Tully

My View:  Tully (2018)  R  Marlo (Charlize Theron) is a mother of three including a newborn, and Marlo is about at the end of her rope. She is gifted a night nurse named Tully (Mackenzie Davis) by her brother. Tully is the godsend that Marlo needs. Tully is the third collaboration between director Jason Reitman and writer Diablo Cody. While I am a huge fan of their first film, Juno (2007), I never warmed up to their 2nd film, Young Adult (2011). I am happy to say that third time’s a charm, as Tully is witty, funny and overall moving…and packed with a few surprises. The cast is superb, led by Charlize Theron’s Marlo, a performance that could get her an Academy Award nomination. We forget just how good Theron’s comedic timing is, and she uses it to perfection in this film. Theron’s on-screen chemistry with Davis is sublime and makes this film so enjoyable to watch. While not quite on the level of the brilliant Juno, Tully still is a film not to be missed. It’s a hilarious film that any mother can relate to. Now, if every mother could just get someone like Tully to help her out…   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   Tully Website

In Case You Missed It (A movie just released on DVD/BluRay):  Colossal  (2016)  R  Gloria (Anne Hathaway) returns home when her boyfriend kicks her out of their NYC apartment because of her drinking. She soon learns that she is somehow connected to a giant monster that is terrorizing downtown Seoul, South Korea.  Writer/director Nacho Vigalondo brings us an unusual tale of part Science Fiction and part domestic abuse film, with a splash of alcoholism thrown in. It’s strange mix with giant monsters appearing straight from those bad 60’s Japanese larger-than -life reptile movies. At first, used for comic effect and then later as the symbolism of the struggle between good and evil, the monsters appear halfway across the world in Seoul, South Korea. The biggest problem with Colossal is that Hathaway’s character is very one dimensional. We never really know why Gloria drinks so much and never find out what demons she is trying to escape. Hathaway is what I call a pretty drunk - someone we can laugh at, and not be too concerned with because, other than a boyfriend who drops her, her drinking never seems to get her in trouble. Her realization that being intoxicated could cause other people pain seems shallow and too simply realized. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed this film, but I just don’t think there is as much to it as Nacho Vigalondo wants us to believe. Much like the Japanese monsters, the film is what you see on the surface; there’s not a lot of substance lying beneath the water.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Colossal Website

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I've Only Seen in Trailers but Just Looks Like a Bad Idea): Life of the Party (2018)  PG-13  After her husband asks for a divorce, a middle-aged mother (Melissa McCarthy) goes back to college to complete her degree. This movie is written by McCarthy and her husband Ben Falcone, whose track record is not good with Tammy (2014) and The Boss (2016).   Life of the Party Facebook Page

Forgotten Film:  Open Range  (2003) R  Two cowboys (Kevin Costner, Robert Duval) get into trouble when they take their herd near a town controlled by a crooked sheriff (James Russo). Any movie with Robert Duval can’t be bad, and this movie is actually an exceptional western. Costner and Duval have great chemistry, and Russo is an excellent villain. If you like westerns, then this one is for you.  My Rating: Full Price   Open Range Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Tully:  Mechanical Effects Designer

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: How to Talk to Girls at Parties (2017)  R  An alien (Elle Fanning) touring the galaxy breaks away from her tour group and finds herself in the most dangerous place on the planet, the suburbs.  Elle Fanning has been in some fascinating films lately.   How to Talk to Girls At Parties Website

Until Next Time!