Going in Style

My View:  Going in Style  (2017)  PG-13  Three retired pals (Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Alan Arkin) decide they will rob the very bank that absconded their retirement money.  I wasn’t a big fan of the 1979 film that this movie is based on, and this film isn’t an improvement. I wanted the film to be funnier, but instead of laughing, there were times that I was wincing at the attempt at comedy. Speaking of laughs, the ending is unbelievably contrived as the film ends with everybody winning. I think with this cast, a much better film would have happened if creators had made it a drama but they didn’t, and we suffer because of it.    My Rating:  Cable   Going in Style Website

Indiefest:  After the Storm  (2016)  After the death of his father, a private detective (Hiroshi Abe) struggles to reconnect with his son and ex-wife. It’s a heartfelt movie that I just had trouble connecting with; I think that mostly because the father is such an idiot. The film moves too slowly for my taste, as the characters tend to over analyze their relationships. The film is bolstered by the performances, especially Hiroshi Abe, but I just wish the film had moved at a quicker pace.   My Rating:  Bargain Matinee   After the Storm Website

Indiefest:  Queen of the Desert  (2015)  PG-13   British writer Gertrude Bell (Nichole Kidman) traveled the world, spending her entire life trying to make a difference in the Middle East, an area she loved. For such an interesting real life person, writer/director Werner Herzog has made such a dull picture. The film wants to be a female version of Lawrence of Arabia, but instead, we get an over-long, slow tale of a woman who was one of the great explorers of her time. You can’t fault Kidman who always gives a sparkling performance. The movie has a tedious storyline that seems to go on forever, with long shots of Kidman on a camel, traversing the desert as her character talks about her love of the desert.  Speaking of T.E. Lawrence, Robert Patterson gives a laughable performance as the man, showing absolutely no charisma the role needs. The film is beautifully shot, and the locations are as exotic as you can get, but I just wish the plot was as interesting as the scenery.   My Rating:  Cable   Queen of the Desert Website

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD/Blu-ray):   Office Christmas Party  (2016)  R  When the CEO (Jennifer Aniston) tries to close the company branch, her hard-partying brother (T. J. Miller) and his Chief Technical Officer (Jason Bateman) decide to host the office Christmas party to end all parties. If the clients have a good time, it just might save the branch office. In the hands of Judd Apatow, this might have been a funny film, but it’s written by two screenwriters who have never written a feature-length film, and it shows. This should have been a wild ride, but instead, we get the same old clichés, a plot that is easy to figure out and very unfunny jokes. Add to the fact that this movie is 105 minutes long, and it makes it a very slow watch. When the outtakes during the credits aren't funny, you know the film is in trouble.    My Rating: Cable    Office Christmas Party Website

Forgotten Film:  Two Hands  (1999)  19-year-old Jimmy (Heath Ledger) becomes in-debt to a local gangster named Pando (Bryan Brown).  When some of the gang’s money goes missing, the Pando thinks Jimmy is responsible, and Jimmy goes on the run.  Along the way, Jimmy meets a young country girl (Rose Byrne) who changes his outlook on life.  While the plot has a few holes, Heath Ledger makes this film work. His performance makes you wish that he was still around to dazzle us as he does in this film.   My Rating:  Bargain Matinee   Two Hands Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Going in Style:  Saxophone Consultant

Opening Soon to a Theatre Near You:  The Fate of the Furious  (2017)  I have liked the last two films where characters become superheroes doing stunts that no one ever could do with a car. The addition of Charlize Theron to cast is an added bonus.  I could describe the plot to you, but does it really matter?  All you need to know is that there are a bunch of really cool cars in it.   The Fate of the Furious Website

Until Next Time!

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