Eddie the Eagle jumps to DVD

                                          AVAILABLE ON DVD June 14

               

Movie Title:      Eddie The Eagle  

Grade:   A

Rating: PG-13, 1 hour 45 minutes

In a Nutshell:    With big heart and a sense of humor, Eddie the Eagle has now landed on DVD.  If you missed it at the theater, now is your chance to watch this feel-good, underdog sports movie that will make you cry, laugh, and soar.

Just a few days before the 2002 Winter Olympics in SLC, Utah, I went to Park City to watch the pre-Olympic trials in men's ski jumping and freestyle aerial skiing.  It was one of the coolest things I have ever seen (pun intended).  So, raise your glass of milk to toast to a great film and a triumphant moment of human spirit.

Uplifting theme: 

• There is something truly special about those who have big dreams and believe in themselves.
• Don’t ever believe anyone who says you aren’t “Olympic material” or “college material” or any kind of material.  They don't know what you can really do.
• “A true Olympian is not just about a God-given skill set.  It’s about not ever giving up, no matter what.” – Warren Sharp
• “Doing your best is the only option, even if it results in failure.” – Warren Sharp
• “The important thing in the Olympic Games is not the winning, but the taking part.  The important thing in life is not the triumph, but the struggle.” – Pierre De Coubertin, Founder of the Olympic Games, 1896

Things I liked:

• Wow, what a lesson in tenacity and perseverance.  I give up way too easily.
• Eddie’s mother, played by Jo Hartley,  is so sweet and supportive.  I hope I'm that kind of mother.
• I love the glass stain on the tablecloth in the beginning of the movie in the shape of the Olympic rings. 
• The boys who play Eddie when he was younger are adorable and brothers in real life.  (Tom Costello, Jack Costello)
• You see a LOT of terrible and funny falls.  I truly admire anyone who is that determined.
• I love that Eddie doesn’t drink alcohol.  It’s refreshing to see a protagonist in movies nowadays who isn’t a wise-cracking, egotistical drunk.  I was sad when he succommed to peer pressure.
• I love Australian hunk Hugh Jackman.  He can do it all.  Did you know his character is actually fiction?  There was no Bronson Peary who coached Eddie.
• How did they film some of those jumping scenes?!  Green screens?  If so, they did a really great job.  It's all very believable.
• You get to see some of the old footage from the 1988 Calgary Olympics.
• The Olympic crowds loved him and movie audiences do too.  Of course, the movie is entirely predictable, but I still weeped tears of joy.
• I love that Eddie was able to be happy for other people’s accomplishments and not let those who beat him take joy away from his own personal triumphs.  We can all learn a lesson from his example.
• Christopher Walken plays a small role, but is great and has a powerful moment.
• You get to see some pictures of the real Michael "Eddie the Eagle" Edwards at the end of the movie.  Since the Olympics, he has gone on to compete and win in several celebrity British reality TV shows, still a fan favorite. Taron Egerton portrays him well in the film and even includes Eddie's famous under bite.

Things I didn’t like:

• It's very predictable and full of cliche's, but it still tugs at all of the right strings on your heart.
• There is a comparison between sex and ski jumping that is inappropriate for children.

Funny lines:

•  “It’s not like I’m taking up ballet.  It’s still skiing, just higher.” – Eddie
• “He’s going to break his neck!” – Jeanette Edwards

“Ah, I’M going to break his neck!” - Target Edwards

• “Any tips then?” – Eddie

“Don’t die.” – Bronson Peary 

Tips for parents:   

• There is some profanity, but not much.
• There is a scene with a bunch of naked men in a sauna.  They all have strategically-placed items so you don’t see any “naughty bits.”  It’s actually a funny scene.
• There is a When Harry Met Sally sex scene when Hugh Jackman makes sound effects and facial expressions that are inappropriate for children.
• Bo Derrick is mentioned quite a few times in the movie.  Kids won’t know who she is. She was a popular, sexy actress in the 80’s.  She is still beautiful today and makes occasional movie and TV appearances.

If you loved this heartwarming Olympic film, you'll also love:

         

Unbroken spotlights the strength of the human spirit

 Movie:  Unbroken

PG-13, 2 hours 17 minutes

Grade:  B+

In a Nutshell:  This is an inspiring, true story that features the strength of the human spirit against all odds.  Director Angelina Jolie was so taken with Lauren Hillenbrand’s best-selling novel, that she felt compelled to bring it to the big screen.  The story is fascinating, but the viewing is exhausting and heart-wrenching.

Uplifting Theme:

·         The end of the movie reminds us that “the way forward is not revenge, but forgiveness.”  In fact, the movie leaves out 2 extremely important chapters of the book that reveal the challenges Louis Zamperini faced when he returned home.  Check out this inspiring video that tells the rest of the story.about the power of forgiveness.

·         “If you can take it, you can make it.” – Louis’ brother, Pete

Things I liked:

·         The main actors dieted for months to appear as their characters would have looked after surviving 47 harrowing days on a raft in the ocean.  They lost even more weight in the prisoner of war camps.  That’s dedicated acting.

·         The casting was very good.  Young Louis looked just like the older Louis.

·         The audience laughed when the starving soldiers on the raft punched a fish and a shark in order to eat them.  There were a few moments of subtle humor, but otherwise, this film is extremely sobering.  It should make you hesitate before complaining about anything again.

·         The cinematography of Roger Deakins (True Grit and Skyfall ) is very well done. Some of the vistas were extraordinary.

·         I always appreciate it at the end of a true story when the audience is shown how things ended up years later.

·         Jack O’Connell (Louis Zamperini) did an outstanding job.  Takamasa Ishihara was so believably cruel as Watanabe that the audience cringed every time he appeared on the screen.

Things I didn’t like:

·         The film is pretty long and your heart can’t take much more.  You feel like you’ve been punched in the gut, although your spirit soars with hope as you watch Louis stand up each time he falls. Angelina Jolie chooses to spend 2 hours focusing on how Louis was tortured in various ways and very little time showing us more about his character development.

·         I’m sad that the real Louis Zamperini died right before the movie came out.  What an amazing man he was.  I’m especially impressed that he returned to Japan to face his tormentors and forgive them.

·         As inspiring as the story is, there should have been more powerful and emotional moments in the telling.

Inspiring lines:

·         “A moment of pan is worth a lifetime of glory.” – Pete

·         “Here’s the plan…you go on living the best you can and try to have some fun along the way. – Phil

·         “We beat them by making it to the end of the war alive.” – Blackie

·         “It is necessary to have respect.  No respect, no order.” - Watanabe

·         “I’m glad it’s you. “ – Phil

“I’m glad it’s me too.” - Louis

Tips for Parents:  There are intense sequences of brutality and violence, as well as some charred bodies in one scene in particular.  There is some profanity, but not much, especially considering this is a war movie.  People used to call Italian immigrants WASPS and DAGOS.  After the movie, you can talk to your kids about bullying and name calling.

To learn more about the amazing life of Louis Zamerini, check out the following items: