Disenchanted

My View: Disenchanted (2022) PG  Ten years after her happily ever after, Giselle (Amy Adams) and her family have moved to the suburb of Monroeville. However, the community isn’t as ideal as it seems, and soon Giselle wishes that their lives were the perfect fairy tale. Be careful what you wish for. Can it really be since 2007 that we all fell in love with Amy Adams playing Giselle, the young maiden from the fairy tale land of Andalasia, who an evil queen sends to New York City, where she falls in love with a lawyer? The film was like a breath of fresh air as Adams dazzled us with her charm and singing. Now we revisit Giselle, ten years after her happily ever after happened, and it’s not everything she thought it would be. Her husband (Patrick Dempsey) isn’t happy commuting from the suburbs to the city, they have a daughter who is now a surly teen in Morgan (Gabriella Baldacchino), and Giselle is finding that it’s hard to figure out how to get along with the suburban homemakers, led by Malvina (Maya Rudolph). What made Enchanted such fun was it took the Disney fairy tale story and turned it on its ear, with a character in Giselle, who was used to talking to animals and breaking out in song. It’s hard to capture the magic twice, and Disenchanted tries very hard to, with a few memorable songs, one thanks to Idina Menzel, who has married the prince (James Marsden). One of the problems with this movie is that in the first film, the wicked queen was played by Susan Sarandon, and now the villain of the story is played by Maya Rudolph, who can’t give us that dripping with evil regality we need. Adams is once again the star of the film, and she delivers, but the film overall doesn’t have that same charm and whimsy that the original movie had. The magic has died a bit in this tale, though it's not the star's fault.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Disenchanted Website Now playing on the Disney+ platform.

My View: She Said (2022) R  Two reporters at The New York Times, Megan Twohey (Carey Mulligan) and Jodi Kantor (Zoe Kazan), break the story of Harvey Weinstein and his years of sexual assault in Hollywood. She Said is told through the eyes of two reporters, both women, who can’t believe the stories they hear about a man who for decades terrorized women who worked for him, using his power to cover up his crimes by using lawyers and intimidation. The film does a brilliant job of letting us see how the story unfolds slowly as the two reporters start peeling back the facts and learn that this wasn't something that happened once or twice but continually happened over decades. She Said is a powerful story of two women who kept after the story, even when it seemed that no one would come forward. I loved the dynamic of Kazan and Mulligan, two very different reporters in their style. The two have incredible chemistry on the screen and work off each other to make us understand how deeply they felt about the story and how much they wanted to bring Harvey Weinstein down.   My Rating: Full Price  She Said Website  Now playing in theatres nationwide.

Familyfaire: Slumberland (2022) PG  A young girl named Nemo (Marlow Barkley) is missing her late dad. Nemo discovers in her dreams the land of Slumberland, and with the help of a magical man named Flip (Jason Momoa), Nemo hopes to see her late father again. I am a massive fan of Windsor McCay, who was a cartoonist and ground-breaking animator who created some of the earliest animation for motion pictures and drew a magical comic strip called Little Nemo in Slumberland. So I was excited to see this attempt to bring that magical world of McCay to life. Unfortunately, other than a breathtaking scene very early in the film (where Nemo is atop her bed as it grows very long legs and travels through the city), the film disappoints on almost every level. One of the great things about McCay’s Little Nemo was the sense of danger that always seemed to be present. A dream could become a nightmare at a moment's notice, but this film never gives us that sensation. Instead, we get a lot of comedy, which Jason Momoa carries off with broad strokes that are fun to watch, but the problem is the storyline never seems to get going and becomes predictable, something that a film that takes place mostly in dreams should never be. I never felt a connection to Nemo, and the film takes too long to get fully into the Slumberland world. Kids in the audience were sometimes bored because the film jumped back and forth from Slumberland to the real world. Someday, someone will figure out a way to make McCay’s Nemo come to life, but unfortunately, this isn’t it.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Slumberland Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform.

My View: The Menu (2022) R  An obsessed foodie (Nicholas Hoult) and his girlfriend (Anya Taylor-Joy) are a last-minute addition to a trip to a secluded island, where a world-famous chef (Ralph Fiennes) is to serve them the meal of a lifetime. Unfortunately, it just might be their last. This black comedy sendup of the food-obsessed culture is a delight. Ralph Fiennes is perfect as the ‘Chef’ who considers his artistically crafted food a work of art and thinks of himself as a storyteller. The patrons of this dining experience are people you would never want to dine with, except Margot (Anya Taylor-Joy), who isn’t impressed by the food or the ‘Chef.’ Anya Taylor-Joy again shows why she commands your attention when she is on the screen. Her timing is perfect, and she gives us a person we can root for in this horrible group of wealthy, pompous diners. The film takes a while to get going, but once you figure out what is going on and why it’s fun to see how far this film will go. And I thought the ending was picture-perfect or maybe i should say it deserves a ‘Chef’s Kiss.’    My Rating: Full Price    The Menu Website Now playing in theatres nationwide.

