A Dog's Way Home

Family Faire:  A Dog’s Way Home  (2019) PG    A dog is separated from its owner and travels over 400 miles to find him. I enjoyed this family-friendly film that caused me to tear up several times. I really like Bryce Dallas Howard as the voice of the dog Bella. She hits all the right notes with her portrayal of Bella’s voice. The dog is adorable, and I love the fact that Bella is a pit bull, a dog that if raised right is sweet and loving. What I loved about this film is the humor, as it is told from the viewpoint of the dog. Bella sees most things as a game and gives them names, like 'Stop chewing on the shoes' game. There was a couple of out and out laughs and a lot of chuckles from the audience that I saw it with.  I would caution that there are a couple of scenes with coyotes threating Bella that might be really scary for really young kids.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   A Dog's Way Home Website

My View:  The Upside  (2017)  PG-13  A wealthy man (Bryan Cranston) with quadriplegia hires a man (Kevin Hart) with a criminal record to be his assistant. A friendship develops between the two men that will change both their worlds.  Unfortunately, this movie doesn't come close to matching the intelligence and warmth of the original film that this film is based on, the 2011 French film The Intouchables. The Upside is too simplistic in its ideas about race and friendship. Its plot is highly predictable, and its biggest flaw is the performance of Kevin Hart. Hart can't help but overact, continually mugging for the camera, when a lighter touch is needed for this part. I can't help thinking what someone like Idris Elba or Mahershala Ali could have done with this part.    My Rating: Cable    The Upside Website

My View:  Replicas  (2018) PG-13  A scientist (Keanu Reeves) becomes obsessed with finding a way to bring back his family after a fatal accident. Well, after seeing this film, I now know why it wasn't shown to critics. With plot holes the size of Puerto Rico (that's where the movie takes place) and an ending that is just so stupid, Replicas is already on my worst films of the year list. It tries to do a twist at the two-thirds part of the film, but it doesn't even close to succeeding. I question making Keanu Reeves a cutting edge scientist, but then I remember that Reeves production company is responsible for this mess of a film. Even if you a Keanu Reeves fan, stay at home and wait for John Wick III to come out.  My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again   Replicas Website 

In Case You Missed It (A movie just released on DVD/Blu-Ray): Mid90s  (2018)  R   Stevie (Sunny Suljic) lives in a troubled home in 90s L.A. with a mother (Katherine Waterston) that is never there, and an older brother Ian (Lucas Hedges) that takes out his frustrations on Stevie. Stevie’s life changes when he finds new friends at the Motor Avenue Skate Shop. This is a film that is not for everyone. There are some disturbing scenes involving Stevie drinking, smoking, doing drugs and even having sex. Also, there is a ton of cursing, some of it done by Stevie, who looks much younger than his age. There is also quite a bit of violence, most of which is committed by Ian on Stevie. The film does have some humorous scenes and at times is quite enjoyable, but it’s hard to overlook the sex scene where an older teenage girl seduces Stevie at a party. I will say this that Sunny Suljic gives an incredible performance as the kid who just wants to fit in with his idols, the skateboarders. Written and directed by Jonah Hill and shot on 16mm film, Mid90s captures that time-period so well that at times I thought I was watching a documentary.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Mid90s Website

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I've Only Seen in Trailers but Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):  The Sex Trip (2017)  A womanizer refuses a kiss from a homeless woman and then wakes up in a woman’s body. It’s not a good thing when the only cast member you recognize is Frank Stallone.    The Sex Trip Info

Forgotten Film:  Pawn Sacrifice  (2014)  PG-13  Set during the Cold War, a brilliant but troubled young man, Bobby Fisher (Toby Maguire) takes on the Soviet Union and their Grand Master chess player, Boris Spassky (Liev Schreiber). While the script is a little clunky, the performances of Schreiber and Maguire are fabulous to watch. If you play chess, you will want to see this film that gets the art of playing down perfectly.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Pawn Sacrifice Infor

Weird Credits:  From the credits of A Dog’s Way Home:  Cat Trainer

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Isn’t It Romantic  (2019) PG-13  A young woman (Rebel Wilson), down on love and hating romantic comedies, hits her head and passes out. When she wakes up, she is in an alternate universe and is in her own romantic comedy. I have high hopes for this as the trailer looks really good and I love Rebel Wilson.    Isn't It Romantic Facebook Page

Until Next Time!

