Tomb Raider

My View:  Tomb Raider  (2018)  PG-13  Laura Croft (Alicia Vikander) is the daughter of an eccentric adventurer who vanished when Laura was a teen. Laura decides to solve the mystery of her father’s disappearance. After discovering the mythical island that was his last known destination is real, she decides to go to the island and find out what happened. Just getting there will be an adventure. I like Alicia Vikander, and she usually can make any film seem interesting but not with this film. The studio decided to make a straight-up action movie, but what was needed was some warmth and humor. There isn’t any joy in this film - it’s just like Laura Croft, gritty and determined, but that makes for a rather dull film. Vikander looks the part; we believe that she can climb mountains and outrun anyone, but she’s made into a superwoman, much like the Rock is in his superhero movies, where she suffers almost no ramifications when falling off a cliff or fighting with a man twice her size. Video games and the action movies they are based on them are supposed to be fun.  This one wasn’t.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Tomb Raider Website

Indiefest:  Love, Simon  (2018)  PG-13  Simon (Nick Robinson) is a gay high school student who hasn’t come out, even to his best friends. He is in love with an anonymous classmate whom he has only talked to online.  Now, Simon’s life is going to change in a big way.  This is one of those rare movies about teenagers where the characters on the screen are real, with real problems, ones we can relate to and feel. Nick Robinson gives an intelligent and moving performance as the teenager who is afraid to come out. Simon just wants to last until he is out of high school before revealing he is gay. He also doesn’t want to rock the boat with his closest friends, especially with his best friend, Leah (Katherine Langford), whom he has known since childhood. Love, Simon is a funny and sweet movie that hits all the right notes. At the screening I attended, when the big scene near the end of the film happened, teenage girls jumped up out of their seats and cheered at the top of their lungs. Go see this film, and you just might do the same.    My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   Love, Simon Website

My View:  7 Days in Entebbe  (2018)  PG-13  An Air France flight from Tel-Aviv to Paris via Athens is hijacked by terrorists and is forced to land in Entebbe, Uganda, the home of a crazy dictator named Idi Amin. The Jewish passengers are separated from the rest of the passengers, and the terrorists demand that Israel release 50 Palestinian prisoners. Israel decides to send a Special Forces squad to attempt to rescue the passengers.  Based on a true event, this film makes an unbelievable story seem bland and ordinary. Even a dazzling actress as Rosamund Pike can’t save the script that plods along. The only interesting aspect in this film is a modern dance troupe that we see practicing a routine throughout the film. When the big raid comes at the end, we see the actual performance that the troupe practiced inter-weaved with scenes from the attack, but that bit of excitement can’t save this film.   My Rating: Cable   7 Days in Entebbe Info

Indiefest:  Oh, Lucy!  (2017)  Setsuko (Shinobu Terajima) is a lonely, chain-smoking office worker in Tokyo who is past her prime. She decides to take an English class and discovers that she can create a new identity through speaking English, a character she calls ‘Lucy.”  She falls for her instructor, an American named, John (Josh Hartnett). When John disappears, Setsuko sets out on a quest to find him and travels all the way to Southern California.  I loved this film and the character Setsuko. Setsuko is a hard character to like, but I give credit to Shinobu Terajima for making us slowly fall in love with Lucy. Terajime gives one heck of a performance as the sad sack woman who is desperate to be loved. Writer/director Atsuko Hirayanagi takes on both an emotional and physical journey, where Setsuko keeps being dragged down by life, but continues to get off the floor for more. Take a chance on Oh Lucy! and on a journey with Setsuko as she searches for a reason to live.  My Rating: Full Price   Oh, Lucy! Website   

Forgotten Film:  Normal Life  (1996)  R  Chris (Luke Perry) is a cop who falls in love and marries Pam (Ashley Judd). Pam is all wrong for Chris as she is an alcoholic and a drug user who likes to spend money. Chris loses his job and is about to lose Pam if he doesn’t quickly do something. The reason to see this film is Ashley Judd. Judd gives one of her better performances as the overly emotional, self-indulgent Pam. It’s a smashing performance that makes you wish Judd would have taken more roles like this one. Perry is the weak link in the film as the part is out of his acting range, and you will only notice him when Judd isn’t on the screen.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Normal Life Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Tomb Raider:  Chargehand Dressing Props

Coming Soon to a theatre near you:  Hichki  (2018)  Hichki (Rani Mukerji) wants to be a teacher but she can’t get hired because she has Tourette Syndrome. After numerous rejections, she gets her dream job at a prestigious school. She soon learns that her dream job is a nightmare because her class is full of misfits and rejects. Instead of giving up, Hichki decides to help her students realize their full potential. The trailer is amazing, so I have high hopes for it.   Hichki Facebook Page

Until Next Time!