Indiefest: Bad Axe (2022)  Documentary about an Asian-American family smack dab in the middle of Trump’s rural America as they fight to keep their restaurant in the face of a pandemic, Neo-Nazis, and generational scars for the “Killing Fields.’ This is a brilliant look at a close-knit family who, like the rest of us, was dealt with the blow of the pandemic, threatening their livelihood and, at times, their lives. It would be hard to find another documentary that covers so much ground, showing us an inside look at a fantastic group of people who love, fight and try to survive in a community that isn’t always welcoming. Not only that, but the group's father is a survivor of the Killing Fields of Cambodia, which still haunts him in the present. This is an unflinching look at a family that survives through tough times by not only hard work and strong convictions but the support of each other. The film is from David Siev, the son of Chun and Rachel. This allows us access that an ordinary filmmaker wouldn’t get, and we see that even David, behind the camera, is sometimes the story's focus. The main focus, though, is on Chun, who came to this country with his mother and his fellow brothers and sisters, escaping the horrors of Cambodia, and on the oldest daughter, Jaclyn, who has come back to help her family survive the pandemic. Bad Axe is a beautiful and touching story about a family that will inspire you and, at times, makes you angry. But wasn’t that life in 2020 when the world came to a stop? My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  Bad Axe Website Now playing in select theatres and On Demand.

My View: The Wonder (2022) R  Lib (Florence Pugh) is a nurse who has been brought to the countryside to watch over a young girl named Anna (Kila Lord Cassidy). Lib has been given strict instructions not to interfere with Anna’s life, only to observe because Anna hasn’t eaten anything in four months. Is this the work of God, the Devil, or a trick? Florence Pugh gives a spellbinding performance as a nurse who is asked to confirm that a young woman is surviving without food but is flourishing on just her faith in God. Pugh’s Lib is a determined woman who is given a thankless job but will do her best to ensure that what Anna claims is the truth. This is a slow-developing story that lets you try and figure out if Anna is a fake or really is a miracle. We get to know Anna and Lib as they interact with each other and start to bond as a nurse and a patient. The mystery is secondary to our understanding of Liv, getting to know her as we watch her interact with both Anna and the townspeople. Is Anna’s condition a miracle or a sham? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure. Lib will never be the same after her experience.  My Rating: Full Price  The Wonder Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform.

Forgotten Film: A Small Circle of Friends (1980) R   Set in the late 1960s, three students start college with their futures bright and set. Leo (Brad Davis) is determined to accomplish big things, including being the editor of the Harvard student newspaper. Jessica (Karen Allen) is just as relentless and becomes Leo’s girlfriend. Nick (Jameson Parker) is a premed student who becomes the two’s best friend, though Nick is secretly in love with Jessica. As they go through their college years, they learn the world is very different than what they thought it was, and it is changing before their eyes. I love Karen Allen in this film, full of fire and passion, as Jessica becomes aware that her sheltered world wasn’t real life. A Small Circle of Friends is an excellent look at the late 60s and what it was like to go through an America that seemingly was coming apart.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  A Small Circle of Friends Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Slumberland: Swamper

Coming Soon to Screen Near You: Spoiler Alert (2022) PG-13  Michael Ausiello (Jim Parsons) is a famous and successful media critic but has never had success with love. He meets Kit (Ben Aldridge), a man who falls for Michael, even his rather large Smurf collection. Then Kit comes down with cancer, and everything changes. Michael Ausiello (Ausiello to his fans) is one of my favorite TV critics, and I can’t wait to see this movie.    Spoiler Alert Website  In theatres in mid-December.

Until Next Time!

The Marksman

Note to readers: I currently am not willing to risk my health (I’m 62 and an asthmatic) by visiting a theatre. All films that I have seen for review have been screened in my home. I am not going to tell you whether or not to attend a theatre. Just be aware of the risks, do your research, and follow the instructions to the letter.

My View: The Marksman (2021)  PG-13  An Arizona rancher, Jim (Liam Neeson), finds a young Mexican boy on his land near the border fleeing the Cartel, and the assassins sent to find him. Jim decides to take the boy to his family in Chicago with the Cartel’s men in hot pursuit. Liam Neeson plays a rancher who is recently widowed with a bank about to auction his ranch off because of the doctor bills due to his wife dying of cancer. Jim is a patriot, flying the Stars and Stripes over his ranch and calling the border patrol anytime he sees people on his land. Then a Mexican boy’s mother's dying wish is that the boy be taken away from the Cartel and to his relatives in Chicago. Along the way, Jim and his trusty rifle and dog learn that he and the boy can bond after a few tense days. If this sounds like a Clint Eastwood movie, you would be right, since the director and co-writer of the film is Robert Lorenz, long-time partner, and producer for Clint Eastwood. You get exactly what you expect from this film, from the standard plot to the outcry of the working man being screwed by the big banks, to a sexy Border Patrol agent (Katheryn Winnick) who seems to have the same powers as an FBI agent, to a bad guy so evil he kills everyone he meets. Nothing new here with this film, just more of Neeson shooting bad guys and acting tough but vulnerable.   My Rating: Cable   The Marksman Website     Now playing in select theatres.

