The Girl on the Train

My View:  The Girl on the Train  (2016)  R  Rachel (Emily Blunt) is an alcoholic who recently divorced her husband, Tom (Justin Theroux), after catching him cheating on her.  She takes the train to work daily and often fantasizes about her neighbors, Scott (Luke Evans) and Megan (Haley Bennett). One day, she witnesses something from the train, and Megan ends up missing and is presumed dead. The biggest problem with this film is the time jumps. It seems every few minutes we go back five weeks, then suddenly we are in present time, then we go back two weeks.  With such a large cast and a very complicated and interweaving plot, it’s hard to keep straight what is going on. I liked Blunt's portrayal of a very damaged woman who tries to pin the pieces of a night back together. I didn’t like the performance of Haley Bennett (who could be Jennifer Lawrence’s twin in real life), finding her lifeless and unlikable. The script is just too much of a mess for Emily Blunt to overcome.   My Rating:  Bargain Matinee   The Girl on the Train Website

My View:  The Birth of a Nation  (2016)  R   This is the story of Nat Turner (Nate Parker), an enslaved man and preacher, who led a slave rebellion in Southampton County, Virginia in 1831. The opening scene is magical, but the film spends too much time on Turner’s childhood, making the film seem too slow down to almost a stop.  Once Turner is a man, the film picks up again, and some of its best scenes are in the middle of the film. A caution: the film is very violent with some scenes almost too brutal to watch. Parker is charismatic on the screen as Nat Turner, but it’s the performance of Aja Naomi King, who plays Turner’s wife in the film. She is stunning in the role of the loving wife who will support her husband until the end. The film isn’t perfect. I didn’t like symbolism used continuously throughout the film, as in a shot of an ear of corn bleeding or a child dressed as an angel. The ending is powerful, and there are some powerful scenes throughout the film, but I don’t think this movie is quite strong enough of a work come Oscar time.   My rating: Full Price   The Birth of a Nation Website

My View:  Denial  (2016)  PG-13  Professor Deborah E. Lipstadt (Rachel Weisz) is in the legal battle of her life, when Holocaust denier, David Irving (Timothy Spall), accuses her of libel in a British court. The film is based on a true story, and that’s what makes it so riveting. Weisz masterfully plays the headstrong woman who makes a stand against a bigoted bully. Her performance is captivating, and, at times you can almost see the steam coming off her head when her character gets intensely mad. Timothy Spall is perfect as the smug so-called “historian,” as he portrays the man as someone who isn’t as smart as he thinks he is. Tom Wilkinson gives one of his best performances as the wine drinking lawyer who represents Professor Lipstadt in her case. It’s a compelling and engaging courtroom drama that will have you on the edge of your seat until the end.   My Rating:  Full Price   Denial Website

Indiefest:  Girl  Asleep  (2015)  Greta (Bethany Whitmore) is a 14-year old girl who wants to stay a kid for as long as possible. Unfortunately, her world will change when her parents give her a birthday party. Girl Asleep is part Adventure Time, part Napoleon Dynamite, and part Where the Wild Things Are. Writer Mathew Whittet (based on his play of the same name) and director Rosemary Myers, have imagined a very creative and whimsical look for this film reminding me of Wes Anderson and Monty Python movies. The film wouldn’t be as enjoyable as it is without the brilliant and subtle performance of Bethany Whitmore. She is perfect as the awkward, nervous Greta, who must learn to stand up for herself and take on life’s challenges head-on. She lights up the screen in each scene and has great chemistry with Harrison Feldman, who plays Elliott, the boy with the heart the size of Australia. Their scenes together are some of the best of the film, providing warmth to the movie. I loved this quirky little film (which, by the way, is only a fast and furious 77 minutes long), the way it delves into the life and dreams of a girl who is going on a journey of growth and adventure. Go on this strange adventure with Greta because you won’t be disappointed, but you just might have to do a dance number if you decide to stay.    My Rating: Full Price   Girl Asleep Website