Morgan

My View:  Morgan  (2016)  R  Morgan (Anya Taylor-Joy) is not like other teenagers.  She was created in a laboratory by a group of scientists led by Dr. Lui Cheng (Michelle Yeoh). Corporate troubleshooter Lee Weathers (Kate Mara) is sent to investigate the program when Morgan violently attacks one of the scientists (Jennifer Jason Leigh). What will Lee find when she gets to the compound? This felt like a made-for-TV movie on one of the cable networks aimed at teens. With a plot that was too simple and an ending that was predictable from the start, the movie never gets started. The cast seems to be just going through the motions, and I was especially disappointed by Anya Taylor-Joy, who was so good in last year’s The Witch. Her performance is shallow and never intimidating (something her character was supposed to exhibit). The action sequences are few and done with “shaky-cam,” so as an action film, it fails, which it also fails as a suspenseful film.   My Rating:  Cable   Morgan Website

My View:  The Light Between Oceans  (2016)  PG-13  Tom (Michael Fassbender), a lighthouse keeper, and his wife, Isabel (Alicia Vikander), are living off the coast of Western Australia soon after the end of World War I.  A rowboat with a baby inside washes on shore, and the childless couple decide to raise the child they name Lucy as their own. Years later their lives are changed when they encounter a woman (Rachel Weisz) on a visit to the mainland. My biggest problem with this film is I never emotionally connected with the characters. The movie is beautiful to look at. The cinematography by Adam Arkapaw is gorgeous and captures the raw beauty of the rustic coast of Australia, with sweeping shots from high above which gives us a bird’s eye view of the land. Those shots are greatly aided by a score by Alexandre Despiat that adds to the feel and tone of the film. It looks like Director/writer Derek Cianofrance may have fallen in love with this part of the country because after the fourth overhead shot of the coast, you become a little bored with the same shots. The film moves at a slow, almost snail’s pace, making the film feel much longer than its 2-hour 12-minute length.  Ultimately, the film wears down over the constant twist and turns, never quite getting out of the darkness that it has created. The ending of the movie feels like it was added on by the studio to try and fix the mess that the filmmaker created, but it doesn’t fix anything.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   The Light Between Oceans Facebook Page

My View:  Complete Unknown  (2016)  R  Tom (Michael Shannon) is invited to a dinner party. There Tom meets a woman (Rachel Weisz) whom he is convinced he has met before, but she says he is mistaken. When the woman makes a hasty exit, Tom follows, and they go on an all-night odyssey where Tom will discover the woman’s hidden secrets. I thoroughly enjoyed this film due to the superlative performances by Shannon and Weisz. I especially enjoyed Weisz’s performance as the mysterious woman with a multi-layered past. Shannon works off Weisz extremely well, creating sparks between the two on-screen. It’s an entertaining film that has plenty of twists and turns. It’s a well-crafted tale that is fun to watch.   My Rating: Full Price   Complete Unknown Website

Indiefest:  Morris From America  (2016)  R  The film centers on a 13-year-old boy named Morris (Markees Christmas) and his single father, Curtis (Craig Robinson), while they live in a town in Germany. Morris is a “fish out of water” and only wants to write rap lyrics in his room until he meets an older teen girl, Katrin (Lina Keller).  She is way out of his league, but Morris is going to fall in love, regardless. Craig Robinson does a masterful job as the single father who loves his son and is willing to make this experience in a foreign country work. Robinson has just about the right amount of smart ass in him to make his caricature credible while also showing that his character has a sweet and loving side. I loved his interactions with Markees Christmas and their timing together is about as good as it gets, making their scenes seem believable and, at times, moving. Overall, this is a movie that works due to its highly creative storyline, great chemistry between Christmas and Robinson and a script that treats its characters like they are living, breathing people. Director Chad Hartigan creates a world that feels real while being charming, funny and, at times, moving.  Let’s hope that someday Morris does become a rap star, because he has quite a bit to say.    My Rating: Full Price   Morris From America Website