Cars 3

Family Faire:  Cars 3  (2017)   G  After losing his racing title to Jackson Storm (Armie Hammer), Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) decides he will retire after the season. Lightning decides to make one last stand at the Florida 500 and starts training with a spunky race technician named, Cruz Ramirez (Cristela Alonzo), who has her own racing dreams. Certainly the weakest franchise in the Pixar family, I can say that this film is a step above the horrible Cars 2 (2011), but that isn’t saying much. I cringe just thinking about how many times we had to hear that awful catch phrase, “Git her dun,” said by Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) in that film. Luckily, Mater is just a minor character in this movie, so right there, it’s an improvement. I liked the storyline and especially enjoyed the finish, but, man, it takes way too long to get there. At an hour fifty (which does include a Pixar short named LOU), it seems every second of that length. The animation is top notch, but I just wish more time was spent on the script. The film was not shot in 3-D, so save some bucks. There is a bonus scene at the end of the credits, but it’s really not worth sticking around for.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Cars 3 Website   

My View:  Rough Night  (2017)  R  Five best friends from college (Scarlett Johansson, Zoë Kravitz, Kate McKinnon, Jillian Bell, Ilana Glazer) reunite ten years later for a wild bachelorette weekend in Miami. While partying, they accidentally kill a male stripper and then try to conceal the death. Talk about a buzz kill. I did not enjoy this film; it seemed much longer than the 1 hour and 40 minutes that is listed in IMDB.com. The film tries to be a hard R comedy in the vein of The Hangover or Bridesmaids, but it fails miserably in its attempt, with few and far between comedic moments lost in its over-the-top attempt to be raunchy. I was hoping that Kate McKinnon would take over the film, but her scenes seemed forced and just aren’t funny. I have a real problem with comedic films that trivialize the use of hard drugs as a vehicle for jokes. In this case, both Coke and Meth are seen as just fun drugs that have no consequences and are portrayed as fun drugs the characters use to act even goofier. The fact that this film centers on the accidental death of someone (which, by the way, is seen by the end of the film as a good thing) should clue you in on how bad this film really is.  My Rating:  You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again   Rough Night Info

Indiefest:  The Book of Henry  (2017)  PG-13  In a small town, a single mom (Naomi Watts) is raising her two boys, an 11-year old genius named, Henry (Jaeden Lieberher), and his younger brother, Peter (Jacob Tremblay). Henry has a crush on his neighbor Christiana (Maddie Ziegler), and when she is threatened by her stepfather, Henry comes up with a plan to rescue her. This is a film that has no clue what it is and, the audience I saw it with thought it was a comedy for the first half of the movie. This is a bizarre film, dealing with loss, abuse and the idea that it’s okay not to always fit in. Without giving anything away, the film takes a big turn at around at the halfway point, but it never recovers from that major twist. I enjoyed the performances in this film, including Naomi Watts, who plays a mother who would rather play video games than worry about finances and Jaeden Lieberher, who plays Henry, a kid, who at age twelve, is smarter than any adult he deals with.The biggest problem with this film is that it has a central character that is a genius but his solution isn't well thought out. Lee Pace, whom I love as an actor, is wasted in a too small part as the family’s doctor. I loved the first half of this film, but the second half is such a wreck of a film with a plot that just doesn’t make sense and a message that is just too messy to deliver.  My Rating:  Cable   The Book of Henry Website

Indiefest:  Dean  (2016)  PG-13  A New York illustrator, Dean (Demetri Martin) is still not over the death of his mother. To make matters worse, his love life is nonexistent, and his father (Kevin Kline) is thinking about selling the family home.  At a party, Dean meets Nicky (Gillian Jacobs), whom he clicks with right away. Learning Nicky is about to go back to L.A., he uses a business opportunity to follow her.  Will Dean’s history of bad luck end with Nicky? I loved this film! It’s got heart and a bit of heartbreak too. The whole cast is so much fun to watch, and Martin has marvelous chemistry with Jacobs, both playing off each other with great comedic timing. Their ‘meet cute’ is priceless and humorous. Kevin Kline gives a very understated but beautiful performance as Dean’s dad, who is ready to move on with his life. Mary Steenburgen is delightful as the real estate agent who keeps figuring out ways to meet up with Dean’s father. Demetri Martin does all the illustrations that his character draws, and they are flat out funny. It’s an unconventional story about trying to get over a loss in the best way you can. You won’t be sorry if you take the trip out west with Dean in his pursuit of love.  My Rating:  Full Price   Dean Website