My View: Outside the Wire (2021) R   In the not so distant future, a disgraced drone pilot, Lt. Harp (Damson Idris), goes on a classified mission with Capt. Leo (Anthony Mackie) an android soldier. Their mission to locate a doomsday device before the insurgents do. While he has a ton of hours flying a drone, Harp is a young kid who doesn’t know what it is like to be in combat in person. We know this because he: one, eats gummy bears while killing people from the air, and two, he does the right thing, saving 38 soldiers but disobeys the Marine code of never leaving a man behind. He gets assigned to help Capt. Leo, a maverick soldier who is part man, part robot (no spoiler alert, it's in the first 30 seconds of the trailer). It turns out that Harp has been picked for this mission because his commanding officers hope he dies to make up for his mistake and because he is a human MapQuest. The film tries to have a message that we are on a dangerous path to making war less human (not only are drones used, but robot warriors are used on both sides of the conflict) and that robots/cyborgs/androids/whatever are evil. There are plenty of action sequences, lots of things blowing up, but those robots don’t seem to be any better at war than we do, and the plot, right from the start, gets really complicated with so many twists and turns that you will need a whiteboard to keep track of all the changes. I kept wondering while watching Outside the Wire if the writers/director would come up with an ending that was complete and satisfying, and all I can say is, they didn’t.   My Rating: Cable   Outside the Wire Website    Now available on the Netflix platform.

Indiefest: The Dig (2021) PG-13  In the days before the outbreak of WWII, a professional excavator Ralph Fiennes) of historical sites begins a dig on the land of Edith Pretty (Carey Mulligan). The excavation becomes one of the most important archaeological finds in English history. Having been on a few digs and having a degree in Archaeology myself, I had high hopes for this film, especially with the likes of the two leads. Unfortunately, unless you are looking for the Holy Grail, it’s hard to make Archeology interesting, as it is a slow and time-consuming process, and even with the impending doom of WWII literally flying over the character's heads, the storyline tends to lag a bit at times. The film tries to add a bit of drama with Cary Mulligan’s character sickly and a mother, a heavy-handed government official trying to take over the dig, and an affair from an unhappily married archaeologist (Lily James) with a dashing amateur photographer (Johnny Flynn). The film has some beautiful cinematography, and both Mulligan and Fiennes give outstanding performances, but the film lacks a spark that it needs to make it fully work. It’s like being on a dig and only finding a few small arrowheads as your reward. Sure, you found something but was it worth the effort?   My Rating: Bargain Matinee     The Dig Website    Currently playing in select theatres including Landmark Midtown Art Cinema and available soon on the Netflix platform.

My View: The Ultimate Playlist of Noise  (2021)   After learning that surgery to remove a tumor in his brain will render him deaf, Marcus (Keean Johnson), an audio-obsessed high-school student, decides to take a road trip across America to record a bucket list of all his favorite sounds. He encounters along the way, Wendy (Madeline Brewer), a struggling musician who is on her way to New York for her big break. They decide to go on this massive adventure together. I enjoyed this film, which is very reminiscent of the road trip romantic comedies of the 80s and 90s. Johnson and Brewer have a light, playful chemistry that makes their relationship work between two people that both have rough patches in their lives to mend. This is a sweet, funny movie whose message is to treasure the little things in life because life is fragile and fleeting; those little things can be milestones. Yeah, there are times when the film lays on the plot a little thick, with Marcus, a shy teen who is kidded for never having a girlfriend, who is losing his hearing and getting involved with a singer who is slightly older and more experienced in life. But that’s ok. It's a fun time with the two as they travel on Marcus's quest to find sounds to record before he goes deaf. You will need a tissue or two, but that’s just another reason to appreciate the little things in life, like a cry during a movie.    My Rating: Full Price     The Ultimate Playlist of Noise Website   Available on the Hulu Platform.

