Tuesdays With Morrie

Rating: Not Rated

Movie Release Date: December 5, 1999

DVD Release Date: July 1, 2003

Plot 411: A sports reporter finds out his college professor is dying and visits him every Tuesday to learn poignant life lessons.

Review: Morrie Schwartz (Jack Lemmon) is an unconventional sociology professor who has impacted the lives of many of his students. One of these students is Mitch (Hank Azaria), who. despite making a promise at graduation to keep in touch with Morrie, finds that 16 years has passed and Morrie is dying. Mitch feels guilty for failing to keep his promise, but his life as a traveling sports reporter is hectic enough as it is. He barely has time for his girlfriend so where is he going to find time for an ex-teacher? However, once he pulls himself away from work to visit Morrie, he inhales as much of Morrie's wisdom as he can. The two friends meet every Tuesday and Mitch learns about life, love, dying, fear and all of the other big topics. It's his final semester with his professor, and the final exam is not to be done within a two-hour timeframe. It is to be completed for the rest of his life. This was a wonderful movie about life and appreciating everything that makes it up. Even though the plot dealt with a dying man, the message behind this film (and book) is about truly living. Lemmon and Azaria have a natural chemistry on screen that makes their professor/student relationship very believable.

Watch It: For an inspirational film about opening up your heart to love in all of its forms.

Skip It: Because it's a real tearjerker that'll tug at your heartstrings.

Glengarry Glen Ross

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: September 29, 1992

DVD Release Date: Nov 19, 2002

Plot 411: A real estate sales team is pushed to close deals or hit the pavement when a new sales directive come down.

Review: Anyone who is anyone in sales or a student of sociology should watch this film. You will definitely get a kick out of the choices the characters are contronted with, their decisions and the reprecussions of their actions. Kevin Spacey plays John Williamson, the young office manager in charge of a group of experienced real estate agents. His crew is made of veterans who have been unable to close deals in recent months and who have fallen to the bottom of the barrel. When Mitch and Murray management, represented in person by Alec Baldwin's character Blake, shows up with a new sales strategy - Fuck or Walk, ABC (Always Be Closing) and AIDA (Attention, Interest, Decision, Action) - the guys are pressured to make deals or get fired. Some, like Dave Moss (Ed Harris) and George Aaronow (Alan Arkin), take to bitching about how unfair things are and believe that they just need better leads to make deals. Sales leaders like Ricky Roma (Al Pacino) continue doing what they do best and will close the deal by any means. Shelley Levine (Jack Lemmon), who is in a slump but once led the sales team in revenue is pressured with the burden of providing for a sick daughter. The environment in which these men exist is acidic to your soul and the emotional rollercoaster they ride each month is devastating. Greed, envy and betrayal are all part of this dog-eat-dog world in which they work. Friends are friends only as long as competition doesn't make them enemies. Morals are left at the door as they ply potential customers with everything they've got. This is an interesting look at human nature and what one will do when pushed to the very limits of morality.

Watch It: For the astoundingly realistic dialogue and the great rhythm in their delivery.

Skip It: If the number of four-letter words that can be utttered in once sentence is larger than the number of years you've been alive.

The Odd Couple

Rating: G

Movie Release Date: May 2, 1968

DVD Release Date: December 12, 2000

Plot 411: Recently separated from his wife, the obsessively neat Felix moves in with his sloppy friend Oscar and the two are soon at each other's throats.

Review: I grew up watching the tv show starring Tony Randall and Jack Klugman and found them to be hilarious so I was excited to see the film version. Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau do not disappoint. As Felix, Lemmon is so compulsive and neurotic that it's no wonder his wife wants a divorce. From cooking and cleaning to allergies and dehumidifiers, Felix is completely overwhelming to Oscar (Matthau), who is used to living an unorganized and slovenly life. When these two personalities are confined to one apartment, you know things can only go downhill from there. The two friends drive each other nuts as only good friends can do to one another. There were many humorous beats throughout the film that kept me laughing, and I liked that the opening theme music is repeated throughout the film. I haven't seen many of Lemmon's movies, but is this high strung, anxious character his only schtick? It seems like Felix is the same character he played in The Out-Of-Towners. Even if this is all he's got, he really plays this character up like the best of them.

Watch It: If you live with your own Felix or Oscar. They might just take the hint.

Skip It: If you are either Felix or Oscar and don't want to get hassled by your other half.

The Out-Of-Towners

Rating: G

Movie Release Date: May 27, 1970

DVD Release Date: November 25, 2003

Plot 411: George and Gwen Kellerman fly from Ohio to New York for his big job interview and encounter one disaster after another on their journey.

Review: Jack Lemmon and Sandy Dennis play George and Gwen, an ordinary, middle class couple trying to provide the best opportunties for their children. A promotion and relocation to New York excites both of them, especially George. However, their flight to the Big Apple for George's interview is held up for hours and eventually redirected to Boston. Their trip to the East Coast is filled with everything from a mugging to fighting a dog for a box of Cracker Jacks. Things could not seem to get any worse. Throughout it all, George is obnoxiously bossy and forceful. He's so loud and overbearing. Gwen is, for most of the film, equally annoying because she allows herself to be pushed around by her husband. At times, her voice is quite screechy too, which just grates on your eardrums. Between George's lunatic rantings and Gwen's hopeless/helpless act I wanted to pull my hair out. With that said, there were a couple scenes that brought about a good laugh. But I wouldn't say this balanced out the film. What I did enjoy is the way the unplanned problems they encounter are so realistic. Missing a train, an unexpected layover, weather problems, no hotel room - anyone can relate to these issues travel nightmares.

Watch It: For a look at your worst travel nightmare and be thankful you don't have it that bad.

Skip It: If you're the type who is more likely to sleep through the in-flight movie.