Indiefest:  Wakefield  (2017)   R  Howard (Bryan Cranston) suffers a nervous breakdown, which causes him to leave his wife (Jennifer Garner) without telling her and living for months in their attic while she believes that he has been abducted or worse, is dead. This is a strange but enjoyable film about a man who decides to go off the grid and observe his family from the garage attic to see how they deal with him no longer around. The film is told through the eyes of Howard, who observes not only his family, but the neighborhood from his perch in the attic. He reflects on his life, mostly through flashbacks, as he evaluates his relationship with his kids and his wife. This film is part black comedy and part drama that takes on subjects like materialism, infidelity, the hard work of marriage and how we treat the homeless. While it’s Cranston’s movie (he’s in every scene), I loved the performance of Jennifer Garner, whose role is seen through Howard’s eyes and often times from afar. Garner gives a powerful performance that centers the film and gives it a shot of reality when it’s needed. This isn’t a movie for everyone, and some will find it a bit maddening or confusing, but I enjoyed the experience of hanging out with Howard in the attic.  My Rating:  Full Price   Wakefield Info   

Indiefest:  Past Life  (2016)  Nana (Nelly Tagar) and Sephi (Joy Reiger) are two very different sisters living in Israel in the 1970’s. Nana is a fiery writer who is fast with sharing her opinion. Sephi is a singer who is going to school to try and become a composer in the man-dominated field. On a chance encounter, Sephi is confronted by a woman who accuses her father (Doron Tavory) with murder.  Now the two sisters are determined to find out what happened to her father during World War II. This is a moving tale of sibling rivalry, a past that could destroy a family and the determination of Sephi to find the truth, while she struggles to survive in an environment that is trying to get her to quit her dreams. Both Tagar and Reiger give powerful, multilayered performances as Tagar is always bringing her anger to the forefront and Reiger, giving her character a quiet restraint. The storyline has plenty of twists and turns, which keeps you riveted to your seat until the end.   My Rating:  Full Price   Past Life Website

Forgotten Film:  The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming!  (1966)  A Russian sub has run aground off the New England coast.  The Russians come ashore to find a small town that is ready to take them on, if only they knew how. This comedy by Norman Jewison is a reflection of the Cold War that was at its height in 1966. The film was nominated for four Oscars and has a brilliant cast including Carl Reiner, Eva Marie Saint, Alan Arkin, Brian Keith, Jonathan Winters, and  Richard Shaal. While the film is a little dated, it’s still funny as heck.   My Rating:  Bargain Matinee   The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming! Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Book of Henry:  Rube Goldberg Machine Creator

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:    Dunkirk   (2017)  PG-13  Allied soldiers from Belgium, the British Empire, Canada, and France are surrounded by the German army and make one of the greatest evacuations in the history of warfare. Christopher Nolan directs this film, and the trailer looks astounding.   Dunkirk Website

Until Next Time!

Assassin's Creed

My View:  Assassin’s Creed  (2016) PG-13  Callum Lynch (Michael Fassbender) is a career criminal who is set for execution by Abstergo Industries, a front for the modern-day incarnation of the Templar Order.  He is forced by Abstergo to relive the memories of his ancestor Aguilar de Nerha, an assassin in the time of the Spanish Inquisition. What Abstergo Industries doesn’t realize is that by reliving these memories, Callum is gaining the knowledge that will allow him to defeat them. What a mess of a film! I had a friend who reviews video games and sat on one side of me and a 14 year-old-boy on the other, and neither could tell me exactly what the plot to this film was. Michael Fassbender (yes, that two-time Oscar nominated actor) has been trying to get this film made since 2012. I guess he promised a lot to get actors like Oscar winner Marion Cotillard and Oscar winner Jeremy Irons, along with Brendan Gleeson and Oscar-nominated Charlotte Rampling to work on this movie. As you would expect, Gleeson and Rampling don’t have to do too much but Irons and Cotillard are in every non-action scene. The action sequences are well done; the stunts are exceptional looking, and Fassbender is a decent fighter (and in shape), but that doesn’t make up for a horrible plot and an even worse ending.  My Rating: Cable   Assassin's Creed Website