Indiefest: Rock Camp: The Movie  (2021)   This is a documentary on the legendary summer camp that, for 25 years, has brought together ordinary people who want to learn how to rock like ‘rock stars’ from their music heroes like Meat Loaf, Sebastian Bach, and Gene Simmons. The campers spend four days jamming, and the camp concludes with a live performance at a legendary venue. The film follows four campers as they pursue their dreams (at least for four days) to become rock stars. I loved this film because it shows just how much the camp counselors (i.e., rock stars) get out of the camp as the campers themselves. It reminds the most grizzled rock veterans of the 70s, 80s and 90s how much fun playing music can be when you are with people who love the music. You will be surprised by some of the rock stars that have participated and how seriously they take their teaching. The film spends a little too much time on the man who started the camp, super-agent David Fishof, but it is able to give us behind-the-scenes footage of the campers working with their mentors (counselors), and the impact that this camp has on everyone involved. And yes, there are some pretty bad musicians in the camp, but also, there are some great ones, including a guitar wiz teenager Blake, who has autism and lets his talking come from his guitar. It's a fun look at a camp many of us can’t afford but would love to attend.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Rock Camp: The Movie Website   The film is available to rent on participating on-demand services.

Indiefest: The White Tiger (2021)   Bairam (Adarsh Gourav) has been trained by society to be a servant since he was a little kid. Now Bairam has worked his way into becoming the driver for Ashok ( Rajkummar Rao) and Pinky (Priyanka Chopra-Jonas), a wealthy couple who have recently returned from America. Bairam makes himself indispensable until one fateful night changes everything. I imagine that many reviews of this film are going to compare it to Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire, and while both take place in India and both are rags to riches plot lines, that is where the similarities stop. The White Tiger is a biting look at India's caste system, where literally you are born in servitude. Bairam, a young man, who is constantly questioning his own behavior and always plotting how to escape his poverty, looks at life with the idea that the freedom that he seeks will not come at a cheap price. What I found fascinating is that the film doesn’t go where you think it will go. This is a pull that goes on with Bairam, between what society has always told him his lot is in life and what his guts tell him to do to get out of this trap. The film slows down a bit in the middle, taking too long for Bairam to make his next move, one that will change his life and how both he and the audience look at Bairam himself.   My Rating: Full Price     The White Tiger Website   Currently playing in select theatres including Landmark Midtown Art Cinema and available Jan. 22nd on the Netflix platform.

Indiefest: MLK/FBI (2020)   Documentary based on newly declassified files that detail the US government’s surveillance and harassment of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. The film looks at what is described in the movie as a dark period for the FBI. The man running the FBI, J. Edgar Hoover, was convinced that the Communist Party was targeting Blacks and that MLK threatens the government. What started as a look into King’s possible ties to communism soon turned into how the Bureau could blackmail King and his supporters with information on MLK’s personal life. The FBI went as far as sending threatening anonymous letters and recordings to King and his wife. The film shows us just how heroic and strong Martin Luther King, Jr. was, who kept fighting for civil rights through nonviolence even though horrible tactics were being used to fight against him.    My Rating: Full Price    MLK/FBI Website   Currently playing in select theatres including Landmark Midtown Art Cinema and available to rent on participating on-demand services.

Forgotten Film: The Queen of Versailles (2012)   In this day and age of mic-mansions, I think a lot about this documentary profiling the Siegel’s, a billionaire couple who build the largest private house in the United States - a 90,000 square foot mansion inspired by Versailles. The economic downturn, however, and the banking crisis in 2008 may crush their dreams. This is a fascinating film that shows how out of touch the super-rich are with ordinary America, and the movie is full of great contrasts, such as when they go pick up McDonald's takeout in a stretch limo. What really makes this an interesting film is that Jackie isn't your normal trophy wife.  She once worked as a computer engineer at IBM, so you begin to wonder what sort of life she would have had if she had stayed at IBM instead of pursuing a modeling career and later meeting her now-husband at a beauty pageant. The Queen of Versailles is one of those documentaries where you are continually changing your opinion about the film's subjects.   My Rating: Full Price    The Queen of Versailles Info 

Weird Credits: From the credits of The Ultimate Playlist of Noise: Paperwork PA’s

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Judas and the Black Messiah (2021) R   The story of the Chairman of the Illinois Black Panther Party, Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaiuuya), and his betrayal by FBI informant William O’Neal (LaKeith Stanfield). I am hearing great things about this film that has a cast that includes Jesse Plemons, Dominique Fishback, Martin Sheen, and Ashton Sanders.      Judas and the Black Messiah Website

Until Next Time!