Indiefest:  The Sea of Trees (2016)  PG-13  An American professor(Matthew McConaughey) travels to Japan and is contemplating suicide. He befriends a Japanese man (Ken Watanabe) lost in a forest near Mt. Fuji and, as they search for a way out, the two embark on a spiritual, life-changing journey of friendship, discovery, and healing; one which may ultimately re-connect Arthur with his love for his wife (Naomi Watts). This is a film full of regrets, betrayal, and redemption. McConaughey gives an understated performance of a man who is full of guilt and is looking for a way out of his pain. I greatly enjoyed the performance of Naomi Watts who plays Arthur’s wife. She is a breath of needed fresh air in a film that can get very depressing. While not a great film and I did not like the twist at the end, I still enjoyed watching McConaughey up on the screen.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee    The Sea of Trees Website

Indiefest:  Little Men  (2016)  PG  When 13-year-old Jake’s (Theo Taplitz) grandfather dies, his family moves from Manhattan to his grandfather’s old Brooklyn home. Single mom Leonor (Paulina Garcia) has a dress store below Jake’s new home. He soon befriends Tony (Michael Barbieri), Leonor’s son and they become fast friends. That friendship will be tested when Jake’s father, Brian (Greg Kinnear) decides to raise the rent on Leonor’s store.  A film that on outward appearance seems light but when you think back at all the characters went through, is nuanced and full of drama. Greg Kinnear gives one of the best performances of his career and the two kids, Taplitz and Barbieri, are a joy to watch. This is a film not to be missed about the friendship of two very different boys who find common ground. If only their parents could do the same.   My Rating: Full Price   Little Men Website

Forgotten Film:  Big Wednesday  (1978)  PG   Matt (Jan-Michael Vincent), Jack (William Katt) and Leroy (Gary Busey) are living the carefree life of California surfers. It’s the 1960’s, and everything is wonderful in their lives full of beaches, girls and big waves. Unfortunately, the Vietnam War is looming on the horizon, and the guys wonder if they will survive “Big Wednesday,” the mythical day when the ultimate wave will come. The film is directed by John Milius (Conan the Barbarian (1982), Red Dawn (1984)) and he gathered some of the greatest surfers of all time to do the stunts. This film has some stunning surfing footage, is fascinating to watch, and anyone who has an interest in the surfing world will enjoy this film.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Big Wednesday Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Light Between Oceans:  Specialty Costume Elements

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near:  Sully  (2016) PG-13   The story of Chesley Sullenberger, “Sully”, who became a hero when he landed his engineless plane on the Hudson River, saving over 150 lives.  Hey, the film stars Tom Hanks, Laura Linney and is directed by Clint Eastwood.  That’s enough reason to the see the movie for me.    Sully Website

Until Next Time!

 
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The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

My View:  The Man from U.N.C.L.E.  (2015)  PG-13   Napoleon Solo (Henry Cavill) and Illya Kuryakin (Armie Hammer) team up with the help of a beautiful woman (Alicia Vikander) to stop a mysterious international criminal organization led by Victoria Vinciguerrra (Elizabeth Debicki).  This is a Guy Ritchie film, and it looks it. It’s very stylish (in a good way) with lots of creative action sequences and witty dialog. There are also some great running gags, including Solo and Kuryakin having such a fashion war that they could be contestants on Project Runway. I liked Alicia Vikander in the role of the German mechanic who can hold her own with the boys, though I wish she had done more action scenes. Both Cavill and Hammer play their roles with perfection. I especially liked Hammer’s tough, Russian vibe that he gave his character.  The film is a little long but has an enjoyable ending that sets the team up for more adventures.  My Rating:  Full Price   The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Website

My View:  Straight Outta Compton  (2015)  R  The film revolves around the rise and fall of the Compton, California hip hop group N.W.A., led by Eazy-E (Jason Mitchell), Dr. Dre (Corey Hawkins), and Ice Cube (O’Shea Jackson Jr.).  The first part of this film, showing the origins of the three principal rappers, is a blast to watch. I especially enjoyed Ice Cube’s story, and O’Shea Jackson Jr. (Ice Cube’s real life son) stands out in his picture perfect portrayal. The movie's concert scenes are fun, powerful and make you feel like you are in the live audience.  The film slows down considerably once (spoiler alert, sort of) when the group breaks up. And, it just seems that the film is just introducing characters like Snoop Dogg and Tupac for the wow factor instead of propelling the storyline. I also would have liked to have seen more of how songs were written and recorded. Fans of hip hop and N.W.A. will enjoy this film as music is used perfectly to set the scenes.  Overall, it’s an interesting film that has some stunning and awesome concert scenes.  My Review:  Full Price   Straight Outta Compton Website