Forgotten Film:  Come Early Morning  (2006)  R   Lucille (Ashley Judd) is a hard drinking, hard working woman who, on the weekends, picks up someone to sleep with and then gets rid of the man as soon as she can. She is trying to reconnect with her father (Scott Wilson), a shy alcoholic man who tries to make up for past sins. Lucille’s world changes when she meets and beds Cal (Jeffrey Donovan), who looks to be the perfect southern gentleman. The question now, is Cal as good as he seems and how quickly can Lucille mess this relationship up?  Ashley Judd gives a riveting and engrossing performance of a woman who has been hurt too many times to let anyone get too close to her. Judd dominates the screen and makes you want to root for her character even though she isn’t all that likable. Judd and Jeffrey Donovan have that instant chemistry, so we see right away that they are meant to be together. This is the best performance by Ashley Judd since she set the world on fire with her performance in Ruby in Paradise (1993)    My Rating: Full Price   Come Early Morning Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Birth of a Nation:  Walla Mixer

Coming Soon  to a Theatre Near You:   The Eagle Huntress (2016)  G  I have heard nothing but great things about this documentary that follows a 13-year-old girl as she trains to be the first female eagle hunter. The trailer makes this film look like it is just magical.   The Eagle Huntress Website

Until Next Time

Pan

My View:  Pan (2015)  PG  An orphan named Peter  (Levi Miller) has always dreamed that his mother would someday come back and save him from his life at the orphanage. In the middle of the night, he is stolen by Blackbeard (Hugh Jackman) and his men.  They take him to the magical Neverland, where he meets James Hook (Garrett Hedlund) and the beautiful Tiger Lily (Rooney Mara). The legend is that Blackbeard will die at the hands of a boy who can fly. Could Peter be the foretold boy sent to save Neverland from Blackbeard? Where to start with this huge mess of a movie. Oh, I know. It’s not a musical but when we first meet Blackbeard and his mineworkers, they sing “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” It’s as jaw dropping weird as it sounds. Later on the mine workers sing The Ramones “Blitzkrieg Bop.” Why? I don’t know, but it sums up this film. It’s just bizarre and bad. Add to the mix that Peter is living in London in the 1940’s during WWII (not turn of the century London like in the book), horrible CGI special effects that look like they were done in the 1960’s and cast that seems bewildered on how to play their roles. To top it all off, Tiger Lily speaks with a bad Irish accent. There are also some rather scary scenes, so don’t take kids younger than 7. While the film was shot in 3-D, don’t waste your money, it never uses the technology to its advantage. I was going to make a walk the plank joke at the end of my review, but this film isn’t worth the effort.    My Rating:  You Would Have to Pay Me To See It Again   Pan Website

My View:  99 Homes  (2014)  R   Dennis (Andrew Garfield) starts working for businessman Rick (Michael Shannon) after Rick evicts Dennis and his family from their home. Dennis soon discovers that the world that Rick works in can be a dark and rough trip. This is a moving and gut-wrenching film about the 2010 homeowner foreclosure crisis. I enjoyed Andrew Garfield’s performance of a man who is trying to get his family home back and starts doing some very bad things. Michael Shannon, as always, gives a memorable performance as the shady real estate owner who is willing to break the law and destroy lives in the name of money and power. This is not an easy film to watch, and I am not sure everyone will be happy with its ending, but if you want to see two excellent actors go toe-to-toe on screen, this is the film for you.    My Rating: Full Price   99 Homes Website

Indiefest:   Big Stone Gap  (2014)  PG-13  In a small town up in the Appalachian Mountains, Ave Maria Mulligan (Ashley Judd)  is the town’s pharmacist and its self-proclaimed spinster. She is leading a quiet life until she discovers a long-held secret, discovering she’s not who she always thought she was.I love Ashley Judd, and I usually like quirky, Southern tales of small town life, but I felt the script let down its cast. The storyline is slow-moving, and it’s as charming as it thinks it is. I did enjoy Ashley Judd, but it’s hard to believe that she has never had a boyfriend. The secret isn’t a big game changer, and the film feels forced to try and make it so. It’s not a bad film, and some will enjoy it. I just wanted more from it.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Big Stone Gap Website