My View:  Passengers  (2016) PG-13   A spacecraft is traveling to a distant colony planet with thousands of people, all of whom are in a state of suspended animation.  There is a malfunction of the sleep chambers for two of its passengers (Jennifer Lawrence, Chris Pratt) who have been awakened 90 years early.  I enjoyed the first 40 minutes of the film, which reminded me of an excellent 70s Sci-Fi film called Silent Running. The art direction is fantastic and the set design is brilliant, making this a film a wonder to watch. Unfortunately, the film goes downhill quickly, with a plot that takes forever to get going. I kept waiting for a twist to the plot, but it never came, and the ending of the film is so unbelievably simplistic that a 5th grader will be able to tell it wouldn’t ever work. I loved the chemistry between Lawrence and Pratt, with the courting sequence one of the most enjoyable parts of the film. The film is let down by the last third of the movie, leaving a rather bitter taste to end with.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Passengers Website

Indiefest:  Lion  (2016)  PG-13  A five-year-old Indian boy named Saroo ends up a thousand miles from home. After living on the streets of Calcutta, a miracle occurs. Twenty-five years later Saroo  (Dev Patel) is hoping for another miracle - that he find his long lost family.  I loved this film about the need to find your home and family, even against unbelievable odds. Sunny Power, who plays the five-year-old Saroo, has to be one of the cutest kids ever to appear on-screen, and his portrayal will break your heart - it’s that good. Patel (grown up from his breakthrough appearance in Slum Dog Millionaire) has the hard act to follow, but he is up to the task, as he portrays Saroo with the same determined and headstrong will to make it home that his younger self showed. Nicole Kidman is scintillating in what should be an Oscar-nominated performance as Saroo’s fragile adopted Mom. There is a scene near the end between Kidman and Patel that will have you in tears. This inspirational film is not to be missed and will thaw the coldest heart. Go on a journey with Saroo.  You won’t be disappointed.  My Rating:  I Would Pay to See It Again   Lion Website

My View:  Why Him?  (2016)  Ned Fleming (Bryan Cranston) is having a bad year.  His printing company may be going out of business, and his only daughter (Zoey Deutch), whom he thought was safely tucked away at college, is dating an older man, Laird (James Franco), who runs a video game company.  Now, Ned, his wife (Megan Mullally) and his young son (Griffin Gluck) are going to spend Christmas at Laird’s mansion.  Now that Adam Sandler is over making films for Netflix (which means I, thank goodness, don’t have to watch them), I think James Franco is bound and determined to fill the void. I love Bryan Cranston, but it pained me to see him have to deliver lines from this horrible script. The movie is unfunny, stupid and has a plot that could have been written by a cat. The only saving grace in this drivel of a film is the performance of Keegan-Michael Key, who breathes a little life into the movie playing Laird’s right-hand man. Please James Franco, quit making every movie they offer you and slow down enough pick some better scripts.  My Rating:  You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again   Why Him? Website

My View:  Hidden Figures  (2016)  PG  The film tells the story of the African-American mathematician Katherine Johnson (Taraji P. Henson) and her two colleagues, Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monae), who worked at the Langley Research Center.  Their work helped NASA catch up to the Soviet Union and launched John Glenn into space.  Hidden Figures is an inspiring movie that is all the more remarkable because it’s based on a true story of three women who won’t be held down by their gender or skin color in the turbulent 60s in a scientific community dominated by men. Of the three main cast members, Janelle Monae stands out as the feisty, outspoken woman who dreams of becoming an engineer, even though the system throws roadblocks at her throughout her journey. I also enjoyed the performance of Kevin Costner, who plays the department head determined to find the best person for the job, no matter who it is. The film has a few slow points but covers so much ground that it keeps the story moving forward. It's a remarkable story about three women who were determined to prove that they could not only do the job if given the chance but would exceed at it.  My Rating:  Full Price   Hidden Figures Website