Indiefest:  The End of the Tour  (2015)  R  In 1996, immediately after the publication of his second book, David Foster Wallace (Jason Segal) goes on a five-day book tour with Rolling Stone writer, David Lipsky (Jesse Eisenberg).  I think that if I had read either of David Foster Wallace’s books I would have enjoyed this more. It’s a movie mostly about two men, both writers, discussing life, writing and being famous. Segal gives a great performance as the rather withdrawn and quite strange Wallace. The film shows that Segal has quite the range, as his performance is brilliant and moving.  I felt that Eisenberg didn’t have to work too hard in his performance, and the film bogs down a little when they guys are traveling by themselves in the car. I wanted to like/love this picture, but like a few of the conversations, it’s a little long-winded and boring. The End of the Tour is a road picture that just doesn’t seem to go anywhere.   My Rating:  Full Price   The End of the Tour Website

Indiefest:  Cop Car  (2015)  R   A small town sheriff (Kevin Bacon) sets out to find the two youths who have taken his police car on a joyride. Director Jon Watts, who co-wrote the screenplay with Christopher D. Ford, brings out the best in his cast. The two boys, Welftford and Freedson-Jackson, play well off each other, and Watts lets the boys be boys, as they have a blast driving around in a police car. Bacon is perfect as the menacing sheriff, and we know the instant that we meet him, he is not to be annoyed. This sheriff is certainly someone who will do anything to survive. The film's second half just isn’t as compelling or fascinating as the first. The film becomes a cat and mouse game with a very ambiguous ending that is downright frustrating.  Overall, the cast and the excellent pace make up for that ending and make the film an engaging and sometimes amusing film with an acute style that slowly creates tension. “Cop Car” is an interesting take on the modern western.   My Take:  Full Price   Cop Car Website

Indiefest:  Fort Tilden  (2014)  R  Allie (Claire McNulty) and Harper (Bridey Elliot) are best friends, and all they want to do is spend a day at the beach, but life has other plans for their day.  Sarah-Violet Bliss and Charles Rogers, who co-directed and wrote the film, have created two lead characters to whom you would hate to be seated beside at Starbucks. Allie and Harper are two young women who are spoiled, egotistical and clueless about how the world works.  Harper is a mixed-media artist who spends most of her days coming up with ideas that will never be realized. Allie, who sometimes is the more level-headed of the two, is solely consumed with her upcoming Peace Corps trip. Harper is convinced that, like many other endeavors that Allie has taken up, that Allie will not go on her trip, afterall. Neither woman has faith in each other; and it's as if they are in an endless cycle of letting each other down, only to forget about the transgression in a short amount of time. This is one of those films that some critics will find endearing and even possibly enchanting. I found the film a little tedious, rarely funny, and I was very often frustrated with the characters and their cluelessness.  My Rating:  Cable   Fort Tilden Website

Forgotten Film:  Newsfront  (1978)  PG  A group of cameramen and reporters struggle in post-war Australia to create newsreels for the movie going public. For a long time, most of Australia got a lot of their news from newsreels shown before the featured movie. The film, while a little low-key, is a poignant look at a proud cameraman (Bill Hunter) who takes all sorts of risks to get the best shot. Hunter is brilliant in the role and makes the film work as well as it does. The movie shows a lot of actual newsreels which gives it a bit of authenticity. It’s an intriguing film about our quick changing world and how it affects people.   My Rating: Full Price   Newsfront Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of The Man From U.N.C.L.E.:  Costume Cutter

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  A Walk in the Woods  (2015) R   After spending 20 years in England, Bill (Robert Redford) decides to travel the Appalachian Trail to reconnect with his homeland. This film has a brilliant cast including Nick Offerman, Nick Nolte, Kristen Schaal, Mary Steenburgen, and Emma Thompson.   A Walk in the Woods Website

Until Next Time!

