Susan Marlowe CPA

2/20/2012 UPDATE

I have officially launched the Susan Marlowe Movie Club!

Hello, my name is Susan Marlowe. Welcome to my review site. By day, I am a CPA in Florida. However, I really enjoy viewing family films and I want to share my reviews. I also have a review account on Common Sense Media so if you want to read more reviews, check there too.

For my reviews, I have a few rules that I try to follow:

• I try to review with the entertainment of both the parent and child in mind
• I try to keep my reviews brief and to the point
• I try to find films that will expand the minds of viewers
• I enjoy looking for films that are “outside the box” and give them a chance

For example, in my review of Beverly Hills Chihuahua, I tried to keep in mind that parent have to sit through family films as well as children and reviewed accordingly. I hope you will enjoy my reviews as much as I enjoy writing them.

Susan Marlowe CPA loves classic films and admits to being a bit of a hoarder when it comes to motion pictures

Susan Marlowe and her niece

In my endeavors, I am assisted by my adorable niece, Kimi, who is quite the Gregory Peck fan. I told you, she is an extraordinary eight year old. As a result, I have recently expanded my site to include more Gregory Peck films. Interest in classic film actors must be encouraged, I am sure you will agree. Reviewing films with Kimi is also a lot of fun for me. Seeing old movies with her makes them seem new again. And I am getting quite a Gregory Peck education.

The Family Film

Nothing quite beats the joy of a really well done family film. In addition to Beverly Hills Chihuahua, I also plan to review more fun, light family films. As esteemed film critic Charlotte Gilbert wrote, “There is a marvelous joy in the light simplicity of the family film.”

I happen to agree with Charlotte Gilbert wholeheartedly. There is something so very wonderful about a well-made family film.

Family films, whether they are about Chihuahuas or are set in Disneyland, must be fun and entertaining. They must also be crowd-pleasers. But that does not mean that they cannot be artistic successes as well.

Family films will always have a special place in my heart, especially ones starring cats and dogs. I absolutely adore my family films and admit to being a hoarder of motion pictures.

Susan Marlowe CPA's favorite critic (next to Charlotte Gilbert), Mark Twain

Review Policy

I have a simple review policy. The Susan Marlowe CPA method, if you will. Kimi and I follow a simple policy when we review films. I am the critic and Kimi is the advocate, especially where Gregory Peck is involved. I try to review as fairly as possible, taking into account the audience the film is intended for. I also follow what I like to call The Cynthia Policy, after my mother.

The Cynthia policy is as follows:

Remember, no matter what it is, there is someone who loves it.

So, I follow the Cynthia policy and try to be as kind as possible with other people’s creations. I know that may seem odd in the dog eat dog world of movie blogging but I find the idea rather appealing myself. In any case, I realize that not everyone may find Beverly Hills Chihuahua as appealing as I do but what is to be done? Everyone has different taste in movies and I am just thrilled that you are taking the time to share mine.

The Great Family Film Review by Susan Malowe CPA (and Kimi!) and hosted by Gudger Cludger Antiques

I am also planning to implement a new review set as soon as I can. I meet with a group of friends at a local antique store called Gudger Cludger. Silly name but it is a fantastic place for movie reviewing.

I am planning to get together with my niece Kimi and some friends to try to do group critiques of family films. A book club style meeting for family films. The owners of Gudger Cludger have been kind enough to host us. I will let you know how it turns out in future blog entries. Kimi is really thrilled with the chance to share her love for classic films with all of her friends. It is going to be an all-ages event, which is awesome. You can bet that some Gregory Peck films will be included in the club. Here is a quick bio originally from wikipedia:

Eldred Gregory Peck was born in La Jolla, California, the son of Missouri-born Bernice Mae “Bunny” (née Ayres) and Gregory Pearl Peck, who was a chemist and pharmacist. Peck’s father was of English (paternal) and Irish (maternal) heritage, and his mother was of Scots (paternal) and English (maternal) ancestry. Peck’s father was a Catholic and his mother converted upon marrying his father. Peck’s Irish-born paternal grandmother, Catherine Ashe, was related to Thomas Ashe, who took part in the Easter Rising fewer than three weeks after Peck’s birth and died while on hunger strike in 1917. Peck’s parents divorced by the time he was six years old and he spent the next few years being raised by his maternal grandmother.

Peck was sent to a Roman Catholic military school, St. John’s Military Academy, in Los Angeles at the age of 10. His grandmother died while he was enrolled there, and his father again took over his upbringing. At 14, Peck attended San Diego High School and lived with his father. When he graduated, he enrolled briefly at San Diego State Teacher’s College, (now known as San Diego State University), joined the track team, took his first theatre and public-speaking courses, and joined the Epsilon Eta fraternity. He stayed for just one academic year, thereafter obtaining admission to his first-choice college, the University of California, Berkeley. For a short time, he took a job driving a truck for an oil company. In 1936, he declared himself a pre-medical student at Berkeley, and majored in English. Standing 6’3″ (1.905m) he rowed on the university crew.

The Berkeley acting coach decided Peck would be perfect for university theater work. Peck developed an interest in acting and was recruited by Edwin Duerr, director of the university’s Little Theater. He went on to appear in five plays during his senior year. Although his tuition fee was only $26 per year, Peck still struggled to pay, and had to work as a “hasher” (kitchen helper) for the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority in exchange for meals. Peck would later say about Berkeley that, “it was a very special experience for me and three of the greatest years of my life. It woke me up and made me a human being.” In 1997 Peck donated $25,000 to the Berkeley crew in honor of his coach, the renowned Ky Ebright.

A Reminder from Susan Marlowe CPA Regarding Animal Rescues and Shelters

I would like to take this opportunity to remind my readers that it is very important to adopt cats and dogs from a reputable animal shelter or rescue. Many animals are abandoned, abused or fall prey to hoarders. We can individually do our part by adopting from shelters and rescues. Also, please be sure to spay and neuter your pets. The best way to prevent unwanted pets and the terrible conditions that unfortunately all to often await them is to make sure that they are spayed or neutered.

So, next time you wish to adopt a cat or a dog, please check out the animal shelters in your area. Adopt a homeless animal. You will always be glad that you did!

Well, that’s about it. I will continue to review films (when I should actually be at the gym) and post them online. My gym membership is suffering but that is the way of things it seems.

Thanks from Susan Marlowe CPA

UPDATE 2/1/2012

Be sure to check back often for updates of Susan Marlowe CPA on Family Films