Ice Castles

This movie had such great potential! They ruined it with fake drama, fake relationships, fake emotions. No one behaves like that! It's as if aliens put the movie together by copying the worst B movies ever made "oh, this is how people act". It's insulting! Watch the original! That one is enjoyable and won't hurt your eyes.

Who cannot love a character lifting herself out of adversity? These movies uplift the viewer to make more of their own lives and uplift others. That is this movie. The characters are believable. Even the momentary appearance of Michelle Kwon, as a sports newscaster is believable. The father is believable. The boyfriend is believable. Even the coaches are believable. There is not a conniving script line. Good writing, I'd say. Good directing I'd say also. So, if you want an evening of good enjoyment with your sweetie, this is one movie you need to watch. Did I say that this was good casting? Did I mention that there was good acting?

What makes a great movie? To me, that question is answered on many levels. The first, most crucial, to me, is does the movie uplift and motivate me to examine parts of my life that may need improvement. Movies and movie roles are captivating if the character has strengths that the audience can examine through one's own personal lens. This movie meets that criteria. It is very touching. I personally loved the cinematography, especially the views of the Iowa landscape and the figure skating. Beautiful makeup and costumes on the star for competition (I was reminded of The Black Swan.) No villains in this story and a very appropriate relationship between the two young sweethearts for a young audience (applause, applause), with the added feature of "something to aspire to," in terms of personal growth and challenge. No inappropriate sexuality. All around a fine movie to enjoy with a young daughter on a weekend.

An ice skating romance from 1978 starring Lynn-Holly Johnson (in her film debut) & Robby Benson. Johnson is the toast of this small town as her skating prowess begs that she compete which she does wowing the crowd at the regionals & gaining the attention of a high profile instructor. Her hometown coach, played by Colleen Dewhurst, & her dad, Tom Skerritt, both push her towards that direction when she seems reluctant which reaps big rewards (in terms of attention since her new coach has enlisted the help of a newsman to do a series of profiles on her) as she unnerves the reigning champion on the ice. However when things are going her way, a freak accident (she trips over some cables while skating at night causing her to sustain a concussion which causes partial blindness) which sends her home in a funk ready to give up everything but when Benson reenters the picture (he's going through his own sports pains as he tries to get a hockey career going), he pushes her to forego her sight impediment to show the world she still has the goods. Not aging particularly well, this variation on the Rocky formula suffers from plot conventions which even when this film was made was feeling a bit long in the tooth w/every authority figure taking their turns to berate poor Johnson whenever her eyes would well up after a disappointment. Johnson, who did her own skating (a talent used again in the James Bond adventure For Your Eyes Only from 1981), is good for the type of role she's playing but one feels she's merely playing the colors of a part which are of the 'paint by numbers' variety. Benson is his usual wide eyed, innocent self (he was quite the movie star during the 70's & early 80's but most people will know him as the voice of Beast from Disney's Beauty & the Beast animated feature) who does what he can in a role which in retrospect feels specious & undetermined. This film would get a remake in 2010.

Donald Wrye should have left his classic well enough alone. His remake lacks the deep emotional feelings and quality acting of the original. This is Taylor Firth's first attempt at acting in a movie and, although she makes a noble effort, it shows. However, her skating is top-notch and a joy to watch. The rest of the cast come across as somewhat boring and their acting is mediocre at best. Ice Castles 2010 has mostly uninspiring background music and mundane camera shots. For instance, the original peppered Lexie's skating scenes with interesting ice level camera shots but were left out of this remake. It's a shame this was Donald Wrye's last movie before his death because his films are usually very good.