My View:  Fences  (2016)  PG-13  An African-American father, Troy (Denzel Washington) struggles to raise his family in the very segregated world of the 1950’s while coming to terms with the events of his life.  Based on the August Wilson Pulitzer Prize winning play, Denzel Washington directs and acts in this drama about a man who feels disrespected in life and wants his son to be a better man than he. Washington gives a mesmerizing performance as the hot-headed father, commanding the screen in every scene he is in. Viola Davis, as Troy’s wife, gives an equally multi-layered performance and is every bit Washington's equal up on the screen. The film is a bit stagy, but Washington does do a few camera tricks to keep it cinema-based. The supporting cast is exceptional, with Stephen Henderson playing Troy’s best friend with a heart of gold and Jovan Adepo as the driven son. It’s an experience to see acting this powerful, magnetic and moving on the screen.   My Rating:  Full Price   Fences Website

Forgotten Film:  Red Rock West  (1993)  R  A drifter, Michael (Nicolas Cage), comes into a Wyoming town and is mistaken for a hit man by a husband (J.T. Walsh) who wants his wife killed. Michael agrees to shoot the woman (Lara Flynn Boyle), but upon meeting her, Michael decides to let her in on what he has been hired to do.  Things get complicated when the real hit-man (Dennis Hopper) arrives in town. This is a combo of a western and a thriller with a little film noir added in. The film has a ton of twists and turns, making it a little hard to understand at the beginning, but by the end of the movie, everything makes sense. J.T. Walsh makes an outstanding villain, and Hooper is perfect as the quirky hit-man. There is great chemistry between Boyle and Cage, which makes us want to root for the two of them. If you love the classic 40’s film noir movies, this one is for you.  My Rating: Full Price   Red Rock West Info   

Weird Credits: From the credits of Why Him?:  Trainer of Domestic Livestock

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  The Salesman  (2016)  PG-13  The story of a couple whose relationship goes wrong while they are performing Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman. The film comes from the Oscar-nominated director of About Elly and A Separation.   The Salesman Website

Until Next Time!

Ghostbusters

My View: Ghostbusters  (2016)  Erin (Kristen Wiig) and Abby (Melissa McCarthy) write a book that states that ghosts are real. When ghosts invade Manhattan, the author pair team up with Jillian (Kate McKinnon),  a nuclear engineer, and  Patty (Leslie Jones), to try and save the world from an evil and powerful demon, Rowan (Neil Casey). I had a great time watching this film. There are some subtle homages to the first Ghostbusters movies, but it’s really an original idea for a movie. I would have liked McCarthy to be a little more animated in her part, but Kate McKinnon more than makes up for that with an incredibly wacky performance. Chris Hemsworth is brilliant as the dumb as rocks receptionist who gets the job based only on his good looks. There are a lot of cameos, some really work but it is very obvious that Bill Murray didn't want to do this film from his performance. The film was shot in 3-D, and it shows, with some the ghost appearances using the technology to the fullest. There are two bonus scenes, one after the main credits and another, which sets up a possible sequel, after all the credits.   My Rating:  Full Price   Ghostbusters Website

My View:  The Infiltrator  (2016)  R  A U.S. customs official (Bryan Cranston) uncovers a money laundering scheme that traces all the way back to drug kingpin Pablo Escobar. I kept thinking  as I watched this film, this is a really good TV movie, the kind that you used to see every week back in the 70’s. But this isn’t a TV movie, and it’s just too slow and procedural to be interesting. Bryan Cranston gives what he can to the film, and he does an excellent job, but he is let down by the pacing and the script. The rest of the cast isn’t given much to do with the exception of Diane Kruger, who does an excellent job playing Cranston’s undercover partner. I just wish that this film had given Cranston more to work with.  My Rating; Bargain Matinee  The Infiltrator Website

Indiefest:  Breaking a Monster  (2015)  Documentary about three 13-year-old boys who form a Metal band, get discovered playing on the streets of New York, and, within a year, are on the bill of big outdoor concerts. Documentary about three 13-year-old boys who form a Metal band called "Unlocking the Truth," get discovered playing on the streets of New York, and, within a year, are on the bill of big outdoor concerts.  This is an entertaining film that follows the trials and tribulations of three teen boys dealing with school, girls and video games while trying to become rock stars. We get to the see the band perform live at concerts, and we see them record their first single. The most interesting apect of the film is how their manager (who created Welcome Back Kotter and discovered the Jonas Brothers) tries to keep them focused on music, not on what normal kids are interested in. The band becomes disillusioned when the record company is slow to get them into the studio, and we get to see the kids act out a bit. The film does get you to worry about the kids and if they are being taken for a ride. And, oh, by the way, the kids can actually play music!   My Rating: Full Price   Breaking a Monster Website