Indiefest:  Finders Keepers  (2015)   R   Documentary about a man, Shannon Whisnant, who purchased an outdoor grill at a storage locker auction.  When he got home, he opened up the grill and discovered an amputated leg inside it.  What happens next would change his life. “Finders Keepers” is one of those documentaries that starts out heading in one direction and then surprisingly, midway through the film, it changes, and goes in a totally different direction and tone. I saw this film within a sold out theater, and the audience was laughing at the beginning of the film so hard that I couldn’t hear all the narration. The first half of this film is brilliantly funny. It could have kept this tone throughout, but to the credit of filmmakers Bryan Carberry and J. Clay Tweel, the film becomes more about the two men and their struggles with life and less about the leg and how redneck they both are.  This is an amazing film about two damaged men who are filled with humor, heartbreak, and redemption. It’s a movie that displays the hopes and dreams of two men who are desperately trying to fulfill their perceived destiny and the cost it takes to achieve it. The film shows us that one’s life can take unexpected twists, and you just might end up a very different person than as who you began.  My Rating: Full Price    Finders Keepers Website

Indiefest:  Coming Home  (2014)  PG-13  Lu (Daoming Chen) and Li (Feng Wanyu) are a loving couple with a young daughter when Lu is sent to labor camp during the Cultural Revolution as a political prisoner. Years later he returns to find his family changed in more ways than just age. This is a moving film that shows the sacrifices that a family must make to help their loved ones. It’s a film that slowly explores the family dynamic and how one mistake can cause that dynamic to change forever. The acting is superb, and Daoming Chen gives a hauntingly beautiful performance of a man who just won’t give up for his loved ones.  My Rating: Full Price    Coming Home Info   

Indiefest:  Freeheld  (2015)  PG-13   Laurel (Julianne Moore) is a no-nonsense police detective who works with her partner, Dane (Michael Shannon). She meets and starts dating Stacie (Ellen Page), a car mechanic. They start a long term relationship that is cut short when Laurel is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Laurel wants her pension benefits to go to Stacie after her death, but the county does not recognize Stacie as a legitimate benefactor. Laurel and Stacie fight for their right to be seen as a real couple. This film has an incredible cast, unfortunately, it has a script that never delivers the emotional punch that it needs. Moore and Page have zero chemistry together, in fact, there is much more chemistry between Shannon and Moore, the two police partners. It feels like a movie that is trying to swing for the Oscar fences and instead strikes out badly. This should have been an incredible story (it’s based on actual events) but it lets its cast, and ultimately its audience down instead.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Freeheld Website

Indiefest:  He Named Me Malala  (2014)  PG-13  Documentary about the young Pakistani girl who stood up to the Taliban over education for young girls. She was targeted by Taliban gunmen and shot in the head. She survived and went on the write about her story.  An interesting film about a strong and unique young woman who is wise beyond her years and so eloquent.   There are parts of this film that will move you to tears. It’s a powerful film about how one person, no matter how small, can change the world, not by their actions, but with their words. It’s an inspirational film that every parent should let their pre-teen/teenager see. Malala is a true hero for whom the whole world can root, and with this film, you see why that is true.   My Rating: Full Price   He Named Me Malala Website

Forgotten Film:  The Outfit  (1973) PG   Robert Duval stars as Macklin, who, along with his brother, made the mistake of robbing a bank that was owned by “The Outfit.”  Macklin’s brother is killed by The Outfit, and Macklin is sent away to prison. Now Macklin is out of prison and is bent on getting revenge on The Outfit with the help of an old partner (Joe Don Baker).  The film has a great script that uses fully flushed-out characters who seem real. Duval is a master at milking everything out of a scene and makes a bad guy for whom someone to root. The film uses violence sparingly, so when it does happen, it has a great impact. If you like a good, old-fashioned gangster movie with a modern twist, this film is for you.  My Rating: Full Price   The Outfit Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Pan:  Weather Consultant

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:   Bridge of Spies  (2015)  A cold war spy thriller based on true events starring Steven Spielberg and starring Tom Hanks.  Wow! What more do you need in a movie?   Bridge of Spies Website

Until Next Time!