Spectre

My View:  Spectre  (2015)  PG-13  While M (Ralph Fiennes) battles political forces to keep the secret service alive, Bond (Daniel Craig) ties to uncover a sinister organization called, SPECTRE, after receiving a cryptic message.  This film is a step back from the brilliant Skyfall (2012). Spectre opens with an exciting action sequence that takes place in Mexico City during a Dia de Los Muertos celebration. Unfortunately, the rest of the film can’t live up to that opening pace or action. The film has one of the worst Bond credit rolls of all time with a horrible song sung by Sam Smith, and the film just goes downhill from there. It is overly long, the plot is confusing and full of holes, and Daniel Craig seems to be bored by the whole thing. Monica Bellucci is in the film for about 3 minutes, and it takes forever to get to the bad guy played by Christoph Waltz. While Daniel Craig is signed for a 5th film, he apparently wants out. I think he got a look at this script and said, “I’ll do this one, but then that’s it.”  The film is the costliest Bond film ever, but I don’t think they spent any money on a script, and it looks it.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Spectre Website   

Family Faire:  The Peanuts Movie  (2015)  G   A new girl is attending Charlie Brown’s school, and Charlie tries to figure a way to get the courage to talk to her. Meanwhile, Snoopy is embarking on his most dangerous mission: flying his doghouse in World War I.  I had a smile on my face the whole time I was watching this movie. While the film has a new type of animation, it still has plenty of roots in the old specials and comic strip. A lot of your favorite gags are in the film; Lucy and the football, Snoopy and the Red Baron, but there is a new story with Charlie Brown trying to get up the courage to talk to the Little Red-Haired Girl. Fans of the specials and the comic strip will be happy, and this film may  create new fans from a generation who hasn’t seen the antics of the Peanuts Gang.  The film uses 3-D to great effect, and it’s worth the extra money. There is a bonus scene, so stay through all the credits.     My Rating: Full Price   The Peanuts Movie Website   

Indiefest:  Miss You Already  (2015)  PG-13  The life-long friendship of two women (Drew Barrymore, Toni Collette) is put to the test when one starts a family, and the other gets sick with cancer.  Collette and Barrymore have great chemistry together, making it very believable that they are life long friends. I am not a big fan of Barrymore, but I felt she gave a very restrained performance that emitted warmth and humor. Collette had the hard role of a person who is selfish and a bully, but she carried it off with grace. I liked that the film dealt with relationships in a real-world sensibility that made you want to be apart of the two women’s world. It’s a film that doesn’t pull any punches, just like best friends should.    My Rating: Full Price    Miss You Already Website

Indiefest:  Suffragette (2015)  PG-13  Maud (Carey Mulligan) has worked at a laundry service since she was twelve.  Maud is married to Sonny (Ben Whishaw) who also works in the laundry service, and they have a young son named, George (Adam Michael Dodd). It’s hard, dangerous work with boiling water and harsh chemicals. It's a job that is filled with long hours and unappreciative bosses, and Maud believes that her workplace is unfair as women do the toughest work but earn half of what the men earn. She starts listening to friends, including rebel rouser Edith Ellyn (Helena Bonham Carter), about the woman’s right to vote movement and starts getting involved with the cause. It’s a path that causes Maud great pain and anguish as she soon has to choose between a cause that is dear to her heart and her family who needs their mother and wife.  Carey Mulligan gives a powerful and touching performance as the headstrong young woman who risks everything for women to have the right to vote. Helena Bonham Carter gives an intense and vivid performance as one of the leaders of the movement whose own health is compromised by her repeated jailing. Though short, Meryl Streep gives a compelling and charismatic performance as the head of the suffragette movement. I found this film moving and compelling and well worth the experience of discovering the history of the struggle for women’s rights in the United Kingdom.   My Rating: Full Price   Suffragette Website 

Indiefest: I Smile Back (2015) R Laney (Sarah Silverman) seems to have the perfect suburban life with two loving children, a great husband and a home that everyone dreams about. Laney has a secret: she suffers from depression and has a drug problem. Can she get the help that she needs or will she destroy her family? This is a difficult film to watch as we watch a woman go deeper and deeper into a huge valley that she may never get out of. Silverman gives a gutsy and powerful performance of a woman who feels that she will never be worthy of love and doesn’t want to deal with the pain of life. Josh Charles plays Silverman’s put-upon husband who deeply loves his wife but can’t save her from herself. Charles is brilliant in the role as we feel his pain in dealing with a situation that he can’t fix. The biggest problem with the film is we never really get to know Laney and her past is quickly dealt with in one brief scene with her long-estranged father. The film is worth watching for the two leads, but I would have like more substance and background to the story.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee     I Smile Back Website     

Forgotten Film:  The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)  R   Blue (Robert Shaw) leads a group of armed men to highjack a subway in New York City.   Police Lt. Zachary Garber (Walter Matthau) takes the lead in negotiations and then tries to figure out how the men can be caught before they disappear into the bowels of the subway system. I love the casting in this film. Shaw, with his proper British accent, is in direct contrast with the gritty New Yorkers.   Matthau, as the world-weary lieutenant, is perfect in the role. The rest of the cast are mostly New York-based actors including Jerry Stiller, Martin Balsam and Lee Wallace, who all offer the film an authentic feel. It’s a tension filled movie that works while using the Subway as its main character.   My Rating:  Full Price   The Taking of Pelham One Two Three   

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Spectre:  Snow Consultant

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:   Brooklyn  (2015)  PG-13   An Irish immigrant (Saoirse Ronan) moves to Brooklyn in the 1950’s and finds a job and a new romance. But her mother country is calling, and now she has to choose between love and family. Critics are gushing about this film and Ronan’s performance.   Brooklyn Website

Until Next Time!