   

Minions

Family Faire:  Minions  (2015)  PG  The Minions have been looking for a leader for ages to no avail. Kevin is a minion with a plan, and he, along with Stuart and Bob, are on a quest to find their next potential master. Scarlet Overkill(Sandra Bullock) just might be that leader. The Minions were always my favorite part of the Despicable Me series. Unfortunately, the Minions should only be a supporting cast, never the leads like they are in this very boring film. The film is set in 1968, and there are cultural references to things that kids are not going to know anything about (like The Beatles Abby Road).  The film does have five or six funny scenes, but it takes so long to get there that the laughs aren’t as big as they should have been. There is also a lot of Minion singing, which gets very old very quickly with the Minion way of speaking and singing in that weird language they use.  Sandra Bullock brings nothing to the film, and it goes downhill after her appearance as the villain. Little kids might like the film but older kids and adults are going to be very board. Save your money and don’t see the 3-D version, as the movie never really takes advantage of that technology.  There is a bonus scene at the end of the credits, but I am not sure you and the kids will want to stay.   My Rating: Cable   Minions Website

Indiefest:  Amy  (2015)  R   Documentary on the late great singer Amy Winehouse, who died too soon. This movie is a stunning and heartbreaking film to watch. I wasn’t a fan of Winehouse, but I am now because we get to see Amy in her early years before fame came crashing down on her. The film uses home videos, behind the scenes shots of her recording studio sessions and live concert footage to give us an insight into her life and what she was really like. We also see her downfall, which was brought on by a person who was not ready or meant for the spotlight. It’s a moving film that uses Winehouse’s music to illustrate what was going on in her life, and the film uses it brilliantly. Even if you aren’t a Winehouse fan, you will want to see this documentary.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   Amy Website

My View:  The Gallows  (2015) R  20 years after a horrific accident during a school play, students decide to put the play on again to honor the anniversary.  It’s a decision they will soon regret. This is a cheaply done horror movie with bad acting and very few scary parts. It  takes almost half the film before the frightening scenes start happening.  The film is shone as a found footage movie, so there are a number of shots of ceilings and people's feet (so many so, I wonder if the director has a thing for shoes). The film is boring, and the characters are so uninteresting that you almost want them to get killed. I also hated the ending, which was predictable and like most of the film, pointless.   My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again   The Gallows Website

Indiefest:  Testament of Youth  (2014)  PG-13  A headstrong young woman, Vera (Alicia Vikander) enters Cambridge just as World War I is breaking out.  I was impressed with Alicia Vikander’s performance once again (she was stunning as Ava in Ex Machina) but I was let down by the slow pace of this coming-of-age film set in England. We get to see a war through the eyes of a woman who knows what she wants and is ready to fight to get it. The scenes set in the war zone, as Vera works as a nurse, are gritty and well done. It’s the time on the home soil of England that I felt slowed the film down, so much so, that, at times, I felt I was swimming in the river that Vera loves to visit. It’s a beautiful looking film that just doesn’t have enough for Vikander to do.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Testament of Youth Website

Indiefest:  Hippocrates: Diary of a French Doctor  (2014)  Benjamin (Vincent Lacoste) is an intern working in a busy Parisian hospital ward that is run by his father.  Benjamin is convinced he will be a great doctor. Abdel (Reda Kateb) was a doctor in his native Algeria but is now having to work as an intern to get his license in France.  Both men will be tested like never before. This is an excellent film about what it’s like to be a doctor in a small hospital. Lacoste is perfect in the role of the young Benjamin, who quickly learns that the job isn’t going to live up to his ideals. Kateb, as the world-weary doctor having to start over from scratch, gives a profound and impressive performance. The film was directed by Thomas Lilti, who is a doctor, and that realism is one of the main strengths of this movie.  It’s a film well, worth seeing.   My Rating: Full Price  Hippocrates Info

My View:  Self/Less  (2015)  PG-13  Damian (Ben Kingsley) is a rich man dying of cancer. He undergoes a radical medical procedure that transfers his consciousness to the body of a healthy young man (Ryan Reynolds).  This isn’t a horrible film, but it’s too long, takes forever to get going, and it’s rather easy to figure out. Kingsley barely has any screen time and Reynolds, while doing an admirable job as an action scenes, is rather boring in the rest of the film. I also never bought the fact that when Damian was old he was a jerk, but when he takes over the new body, he become compassionate. If you want to see an action film, go see Mad Max again.    My Rating: Cable   Self/Less Website

Forgotten Film: Tucker: The Man and His Dream  (1988) PG   The story of the rise and fall of Preston Tucker (Jeff Bridges), who creates a revolutionary car and tries to take on the established car industry. Francis Ford Coppola directed this moving and fascinating film about a man with a dream who gets squashed by the system.  Jeff Bridges is brilliant as Tucker and gives us a stunning and riveting performance that makes the film worth watching.  You root for Tucker even though you know that the outcome is not going to be good.    My Rating: Full Price   Tucker: The Man and His Dream Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Minions:  Score Vocalist

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Boulevard (2015)  This film features Robin Williams in his last starring role.  Enough said.   Boulevard Info

Until Next Time