The Identical

My View:  The Identical  (2014) PG Two Identical brothers are born in the 1930s to a poor family. One brother is given up to the local preacher (Ray Liotta) and his wife (Ashley Judd). The two brothers grow up not knowing about each other, and one becomes a famous entertainer and the other brother struggles with his love of music and his dedication to his family. He now must choose between his love of music and his father’s wishes for him to follow in his footsteps.  The biggest problem with this film is the music, and there is a lot of it. There are only original musical numbers in this film, and they sound like they were written by a Las Vegas lounge singer from the 1960’s.  I like Ray Liotta, who gives a very restrained performance as the preacher who loves his son. It’s amazing that we see Ray Liotta age throughout this film, but Ashley Judd doesn’t age at all.  Blake Rayne, who plays the two singers, is average as an actor and has a good voice but has almost no star power, and it shows on the screen.  My Rating: Cable  The Identical Website

Indiefest: The Last of Robin Hood (2014) R Errol Flynn (Kevin Kline), dashing Hollywood film star, meets an up-and-coming young woman, Beverly (Dakota Fanning). The two enter into a relationship, and Errol tries to land a big part in a film for his new girlfriend. Little does he know, Beverly, under the tutelage of her mother, Flo (Susan Sarandon), is working under a false birth certificate…her real age is 15.  Kevin Kline gives a great performance as Errol Flynn, and Susan Sarandon is equally as compelling as the ultimate stage mother.  The weak link in this film is Dakota Fanning.  She just doesn’t have the star power to hold her own with the other two actors.  I wish someone else had been cast in this role, like Chloe Grace Moretz, because Fanning brings down the scenes that she is in with her lack of energy on screen.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The Last of Robin Hood Info

Indiefest:  Code Black (2014) This is a documentary on what goes on at the L.A. County General Hospital Emergency Room. Doctors in training are working in an environment that is more like a war zone hospital than an inter-city one. A word of warning - this documentary is hard to watch. It is filled with a number of scenes in the emergency room where you see lots of blood and surgeries.  There are also a number of people who die while on the table in the ER.  If you have a strong stomach, it’s an interesting and engrossing film showing just how tough it is to be a doctor in an ER.  The film follows a number of doctors as they make the transition from a building built in the 1930’s to a new, modern hospital.  Surprisingly, with the new hospital, the care of the patients  decreases.  If you enjoy the hospital based TV shows like “Greys Anatomy" or "ER" and want to see how a real hospital works, then see this film.  My Rating: Full Price  Code Black Website

Indiefest:  A Five Star Life (2014)  Irene (Margherita Buy) thought she had the perfect life. She gets to travel around the world evaluating five-star hotels.  Then she met Kate (Lesley Manville), and her world turned upside down.  I really enjoyed this Italian drama about a woman who lives a lonely life of travel.  She has a sister who has a family, and even her best friend is starting a family, but Irene is starting to feel there is more to life than just a job.  Margherita Buy gives a striking performance in the role, and the film goes to a number of exotic locations as Irene travels around the world.  It’s not an earth-shattering film, but one that I truly enjoyed.  My Rating: Full Price  A Five Star Life Info

Forgotten Film:  The Insider (1999) R Russell Crowe is brilliant in this film about a research chemist who worked for a tobacco company and goes on Sixty Minutes.  In the interview, at great expense to himself, he tells the truth that the CEO of the company knew that cigarettes can cause cancer and that his company added chemicals to make the cigarettes more addictive.  Great dialogue and even better performances by the whole cast make this film riveting to watch from the first minute. My Rating: Full Price  The Insider Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of The Identical: period hair stylist

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Tracks (2014) PG-13  A young woman (Mia Wasikowska) goes on an adventure to travel 1,700 miles across the desert of West Australia alone, with just four camels and her dog.  The trailer reminds me of one of my Forgotten Films, Walkabout (1971).  Tracks website

Until Next Time!