Hot Pursuit

My View:  Hot Pursuit  (2015)  PG-13   A by-the-book cop (Reese Witherspoon) and a widow of a drug kingpin (Sofia Vergara) are on the run as they race through Texas trying to avoid mobsters and crooked cops.  Let me say that this film is guaranteed a spot on my Bottom Ten Films list for 2015. I kept thinking, why would Reese Witherspoon, hot off an Oscar nomination, make this crappy film?  The movie is full of bad jokes with a script full of loopholes. Vergara’s acting is horrible, and Witherspoon’s isn’t much better. It’s sad when even the outtakes (shown during the credits) are unfunny.    My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again   Hot Pursuit Facebook Page

My View:  Far From the Madding Crowd (2015)  PG-13  In Victorian England, a beautiful, headstrong, independent woman named, Bathsheba (Carey Mulligan), is courted by three suitors.  Carey Mulligan is exceptional as the self-sufficient woman who holds her own. There are some superb scenes between Mulligan and Matthias Schoenaerts, who plays the sheepherder who falls in love with Bathsheba. The film is beautifully shot, showing off the glorious English countryside. The problem with the film is the story, itself. It has this strong woman who falls for a guy because of his looks alone, which makes her seem very shallow.   My Rating:  Bargain Matinee   Far From the Madding Crowd Website

My View:  The D Train (2015)  R  The head of the high school reunion party, Dan (Jack Black), is worried that no one will come. So he decides to travel to Los Angeles to track down the most popular guy, Oliver (James Marsden).  Dan knows if Oliver attends, everyone else will too.  Be careful what you wish for!  There is a huge twist in this film and, while I didn’t mind the twist, itself, I hated everything that happened after the twist. I rarely laughed at the jokes, and I thought the plot was downright stupid. Black and Marsden do work well together on screen, but the film wastes the talents of the supporting cast of Kathryn Hahn and Jeffrey Tambor. The ending of the film is just awful and insults the audience. There will be some critics who will love this film, but I am not one of them.  My Rating: Cable   The D Train Website

Indiefest:  5 Flights Up  (2015)  PG-13  Alex (Morgan Freeman) and his wife, Ruth (Diane Keaton) have been living in the same apartment for forty years. They decide to move to a more convenient neighborhood, but is it worth giving up the place where they have made so many good memories?  The film follows the couple for a few days as they try to sell their home and buy a new one. Keaton and Freeman have a nice rapport, but the film has few dramatic moments and feels very slow moving. I did like Carrie Preston and Cynthia Nixon as two real estate brokers. Both are very funny in their roles. This isn’t a bad film, but you just want it to be more with the cast it has.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee   http://www.focusfeatures.com/5_flights_up       

Indiefest:  Noble  (2014)  PG-13  A woman, Christine Noble (Deirdre O'Kane),  overcomes her harsh childhood to help orphans in Vietnam.  Noble is a moving, heartfelt true story, and O’Kane shines as Christine as an adult. She is insanely likable in the role and works well with the children in the film. This is a film that celebrates a woman who refused to be told she couldn't succeed. Instead, she kept moving forward and spread her love to the children of Vietnam, making a real difference in their lives. You will come away from this film inspired and hopeful, a rare feat these days.   My Rating:  Full Price   Noble Website  

Indiefest:  The 100-Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared (2013)  R  After traveling the world and experiencing the most unbelievable things, Allan Karlsson (Robert Gustafsson) finds himself stuck in a nursing home. On his 100th birthday, he climbs out his window and starts a new adventure.  This film is supposed to be a comedy, but the humor falls flat, and I have misgivings about a film that mixes violent death with comedic elements.  The film jumps back and forth between when Allan was a young man and present day, which never lets the film pick up steam.  The film is a poor man’s version of Forest Gump without the humor or the heart as Allan interacts with a number of famous people in flashbacks from the past. The film has an interesting premise but never delivers its potential.   My Rating: Cable   The 100-Year Old Man Website

Indiefest: Maggie (2015)  PG-13   A zombie outbreak has hit the U.S. hard, and society is hanging on by a thread. Humans bitten by a zombie do not turn right away, but take weeks, sometimes months before they become fully controlled by the virus. Maggie (Abigail Breslin) has become infected, and her father (Arnold Schwarzenegger) has brought her home so she can be with her family before she turns. Breslin is dazzling as the headstrong girl who wishes she had treasured her family before all this happened. As good as Breslin is, it's Schwarzenegger who makes this movie so moving and heartfelt. In an incredibly restrained portrayal, Arnold gives possibly his best performance of his life. He is brilliant in the role of the father that holds out hope that his daughter will survive. I loved everything about this film, and especially it's touching finale.    My Rating: Full Price    Maggie Website

