Father’s Day Films 2012

To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) Rated NR

A Southern lawyer defends a black man accused of rape. The story is viewed through the eyes of his young daughter, Scout.

Finding Nemo (2003) Rated G

The fretful Malin and his young son Nemo, become separated from each other in the Great Barrier Reef. Nemo, a clown fish, is unexpectedly taken from his home and thrust into a fish tank in a dentist’s office overlooking Sydney Harbor. Buoyed by the companionship of a friendly fish named Dory, Malin embarks on a dangerous trek and finds himself the unlikely hero.

Father of the Bride (1950) & (1991) Rated NR & PG

A father deals with his only daughter’s lavish wedding.

Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) Rated PG

When his wife walks out, Ted Kramer and his six-year-old son have a chance to really get to know each other. Then Ted’s wife returns and she wants her son back.

Parenthood (1989) Rated PG-13

The Buckmans are a modern family facing the age-old dilemma of trying to raise children the “right” way.

Memorial Day Films 2012

Best Years of Our Lives (1946) Rated NR

Recounts the problems faced by three returning veterans of WWII as they attempt to pick up the threads of their lives. Captain Derry is returning to a loveless marriage, Sergeant Stephenson is a stranger to a family that’s grown up without him, and sailor Parrish is tormented by the loss of his hands.

Saving Private Ryan (1998) Rated R

Captain John Miller must take his men behind enemy lines to find Private Ryan, whose three brothers have been killed in combat. Faced with impossible odds, the men question their orders. Why are eight men risking their lives to save just one? Surrounded by the brutal realities of war, each man searches for his own answer and the strength to triumph over uncertain future with honor, decency and courage.

Platoon (1986) Rated R

Follows young Chris Taylor who arrives in Vietman and quickly discovers that his worst enemies are not just the Viet Cong, but gnawing fear, physical exhaustion, and the anger growing within himself.

All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) Rated NR

A group of young World War I German recruits pass from idealism to disillusionment with war.

Paths of Glory (1957) Rated NR

The French General Staff, safely behind the lines, sends orders for what amounts to a suicide mission. To cover up their fatal blunder, three soldiers are arrested and made scapegoats. Dax, a lawyer in civilian life, rises to the men’s defense but soon realizes that, unless he can prove that the Generals were to blame, nothing less than a miracle will save his clients from the firing squad.

The Conspirator (2010) (via What to Watch.)

Rated PG-13 Based on the true story of Mary Surratt the mother of a conspirator to the assassination of President Lincoln. It follows her trial though the eyes of her lawyer, Frederick Aiken. I was a little disappointed with the film. As the film opens we get a little background to the lawyer and the assassination, none of that was explored and felt rushed through. Then we hit the trial which was great, loved the pace. Then we get to the story be … Read More

via What to Watch. The content and opinions expressed in this review do not necessarily reflect the views of nor are they endorsed by the Rice Lake Public Library.

POW/MIA Recognition Day September 16th

Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) Rated PG

When British P.O.W.s build a vital railway bridge in enemy-occupied Burma, Allied commandos are assigned to destroy it.

Great Escape (1963) Rated NR

A high-security German prisoner-of-war camp in 1942 holds only known troublemakers and risk-takers, all of whom are determined to pull off the war’s most daring escape.

In Enemy Hands (2004) Rated R

The U.S.S. Swordfish U-boat is taken prisoner in a battle with a German sub. Meningitis strikes half the German crew. Avoiding the contagion and POW protocol, crew members and prisoners must work together to survive.

Prisoners of the Sun (1991) Rated R

In the aftermath of World War II, a mass grave of brutally executed Australian POWs is discovered. A tough military lawyer and his team are dispatched to prosecute the Japanese guards. To win his fight for justice, the lawyer must deal with an American officer protecting his national interests and a Japanese commander who has sworn his troops to a blood oath of silence.

Stalag 17 (1953) Rated NR

A group of American G.I.s in a POW camp suspect a spy is among them.

Three Wishes (1995) Rated PG

A mother and her two young sons try to survive the best they can since her husband, the boys’ father, is presumed to have died in the Korean War. One day they meet an injured stranger and his dog who change their lives.