the emperor's new groove

the year: 2000

the genre: comedy


the plot: The vain and cocky Emperor Kuzco is a very busy young man. Besides maintaining his "groove", and firing his suspicious administrator, Yzma, he's also planning to build a new waterpark just for himself for his birthday. However, this means destroying one of the villages in his kingdom. Meanwhile, Yzma is hatching a plan to get revenge and usurp the throne. But, in a botched assassination courtesy of Yzma's right-hand man, Kronk, Kuzco is magically transformed into a llama. Now, Kuzco finds himself the property of Pacha, a lowly llama herder whose home is ground zero for the water park. Upon discovering the llama's true identity, Pacha offers to help resolve the Emperor's problem and regain his throne, only if he promises to move his water park.


count: how many times Tipo says the word "great" when he says, "You know, I really don't believe you're my great aunt, you're more like my...",



don't miss: Theme Song Guy. The makers of the film originally wanted to get Sting to sing the opening song but he said he was too old, they need someone more hip and younger. So they went with Tom Jones. The irony? Sting is in his 50s, Jones is in his 60s.



watch for: the nod to Bob's Big Boy restaurants.



listen for: "Ah, how shall I do it? Oh, I know. I'll turn him into a flea, a harmless, little flea, and then I'll put that flea in a box, and then I'll put that box inside of another box, and then I'll mail that box to myself, and when it arrives...I'll smash it with a hammer! It's brilliant, brilliant, brilliant, I tell you! Genius, I say!...Or, to save on postage..."



did you also know: Patrick Warburton improvised Kronk's humming of his own theme song when he was carrying Kuzco in the bag to the waterfall. Disney legal department had Patrick to sign all rights to the humming composition over to them.



extra bonus points: if you share your favorite quote from this movie.


also listen for: "Squeaky, uh, squeak, sqeaker, squeakin'."

invincible

the year: 2006

the genre: sports


the cast: Mark Wahlberg (Vince Papale); Elizabeth Banks (Janet Cantrell); Greg Kinnear (Dick Vermeil)



the plot: A 30-year old Philadelphia Eagles fan who has just lost his teaching job and his wife (after she walks out) decides, at the urging of his friends, to show up for open tryouts - held at the suggestion of new coach Dick Vermeil.




don't miss: In the Giants game, when Mark Wahlberg is running down the sideline in special teams coverage, a Giants player hits him hard and knocks him down. This Giants player was a football player at the nearby University of Delaware, and was not supposed to contact Wahlberg, let alone knock him down. (Take THAT Blue Hen gainsayers!)





watch for: a smart aleck comment by Blaine. He usually has one when I mention Mark Wahlberg. :)



listen for: "Who said I was talking about him?"




did you know: the boy running in the street with the makeshift number 83 jersey is the real Vince Papale's son.

love in the afternoon

the year: 1957

the genre: comedy


the cast: Gary Cooper (Frank Flannagan); Audrey Hepburn (Ariane Chavasse); Maurice Chevalier (Claude Chavasse); John McGiver (Monsieur X)


the plot: a middle-aged playboy is fascinated by the daughter of a private detective who has been hired to entrap him with the wife of a client.



listen for: "Working on a new case?" "A client from Brussels. His wife ran away to Paris with the chauffeur. I have to find them; the husband wants his car back."


don't miss: they gypsy quartet. They're my favorite.



did you know: To dispel any impression that there was any impropriety in their many afternoon meetings in his hotel room, a line was dubbed into the release print. When his back is turned to the camera in Claude's office, Frank is heard to say, "I can't get to first base with her."



extra bonus points: if you can name the character "Monsieur X" plays in Man's Favorite Sport.


also listen for: "What does he export and what does he import?" "Oh, he uh - he exports perfume and imports bananas. There's a fortune in it. Do you realize that for one bottle of perfume you get twelve bananas?"

penelope

the year: 2006

the genre: comedy


the cast: Christina Ricci (Penelope Wilhern); James McAvoy (Johnny/Max); Simon Woods (Edward Vanderman); Peter Dinklage (Lemon)


the plot: Penelope Wilhern, born to wealthy socialites, is afflicted by the Wilhern spell that can only be broken when she finds true love with "one of her own kind". Hidden away in her family's estate, the lonely girl meets a string of suitors in her parent's futile attempt to break the curse. Each eligible bachelor is enamored with Penelope and her sizable dowry; until her curse is revealed. Lemon, a mischievous and eager tabloid reporter wants a photograph of the mysterious Penelope and hires Max to pose as a prospective suitor to get the shot. The handsome down-on-his luck gambler finds himself falling for Penelope, but not wanting to disappoint her or to expose his surreptitious ways, he decides to disappear. Fed up by this latest betrayal and determined to live life on her own terms, Penelope breaks free from her family and ventures into the world alone. She finds adventure with Annie, her first friend, and becomes the person she was meant to be.



did you know: in addition to starring in the film, Reese Whitherspoon was also lead producer.



count how many first editions are in the library.




listen for: "Good grief, he licked me!" "Edward." "What?" "Don't lick Max."




extra bonus points: if you know how long it took to put on Penelope's prosthetic nose.



also listen for: "With such a large nose, do you smell better than the rest of us?" [laughs] "You tell me."