DVD Movie: Children of Heaven

In this simple family drama from Iran, two children invent an intricate plan to conceal the loss of a pair of shoes. Ali (Amir Farrokh Hashemian) and his sister Zhara (Bahare Seddiqi) are living in a poor neighborhood. Their mother is suffering from illness and their father is overworked and underpaid. When Ali is sent out to pick up his sister's shoes, a blind street peddler accidentally swipes them. Afraid that he will get a beating if his parents find out, he and Zhara concoct a plan by which she will wear Ali's sneakers to school in the morning and he will wear them to school in the afternoon. But the plan has its flaws because Ali is late to school everyday and his principal threatens to expel him. In a final act of determination, Ali enters a race to win the third place prize, a new pair of sneakers. Majidi's acclaimed film is an example of a current trend in Iranian cinema where children are used as central characters in order to circumvent censorship issues. His later film THE COLOR OF PARADISE about a little blind boy received similar international critical attention. CHILDREN OF HEAVEN received an Academy Award Nomination in 1998 for Best Foreign Film.

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My Rating: 5 out of 5

DVD Movie: October Sky

Based On An Extraordinary True Story

Sometimes one dream is enough to light up the whole sky.

The true story of Homer Hickam, a young boy trapped in a close-minded coal-mining town in the 1950's. When Sputnik is successfully launched, Homer becomes obsessed with the concept of rocket launching. To the dismay and disgust of the townspeople, as well as Homer's father, he and his friends try to launch a rocket themselves. With the inspiration of a school teacher, they persevere and never lose hope in the dreams. An uplifting, hopeful story that the whole family can enjoy.

My Rating: 4 out 5

DVD Movie: The Blind Side

Sandra Bullock (“The Proposal”), Tim McGraw (“Friday Night Lights”) and Oscar® winner Kathy Bates (“Misery”) star in Warner Bros. Pictures’ “The Blind Side,” which depicts the remarkable true story of All-American football star Michael Oher.

In the film, teenager Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron) is surviving on his own, virtually homeless, when he is spotted on the street by Leigh Anne Tuohy (Bullock). Learning that the young man is one of her daughter’s classmates, Leigh Anne insists that Michael—wearing shorts and a t-shirt in the dead of winter—come out of the cold. Without a moment’s hesitation, she invites him to stay at the Tuohy home for the night. What starts out as a gesture of kindness turns into something more as Michael becomes part of the Tuohy family despite the differences in their backgrounds.

Living in his new environment, the teen faces a completely different set of challenges to overcome. And as the family helps Michael fulfill his potential, both on and off the football field, Michael’s presence in the Tuohys’ lives leads them to some insightful self-discoveries of their own.

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My Rating: 4 out of 5

DVD Movie: Les Miserables

Liam Neeson stars as Jean Valjean, a heartless convict who is transformed by a single act of mercy. Uma Thurman is Fantine, the vulnerable prostitute who begs Valjean to raise her only child, Cosette (Claire Danes). And Oscar-winner Geoffrey Rush, as Inspector Javert, an ambitious policeman determined to return Valjean to prison.

Les Miserables is a story about the lives of Jean Valjean, Fantine, Inspector Javert, Cosette, and Marius Pontmercy, who meet, part, then meet again during the most agitated decades of nineteenth-century France. It also tells the story of the 1832 revolution and describes the unpleasant side of Paris. The novel is in essence a plea for humane treatment of the poor and for equality among all citizens.

My Rating: 4 out 5