Indiefest:  The Innocents  (2016)  R  In 1945 Poland, a young French Red Cross doctor (Lou de Laage) is dealing with the aftermath of World War II. She is sent to assist the survivors of a German prison camp.  She soon discovers in a local convent that several of the nuns there are in advanced stages of pregnancy.Lou de Laage gives another breathtaking performance as the doctor who decides on her own to help the nuns with their pregnancies. De Laage is brilliant in the role, making her character someone that we want to know. The cinematography in the film is a wonder as the film looks almost as if it is shot in black and white, contributing greatly to the starkness of film.  This is a tough movie to watch due to its subject matter but ultimately it’s worth the effort.   My Rating: Full Price   The Innocents Info   

Indiefest:  Hunt for the Wilderpeople  (2016)  PG-13  Ricky (Julian Dennison), a 12-year-old Maori boy, obsessed with rap songs, is brought to a remote New Zealand farm run by Hec (Sam Neill) and his wife, Bella (Rima Te Wiata). Hec and Bella are going to be his foster aunt and uncle for the next few months. Slowly but surely Bella works her charm, and Ricky gradually grows to like living on the farm; that is if he can stay out of the sights of Hec, who barely tolerates the boy.  Just as Ricky starts feeling apart of the family, Bella dies unexpectedly. Ricky decides to run away, and Hec goes after him, taking them on a trip that will change both their lives. This is a joyous film that celebrates that people, no matter how different their personalities are, can still find comfort and love in shared experiences. Waititi is subtle in his building of scenes, letting us enjoy small moments like Ricky pretending to dance to a Walkman he made of grass as Hec looks on in wonderment. It’s those little scenes that let us get inside the characters and see how they interact with each other. “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” is a beautiful, magical film that you won’t want to end. I am in fact ready to go on another adventure with Hec and Ricky.   My Take: Full Price   Hunt for the Wilderpeople Website 

Indiefest:  Undrafted  (2016)  12 ragtag teammates are playing a playoff game in an intermural league. Their opposing team is filled with ringers, but there is hope because John, is about to be a professional ballplayer. Right before the start of the game, the team finds out that John wasn’t drafted, and his professional career is over before it even started. Can the team rally and beat the semi-pros or will John’s undrafted status cause the team to fall apart? This is a fun and funny film filled with outlandish characters. I especially enjoy the performances of Ryan Pinkston, who plays an overzealous catcher, Joe Mazzello (who wrote and directed the film) as an outfielder with anger issues, and Tyler Hoechlin, who plays a relief pitcher suddenly having to become a starter.  There are some absurd and ludicrous moments that are just brilliant. The film does lose some of its momentum when it gets just a little too serious a time or two but otherwise it’s a blast to watch.  My Rating: Full Price    Undrafted Info

Forgotten Film:  Divorce – Italian Style (1962) Marcello Mastroianni is scintillating as a Sicilian nobleman who has fallen in love with another woman and because of Italian divorce laws being so strict, he must now plot how to kill his wife. This is a dark comedy that is brilliantly zany in its storytelling. The film moves at a quick pace and is hilarious as Mastroianni’s plan gets quickly out of hand.  This may have been Marcello Mastroianni’s best work.   My Rating: Full Price    Divorce Italian Style Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Ghostbusters: Render Wrangler

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Gleason (2016)  Documentary on former professional football player Steve Gleason, who at age 34, was diagnosed with ALS. This film was one of the most talked about films at this year’s SXSW Film Festival, and I look forward to seeing this movie about a very courageous man and his family.   Gleason Website

Until Next Time!