Forgotten Film:  Cactus Flower  (1969)  A dentist (Walter Matthau) pretends to be married to avoid a long term commitment. He falls for his girlfriend (Goldie Hawn) and proposes.  The only problem is that his girlfriend thinks he is still married. So he needs a wife to divorce…enter in his long-time nurse (Ingrid Bergman).  This film is so much better than the remake (Just Go With It) that starred Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston. Goldie Hawn, in an Oscar-winning role, is brilliant as the loveable, slightly goofy girlfriend. Matthau is outstanding as the playboy dentist, and Ingrid Bergman shows a real talent for comedy (I wish she had done more).  Cactus Flower is an excellent film that still holds up 45 years later.   My Rating: Full Price   Cactus Flower Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Hot Pursuit:  Dialect Coach: Pre-production

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Tomorrowland (2015)  PG   George Clooney and Britt Robertson in Sci-Fi film? Yes, please.   http://movies.disney.com/tomorrowland/

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Until Next Time!

The Great Gatsby

My View:  The Great Gatsby  (2013)  PG-13  Nick (Tobey Maquire) is a New York stockbroker at the height of the Roaring Twenties. Along with his cousin, Daisy (Carey Mulligan), he gets pulled into the mesmerizing world of Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio), whose wealth and fame for staging elaborate parties are legendary. But, all that glitters is not gold and the more Nick finds out about Gatsby, the more puzzling the millionaire becomes.  Gatsby says a line that looks like the director, Baz Luhrmann, takes to heart: “You can’t repeat the past? Why, of course you can!”  When I was watching this film, it was like I was watching Luhrmann’s early film, Moulin Rouge! without all the singing.  This film feels like one long music video, which is fine for awhile, but after 143 minutes, it gets very tiring.  I wish that Luhrmann would have let this fine cast act instead of being a part of a very loud, very gimmicky film that can’t figure out its overall tone.  I enjoyed DiCaprio’s performance, though I did get tired of his use of the phrase, “Old Sport."  I thought Tobey Mcguire was agreeable as the writer/narrator of the story, but putting hip-hop music to a 1920’s setting just didn’t work.  It was as if Luhrmann wanted to make a film to accompany a modern soundtrack.  In fact, I think this film would have worked so much better if it had been set in the modern world as the storyline of wealth and deception is timeless. And, by the way, it’s not necessary to see this film in 3-D, even though it is very evident that many of the shots were done for that format.    My Rating:  Bargain Matinee   The Great Gatsby Website

My View:  Peeples  (2013)  PG-13    Wade Walker (Craig Robinson) wants to marry Grace Peeples (Kerry Washington), but he knows that she is a “daddy’s girl” and must get permission from her father (David Allen Grier) to marry her. So, Wade decides to crash the Peeples family reunion to meet the parents, but Wade doesn’t get the warm reception he was expecting.  I liked Craig Robinson in the lead role, thought he should stay in the comedy world, his attempts to do some dramatic parts in this film didn't quite work.  Washington was very cute in her role and David Allen Grier was very funny as the stuck up father of the Peeples clan.  It's not a great film but it does have it's funny moments, mostly when Robinson is allowed to go off script.  My Rating:  Bargain Matinee   Peeples Website

Forgotten Film:  Europa Europa  (1990) R This remarkable film is about a young German Jew who escapes Nazi Germany, only to end up in a Polish orphanage that is taken over by the invading German army.  He convinces the Nazis that he is German and becomes a translator for them.  He does so well that they reward him by accepting him into the Hitler Youth Movement.  What is amazing about this film is that it is based on a true story, even though, at times, you question if what the young man experiences could ever really happen.  Marco Hofschneider is amazing as Solly, the boy who thinks at, any moment, the truth will be revealed.  The film explores in a way that is both gripping and inspirational what people will do to survive.    My Rating:  Full Price    Europa Europa Info

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD):  Safe Haven  (2013) PG-13 While I didn’t hate this Nicolas Sparks love story starring Julianne Hough and Josh Duhamel, I did find it very predictable, even the “so-called” plot twists throughout the film.  The film isn’t up to The Notebook standards, but it’s not as bad as some of the other Sparks films (I am pointing my finger at you Miley Cyrus).    My Rating:  Bargain Matinee    Safe Haven Website

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I’ve Only Seen in Trailers But Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):  Erased  (2012)  R  This film about an ex-CIA agent (Aaron Eckhart) and his estranged daughter (Liana Liberato) are on the run, has been sitting on the shelf for more than a year (never a good sign).  Quickly now, quickly - where have we seen this plot before?   Erased Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Great Gatsby:  Soft Furnishings

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Before Midnight (2013) R  Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke reprise their roles as the star-crossed lovers from the earlier films Before Sunrise (1995) and Before Sunset (2004).  If director Richard Linklater wants to keep making these films, then I will gladly keep seeing them.   Before Midnight Info

Until Next Time!

