Pollyanna (2004) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Georgina Terry plays Pollyanna with a sweet faced, ever-happy style that suits the plot. It's pretty faithful to the original plot of the missionary's daughter, orphaned and coming to live with a strict aunt. As Pollyanna plays her "Glad Game" and teaches it to the problem characters, the villagers' lives are transformed. Everyone from the reclusive misanthrope to the chronically ill to the town doctor find new ways of looking at life from interacting with the little girl.
The very name Pollyanna is now synonymous for unreasoning optimism due to this book. I loved this story when I read it as a child and am glad they treated it well in this remake.
The costumes and setting fit very well (although the original book was not English) and have the usual high quality of a Masterpiece Theater production.
I had to knock off a star because sometimes the actors spoke too fast or breathlessly so some of the dialogue is lost.

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Knights of the South Bronx (2005) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The movie was great. I enjoyed it. The child actors are good, and Ted Danson is just excellent. By and large, the actors, the storyline, and the chess seem credible, realistic and on target. As a chess player, I could see that the chess teaching techniques used are textbook, so there is nothing fake or phony about this story.
I'm a believer in the main message of the movie, that I chess is able to boost a child academically, and that..."chess is a battle of the mind....it does not care who you are, what color you are, or where you come from..."

Having just taught my 5 year old daughter how to play chess, I find that the grittiness of the South Bronx depicted in the film, and the bad language used is too much for my daughter's view right now. This is a pity, but the producers and directors are "keeping it real". I respect that but I wish that they came out with a more family friendly version with over-dubbing of the language.
The last scene in the movie showing the animated ninjas on the board was a little hokey and unnecessary.

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Middle-aged and recently unemployed, Richard Mason (Ted Danson) decides to return to his first love: teaching. He finds a job as an inner-city schoolteacher teaching fourth grade. Richard discovers a way to reach out to his skeptical students through the game of chess. Against all odds, he inspires his students to become champions, not only at chess, but in life! Ted Danson gives a compelling performance in this heroic, heartwarming story based on true events co-starring Keke Palmer and Malcolm David Kelley. Knights of the South Bronx proves that no matter who you are or where you come from, if you play like a winner, you can be a king!

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