Kung Fu Panda 3

Family Faire:  Kung Fu Panda 3  (2016)  PG  Po (Jack Black) finds out he has a father (Bryan Cranston) and that there are more of his kind in a far-away land. When Po travels with his father to find this magical land, the world is threatened by a new evil one, Kai (J.K. Simmons), who wants to destroy everything. Now Po must train his new-found family and take on the evil Kai.  I enjoyed this film, and its 3-D animation is some of the best I’ve seen. There are some beautiful scenes up in the mountains, and the final fight sequence is a wonder to watch. It’s a fun and funny film that adults will enjoy just as much as the kids. The plot moves quickly and has some commendable life lessons for anyone watching. Kai is an enjoyable villain, and J.K. Simmons is delightful in the performance. This is one kid’s film that adults won’t mind seeing.  My Rating: Full Price   Kung Fu Panda 3 Website

My View:  The Finest Hours  (2016)  PG-13  An oil tanker off the Cape Cod coast is destroyed by treacherous winter winds and waves, splitting the ship into two pieces.  It’s up to the Coast Guard to try and save the tanker’s crewmen. First, do not see this film in 3-D. It was not shot in 3-D, and the process adds nothing to the viewing of the movie. The action sequences are the best part of this film. Chris Pine is Bernie Webber, the Coast Guard sailor who attempts the rescue in a tiny four-man motorboat. His performance, though, is not given a lot to work with, and he has absolutely no chemistry with his love interest, Holliday Grainger. Grainger plays Miriam, a determined and head-strong woman who works at the telephone company.  The best part of this film is the performance of Casey Affleck, who plays the sinking ship’s engineer. Affleck gives a strong and powerful performance as the man who leads by example and comes up with a way to slow the ship’s sinking.  The film is weighed down by the love story and the fact that this is a Disney produced movie that tries too hard to keep the movie rating at PG-13. The film, based on a true story, is set in 1952, and even though the film deals with a very stressful situation, there isn’t any cursing or, more amazingly, any cigarette smoking. I might wait and see this film when it comes out on DVD so you I fast forward through the love story and get to the action.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee   The Finest Hours Website   

Indiefest:  Lazer Team  (2015)  PG-13  A 1980s style sci-fi comedy about four misfits who stumble upon alien technology, a mysterious suit made up of two boots, two arm pieces, and a helmet.  Each guy puts on a piece of the equipment, which attaches to their bodies with no way of getting them off. They are then forced to work together to save the planet.  If you are a fan of the Sci-Fi films of the eighties, you will enjoy this crazy, and sometimes nutty take off of the superhero films.  This is a fun film, which, while not all the jokes and gags work, there are enough scenes that do work to make this such an entertaining film. The cast, made up of relative unknowns, is enjoyable to watch and work well with each other on camera. Burnie Burns, as the picked-on small town sheriff, and Gavin Free, as a stoner who suddenly becomes smart when he puts on the alien helmet, stand out, both showing some exceptional comic timing. I love when the stoner puts on the helmet, he starts talking with a British accent because “that’s what stupid people think smart people sound like.” The best part of this film is the band of characters who must work together to save the earth but can’t quit arguing and feuding long enough to learn how to operate the alien equipment.  Their back and forth banter is quick-witted and laugh out loud funny. The special effects are well done, the action is fast, and the plot is well developed. Overall, Lazer Team is a blast to watch.   My Rating: Full Price   Lazer Team Website

Forgotten Film:  Primal Fear  (1996) R  A big time lawyer, Martin Vail (Richard Gere), takes on a case that no one thinks he can win when an altar boy, Arron (Edward Norton), is accused of murdering a priest. Gere is extraordinary as the lawyer who takes the case, not because he thinks his client is innocent, but because this case will get him the most publicity. Edward Norton is even better as the teenager who has been accused of the crime, caught running caught the scene, covered in blood. Norton was so good in this, his first feature film role, that he got an Academy Award nomination. The movie has a brilliant cast including Laura Linney, a former girlfriend of Vail’s who is the prosecuting attorney, John Mahoney as the hard-nosed DA, and Frances McDormand as the psychologist hired to profile Arron and Alfre Woodard as the presiding judge.  The plot has a number of great twists which makes this film enjoyable court genre film to watch.   My Rating: Full Price   Primal Fear Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Finest Hours:  Photo Double For “Tiny”

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  The Witch  (2015) R   Audiences at Sundance and Toronto were raving about this horror film about a family in the 1630s torn apart by the forces of witchcraft, black magic, and possession.  We don’t get enough good horror movies.   The Witch Website

Until Next Time!

