My View: Alice
Through the Looking Glass (2016) PG After
being away for three years, Alice (Mia Wasikowska) returns to Wonderland to
save her friend, The Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp). I hated the first film of the
series, Alice in Wonderland. I can say that this film is better than the first,
but it’s still a bad film. The film is too long with its almost two hour run
time. I didn’t care about the characters in the first film, and I certainly
don’t care about what happens to The Mad Hatter or Alice. I enjoyed the
beginning, though, as Alice, captain of her father’s ship, evades pirates by
navigating through a perilous reef. Unfortunately, the film goes downhill from
there with a storyline that is boring and un-imaginative. It’s sad when the one
character you really like is a church mouse that is rarely on-screen. The movie was not shot in 3-D, so save your money. My Rating: Cable Alice Through the Looking Glass Website
My View: X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) PG-13 An ancient cyber-mutant Apocalypse (Oscar Isaac) has awakened and plans on using his Four Horsemen to take over the world. It’s up to the X-Men to stop him and his team. This is a film where you walk out of the theatre and go “blah.” It’s not a bad movie; it just doesn’t bring anything new to the table. I knew almost from the start how the film was going to end. The only actor in this film I was interested in watching was Michael Fassbender because his Magneto character was one of the few that wasn’t entirely predictable. While the film was shot in 3-D, I didn’t think it was used to capitalize on the effect, so save the money. There is a scene after all the credits that may just set up a few of the next Marvel films, so stay till the final credits. My Rating: Bargain Matinee X-Men: Apocalypse Website
Indiefest: Love &
Friendship (2016) PG Lady Susan Vernon (Kate Beckinsale) decides
it’s time for her and her daughter to find husbands. She will manipulate
anything and anybody to make that happen.
You don’t normally equate funny with Jane Austin but this film surprised
me on just how fun and whimsical it is. Beckinsale is a delight as the woman
who seemingly pulls all the strings to better her situation. She has excellent
comedic timing, delivering lines with droll delivery that just kills every
time. The film moves at a ripping pace, and it’s a blast to watch. If you are a
fan of Jane Austin, you will love this farcical tale. My Rating: Full Price Love & Friendship Website
Indiefest:
Weiner (2016) R Documentary on disgraced New York Congressman
Anthony Weiner’s campaign for mayor of NYC.
Weiner was a fast rising Democratic congressman who was brought down by
a texting scandal in 2011 that was fodder for late night talk show hosts. This
is a fascinating film that is, at times, hilarious, cringe-worthy, and, very
often sad. Right from the start the filmmakers are given access that no other
politician would allow. While Anthony Weiner is the front and center character
of the film, the far more fascinating person in the film is Huma Abedin, Weiner's wife. When the film
opens, the husband and wife are playing with their child, but there is almost
no interaction between Anthony and Huma. Most of the conversations that they
have on camera are short and one-sided with Anthony doing most of the talking. It’s a brilliant film that even the
filmmakers are amazed at the amount of access they have gotten. Near the end of
the film, one of the filmmakers asks Weiner off camera, “Why did you let us
film this?” Weiner doesn’t have an answer, and we don’t either, but we get a
movie that is mesmerizing to watch. My Take: Full Price Weiner Website
Indiefest: The Lobster (2016) R Set in the near future, David (Colin Farrell) is at “The Hotel” where he has 45 days to find a partner. If he doesn’t find one, he will be turned into an animal of his choice. I liked this film and loved Colin Farrell performance but this is a film that not everyone is going to be comfortable with or even enjoy. It’s funny at times but it also has some truly sad parts and you never know where it is going to go next. Part comedy, part satire, and occasionally mean-spirited, the film is a mix that while doesn’t always hit the mark, it keeps trying. A bit of warning, there are several animals that are killed on screen. My Rating: Bargain Matinee The Lobster Website
Forgotten Film:
Trespass (1992) R Bill Paxton and
William Sadler play two firemen who find a map in a burning apartment of an old
man who confesses that he stole a collection of old gold artifacts from the
church many years ago. The two men get caught with the gold in an old building
by a gang. Now the fireman are going to have to fight their way out in order to
keep the gold and their lives. Action is what makes this movie worth watching.
Walter Hill, who directed 48 Hours and The Warriors, knows how to direct action
sequences and there are plenty in this film. I also really enjoy Bill Paxton’s
performance as the straight laced fireman who decides his future is more
important than his present. My
Rating: Bargain Matinee Trespass Information
Weird Credits: From
the credits of Alice Through the Looking Glass:
Thatcher
Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: Captain Fantastic (2016) R A father (Viggo Mortensen) has been living in the forests of the Pacific
Northwest with his six kids. His wife dies while visiting her parents, and now
the family must travel to the big city for the first time for the funeral. The
film did really well at the Cannes Film Festival and director Matt Ross won the
Director to Watch award at the Palm Springs International Film Festival. Captain Fantastic Website
Until Next Time!
