed since 2014.
The Great Dan Patch (1949)
A flawed but decent romp
Saw this movie for the second time on Archive.org (I previously saw it on a community channel from Manitoba; I live in Ontario but have access to Neepawa Access Television Network) while on a Christmas break. This week I've been binge watching movies about or centered around my favorite sports (horse racing and curling); seen Run for The Roses, Ready to Run and this title (and for curling, Gerri Curls and Men With Brooms).
This is overall a decent movie, though not without its flaws. I'm a factional owner of Standardbreds so a few things stuck out at me ;)
Dan Patch (April 29, 1896 - July 11, 1916) was indeed an excellent Standardbred *Pacing* champion (and not a trotter as he was referred to in the movie) who was so strong in open company that connections of other horses refused to race against him. There was. Again, creative licensing.
This movie is *loosely* based on the horse but mainly a fictional telling of the lives of his (movie fictional) connections. If you are looking for a more accurate picture about horse racing unfortunately this isn't it, but there are so few about Standardbreds and it's isn't terrible.
Ready to Run (2000)
Harmless fun
I've been binging on watching movies about my favorite sports (horse racing and curling; yes I know, interesting combination) this week while on Christmas break; I've seen Run for The Roses, Dan Patch, Ready to Run (this title of course), Gerri Curls and Men With Brooms so far) and came upon this little gem on Disney Plus. Glad I did!
While the 'animals talking to people' trope isn't one that hasn't been done before prior to this movie* -- the protagonist has a family trait that enables them to speak to horses -- it's good harmless fun for the whole family. If you are looking for a meatier horse racing movie perhaps Seabiscuit, The Great Dan Patch and Secretariat (which all have their inaccuracies as well) would be more for your liking, but if you are just looking for some light, feel-good fluff for an hour and a half or looking for a safe movie for your child who loves horses, it does its job :) And the horses are gorgeous athletes!
*There is no CGI animal mouths here; just voiceover for the horses as they do horsey things.
Men with Brooms (2002)
Fun romp
There aren't too many movies made about the wonderful sport of Curling (Gerri Curls and Move of The Penguin and Kong Curling are a few others; the latter being foreign titles), unfortunate as I think it's a great sport to centre a movie plot.
Are there some technical error in this movie in regards to the sport? Sure. But don't watcha movie for its accuracies; if I'm entertained the movie has done its job. And entertained by it I was; a great cast, funny quips and moments and look out for cameos by the likes of Tragically Hip and more on the curling side, Ian Tetley, Graeme McCarrell, Scott Bailey, Glenn Howard, Richard Hart, Jeff Soughton, and Craig Saville playing as his third.
Run for the Roses (1977)
A feel good movie
Saw this little gem while scrolling through Tubi TV; as a fan of horse racing it caught my eye and I'm glad I gave it a shot. I dock it one star for some things being a bit of a stretch but it's all in all a safe family movie featuring a gorgeous horse and a wonderful story of triumph over adversary, and what could have been a tragedy, and believing in someone that you hold dear to you.
Love horses, love a feel good movie that you want to watch with your family? Give this one a try. There was some amazing coverage of Royal Champion's leg straightening surgery and the coverage of the racing was splendid.
Gerri Curls (2021)
Quirky!
I'm a huge fan of the sport of curling, a sport that alas, has few movies made for it. I first found out about this indie movie from being an admin of Rockheads! Curling group on Facebook and got a follow from the movie's Twitter account.
The few movies revolving around this sport are on the quirky side; certainly this one and the other being Men With Brooms that I highly recommend. There are a few foreign Curling movies as well; Move of The Penguin and Kong Curling are other, neither of which I have yet to see, but the plots on both sound like fun, too.
This movie is a little off the wall, doesn't have 'big names' (which works for it) and maybe not everyone's cup of tea but no nearly as dire IMO as the other reviews suggest.
The sport could do with more curling movies, bring 'em on!
The Vicar of Dibley (1994)
Underrated gem
My local PBS channel used to show this on the regular along with several other Britcoms (Keeping Up Appearances, Are You Being Served One Foot In The Grave, etc). That would be on the Sunday lineup and was my appointment viewing.
The cast of characters is wonderful with wonderful acting and loads of chemistry. Sadly many of the cast is no longer with us but live on n in this wonderful series. There are just so many quotable moments and don't forget to tune in after the credits for the jokes between Geraldine Granger and Alice Tinker. I find myself regularly watching the specials that ran throughout the season particularly the Christmassy episodes.
Blackadder's Christmas Carol (1988)
Holiday fun!
Tired of the same rehash of "A Christmas Carol" and want to get some good laughs in? Give Blackadder's Christmas Carol a spin. This is in some ways an anti Christmas Carol with the story's main character getting a reversal in character development. To get a better feel of the characters I recommend to watch the series but I think you could still enjoy it without doing so.
The cast is great, what a great reunion from that wonderful series. Rowan Atkinson as the sharp tongued Blackadder, Sir Tony Robsinson as the hilarious simple minded Baldrick, Stephen Fry comes back as Lords Melchett and the late, great Robbie Coltrane lays the Spirit of Christmas. Truly the only bad thing about this 42 minute jaunt is Baldricks' Posing Pouch! They even play on the scifi trope here.
I used to watch this special on a yearly basis with my family but that scifi trope unfortunately didn't do much for my parents after about four or five years it became one of the species I went on to watch and enjoy on my own.
Give it a whirl!