Godzilla

My View:  Godzilla (2014)  PG-13  Joe Brody (Bryan Cranston) and his wife, Sandra (Juliette Binoche) work at a nuclear reactor site in Japan.  Joe is concerned about unusual seismic activity that has been occurring in the past weeks.  He soon discovers that something big is coming toward the reactor, and  it’s not an earthquake.   If you are a fan of the Godzilla films, you will not be disappointed.  The film does a great job of honoring the Godzilla film heritage, making the monster bigger and badder than ever before.  This is without a doubt the best cast of any Godzilla film, but other than Cranston, very few of the cast are used to their full advantage.  I love Elizabeth Olsen, but most of her screen time is dedicated to either worrying or crying about her family.  Aaron Taylor-Johnson plays her husband and is the son of Joe and Sandra.  Taylor-Johnson does most of the action sequences well, but he has no charisma, and there isn’t any chemistry between his and Olsen’s character.  But you don’t go to a film like this for the humans, it’s all about the monsters and the destruction, and there is plenty to go around.  The film is loud, fun and had the audience cheering when Godzilla did any of his signature moves. The film does a great job of teasing us with glimpses of Godzilla before we finally get to see him in all his glory.  The film was not shot in 3-D, so save a few extra bucks, but you will want to see this one in the theatre, so you can see, full-on, the massive monster destroy a few cities.  The bigger the screen, the better.  My Rating: Full Price  Godzilla Website

Family Faire: Million Dollar Arm (2014) PG  A sports agent, JB (Jon Hamm,) who has seen better days, needs the next big thing to resurrect his career.  He gets the idea to go to India and find cricket players who could make it in Major League Baseball.  I liked the first hour of this film, though you don’t like JB as he is a vain jerk who only complains about being in India, instead of marveling at the sites, as the Taj Mahal. Lake Bell plays the love interest, a doctor who rents out his guest house, and as cute as Bell is, you never see why she would be interested in JB. The problem with this film is the whole second half of the movie is filled with every cliché in the book.  By the end of the two hours (did we really need a full two hours to tell this story), you  don’t care what happens.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee Million Dollar Arm Website 

Indiefest:  The Double  (2013) R  Simon (Jesse Eisenberg) is the type of guy whom nobody notices.  He works as a clerk in a government job and is secretly in love with a co-worker named, Hannah (Mia Wasikowska).  One day Jesse (Jesse Eisenberg) shows up, looking exactly like Simon, and he’s everything that Simon isn’t; confident, brash and has a winning personality that everyone loves.  Worst yet, Hannah likes him too. This is an insane film where Jesse Eisenberg plays two characters who look exactly alike but act very differently.  Part comedy, part tragedy, it’s a film that you have trouble keeping up with, but it has such good performances, you are willing to go along for the ride.  My Rating: Full Price  The Double Website

Indiefest: God’s Pocket  (2014) R   Mickey’s (Philip Seymour Hoffman) stepson dies in a construction job.  When he is asked to investigate, by the boy’s mother (Christina Hendricks), to investigate the death, he learns that it wasn’t an accident.  Investigating it further could cost Mickey his life. It’s sad that this is one of Hoffman’s last roles on-screen as the film isn’t very good, and he isn’t given much material to work with.  Hendricks gives the better performance as her character is multi-layered, whereas most of the other characters in the film are very one dimensional.  It’s a film that had great potential, mostly due to its cast, but never finds a voice and becomes boring very quickly.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  God's Pocket Website

Forgotten Film:  Paper Clips (2004) G  This is a fascinating documentary about a group of children from a middle school in Tennessee who, after learning about the Holocaust, decide to collect six million paper clips, one for each victim.  The film explores, through the kids, our understanding of what happened, but also they get to meet some of the survivors of a horrible time in history.  My Rating:  Full Price  Paper Clips Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Godzilla:  Roto Artist: Double Negative

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  The Hundred-Foot Journey (2014)  Helen Mirren stars in this film as an owner of a prestigious restaurant in France.  Her world is changed when a family from India moves in across the street and open their own restaurant. The Hundred-Foot Journey Info

Until Next Time!