Drive

My View:  Drive (2011)  Ryan Gosling stars as a Hollywood stunt driver who moonlights as a getaway driver for hire.  He gets involved with his next door neighbor (played by Carey Muligan) and because of her, he takes part in a heist that goes bad.  This is a very strange movie with lots of artsy shots, and then some very graphic violence, most of it performed by our hero with a backdrop of 80’s music.  Even the opening titles are reminiscent of 80's films like Beverly Hills Cop.  Gosling plays the driver who doesn't do a lot of talking, but he never hesitates if he has to fight back. Mulligan isn't given much to do; she mostly just looks cute.  And, the surprising Albert Brooks plays a crime boss who gets forced into the mix.  There are a few good car chases, but for a movie named Drive, it never really got moving.  My Rating:  Cable   Drive Website

Indyfest (A Look at a Small, Indie or Foreign Film):  The Guard (2011)  Brendan Gleeson (Braveheart, Harry Potter movies) plays a local Irish policeman who is forced to work with an FBI agent (Don Cheadle) on a drug case.  To say that Gleeson is an unconventional police officer would be an understatement, as we see him taking drugs, hanging out with hookers and making gun deals with an old IRA acquaintance.  But, there is great play back and forth between the straight-laced FBI agent, Cheadle, and the Irishman.  This film, while a mystery (Gleeson's new partner gets murdered), has quite a few funny moments, and you really end up rooting for the odd couple to solve the crime.  My Rating:  Full Price   The Guard Website

The 50 (a movie from my best/worst films of all time)

#34 Worst Film

The Trial of Billy Jack (1974)  Everyone must pay for their sins, and apparently, the audience must pay for making the first Billy Jack film such a big hit.  In the sequel, Billy Jack is brought to trial for the crimes he committed in the first film. He is sentenced to four years in prison.  When released, Billy Jack finds that "the man" is trying to shut down his school of peace/love/equality.  Billy goes on a "vision quest,” more like a bad acid trip, and then goes out and kicks butt.  When the end of the film finally arrives, you will have wanted some of that acid.   The Trial of Billy Jack Info

Forgotten Film:  Dawn of the Dead (1978)  George A. Romero always wanted to go back to the theme of his first zombie movie, the 1968 classic, Night of the Living Dead.  So, he created this movie where the zombie invasion is taking over the United States and the living humans are losing the battle.  Members of a TV station and a police swat team escape via a helicopter and land on one of the few buildings that hasn't been overrun by zombies, a shopping mall.  This movie has some scary moments and, typical of Romero's films, the heroes of the story have to make difficult choices to survive.  And, any fan of horror movies will enjoy the action sequences, especially the many unique ways zombies are killed, including death by helicopter blade.   Dawn of the Dead Info

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD):  Bridesmaids  (2011)  Kristen Wiig co-wrote and stars in this very funny comedy about a group of women serving as bridesmaids for Maya Rudolph's wedding.  While I liked Wiig and Rudolph, recent Emmy winner Melissa McCarthy is the reason to see this movie.  McCarthy plays the man-crazy but very butch sister of the groom.  McCarthy steals every scene she is in and is just flat out funny in this film.  My Rating: Full Price   Bridesmaids Website

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I've Only Seen in Trailers but Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):  Jack and Jill  From the same team that has brought you Just Go with It and Grown Ups, this is a movie where Adam Sandler plays two parts, grown up twins.  Yes, you get to see Adam Sandler in drag.  Can Tom Cruise please get Katie Holmes a better agent and keep her out of stuff like this?   Jack and Jill Website

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Drive:  Biscuit Driver

Flictionary (a Definition of a Film Term):  Second Unit Director  During a film, the principal cast and crew shoot the main scenes while a second crew shoot scenes where the principal actors of the film are not needed, like establishing shots (example:  a shot of outside of building to show the audience where the next scene is taking place in) or close-ups of things like phones or car doors opening.  The director in charge of these shots is called the Second Unit Director.  Many directors got their start in films by being Second Unit Directors.

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:   Anonymous   What if William Shakespeare didn't write all his plays?  In this political thriller, Vanessa Redgrave plays Queen Elizabeth, whose reign is being threatened by a power struggle.  Her lover, played by Rhys Ifans, may be involved in the plot, and he may also be the real writer of the plays.   Anonymous Website

Until Next Time!