The House with a Clock in its Walls

My View:  The House with a Clock in its Walls  (2018)  PG  A young, recently orphaned boy named Lewis (Owen Vaccaro), in 1953, moves in with his magical uncle (Jack Black) in an old, creaky house. Their mission is to locate a clock that has the power to bring about the end of the world. I enjoyed this film though it does drag a little bit in the middle but it kicks back up to a beautiful finish. This is similar to the movie Goosebumps but not quite as funny. I did enjoy the performance of Cate Blanchett, who plays a witch who lives next door and has lost her ability to do magic. I will warn you that there are quite a few scary bits in the film and small kids might get scared. I loved the special effects all the different creatures in the movie, especially a Griffith made out of shrubs that have come to life.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee    The House with Clocks on its Wall Website

Indiefest:  Life Itself  (2018)  R  The film centers on a couple (Oscar Isaac and Olivia Wilde) who go from a college romance to marriage and the birth of their first child. The New York couple go on a journey that spans generations, but these generations are all connected by a single event. You know I didn’t like the film, when I looked at my watch, think we would be about an hour in and the movie has only been going on for 30 minutes. The film is predictable and has some of the worst pacing I have ever seen. This is a Dan Fogelman ((This is Us) film, so you know that the film will move around to different timelines, all somehow connected, and that there will be some critical deaths. Fans of This Is Us are going to be disappointed in this film that moves at a snail's pace and has an ending you can see coming from about halfway through the pictures.   My Rating: Cable   Life Itself Website

Indiefest:  Fahrenheit 11/9  (2018)  R  Documentary by filmmaker Michael Moore on the 2016 United States presidential election and the presidency of Donald Trump. This is a typical Roger Moore documentary. As usual, Moore puts in some funny stuff, but I didn’t like the message that he chose to end the film with. I give away too much but let's just say Moore doesn't have much hope for America. That’s too bad because in the middle of the film there is hope with the Parkland High School teens speaking up and a number of women that are running for office. Moor tries to cover too much in this film including the Flint water problem. If you are a supporter of the President or Hillary Clinton, you might want to skip this film.   My Rating:  Bargain Matinee   Fahrenheit 11/9 Website

Indiefest:  Love, Gilda  (2018)  Documentary on the late, beloved comedienne Gilda Radner. You will fall in love with Gilda Radner all over again, and if you don’t know the talented Radner who was taken from us much too soon, you will want to see her appearances on Saturday Night Live as one of the original cast members. The film looks at Radner with a loving eye but isn’t afraid of showing her faults also. The film is mostly told through Radner’s voice in audio that was just recently discovered and she recorded right before she died. Radner, though taken much too soon, had a wonderful life giving us her unique brand of comedy and the film lets us experience her wit once again.   My Rating: Full Price   Love, Gilda Website

Indiefest: Five Fingers for Marseilles  (2018)  Twenty years ago, the Lion of Marseilles (Vuyo Dabula) and his ‘Five Fingers’ gang fought brutal police opposition. After fleeing, The Lion is now returning to his South African town, which is under a new threat. Not all will welcome The Lion because many see his fleeing as an act of cowardice. I love westerns, and this is a modern day western set in Africa. This film has some classic western undertones; you have the stranger (the Lion) who comes back after to his town because there is a new threat, he is a man alone, against all odds because the town won’t rally around him, and an act of redemption for what he did in the past. There is a little bit of The Searchers in this film, as well as High Noon and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. I enjoyed the performance of Vuyo Dabula, the man that comes back to his town to correct old sins. If you like westerns, I think you will love this Five Fingers for Marseilles.   My Rating: Full Price    Five Fingers for Marseilles Facebook Page

Forgotten Film:  Beyond Rangoon  (1995)  Laura (Patricia Arquette) is trying to recover from her husband and child being murdered and travels to Burma with her sister (Frances McDormand). Laura falls in love with the Burmese people and decides to help them overthrow a ruthless dictator. Arquette is the reason to watch this film as she is spectacular is the determined and compassionate Laura. Arquette gives one of her better performances and is a force to watch:  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Beyond Rangoon Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The House With a Clock in its Wall: Griffith Tamer

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  The Old Man & the Gun  (2018) PG-13  Based on the true story of Forrest Tucker (Robert Redford) who escaped from San Quentin and then went on a spree of robberies. The stellar cast includes Casey Affleck, Sissy Spacek, and Danny Glover.   The Old Man & the Gun Info

Until Next Time!

The Happytime Murders

My View: The Happytime Murders  (2018) R  In a world where humans and puppets co-exist, a puppet cast of an 80’s children’s TV show is being murdered one by one. A disgraced former policeman (Bill Barretta) and a detective (Melissa McCarthy) team up to find the killer. First off this is not for kids, there is a lot of languages, violence, and even some puppet sex. The film isn’t funny enough to make it fun to watch, it goes for the easy laughs too often, and the plot is incredibly weak. I am also getting tired of Melissa McCarthy’s one-note act in every movie she is in. The final problem with this film is that all the funny bits in the film are in the trailer.   My Rating: Cable

In Case You Missed It (A movie just released on DVD/Blu-Ray): Life of the Party  (2018)  PG-13  After her husband asks for a divorce, a middle-aged mother (Melissa McCarthy) goes back to college to complete her degree at the same school her daughter goes to. Another comedy dud from the married team of Ben Falcone and Melissa McCarthy. This tedious and unfunny film feels twice as long as its one hour and forty-five-minute running time. The film’s plot is highly predictable and with plot holes the size of a keg of stale beer. McCarthy’s fish-out-of-water performance gets old very fast, and Gillian Jacobs’ performance as ‘Coma Girl’ is strange and offsetting. Rent Back to School, instead, and stay away from this mess of a film.    My Rating:  You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again    The Happytime Murders

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I've Only Seen in Trailers but Just Looks Like a Bad Idea): Hell Fest (2018)  A masked serial killer turns a horror-themed amusement park into his personal killing zone. When you don’t recognize any of the cast, it’s never a good sign.   Hell Fest Website

Forgotten Film:  Croupier  (1998) An writer, Jack (Clive Owen) who is down on his luck and takes a job at a London casino as a croupier (a dealer). As Jack’s relationship with his girlfriend (Gina McKee) starts to fall apart, Jack starts seeing a woman  (Alex Kingston) who is drowning in debt to the casino. She proposes that with Jack’s help they defraud the casino. The reason to watch this film is Clive Owen, who gives a mesmerizing performance as a man who thinks he is in control of his world but soon realizes he isn’t.    My Rating: Full Price   Croupier Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of The Happytime Murders: Puppet Builder

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Love Gilda  (2018)  In her own words from a recently discovered audio tape, Gilda Radner tells her life story in her own words. She was my favorite from the original Saturday Night Live cast, and I can’t wait to see this documentary.     Love Gilda Website

Until Next Time!