Little Women

My View: Little Women   (2019) PG    In the aftermath of the American Civil War, the movie explores the lives of the March sisters, Jo (Saoirse Ronan), Meg (Emma Watson), Amy (Florence Pugh) and Beth (Eliza Scanlen), all under the watchful eye of their beloved mother, Marmee (Laura Dern). I am a massive fan of the writer/director of this film Greta Gerwig, both as an actor (Greenberg (2010), Frances Ha (2012), and as a director (Lady Bird (2017), which I thought was one of the best films of 2017. Gerwig has done it again, bringing freshness and light to the Louisa May Alcott story that has been adapted to the screen seven times before. I loved the performances of the cast, especially Saoirse Ronan as, Jo, the young woman who is filled with passion for writing and Florence Pugh, as the self-centered Amy. Ronan brings a fierceness to the role; you can see the determination in her eyes as she wills Jo to succeed where almost everyone, including some in her family, feels that she is battling against windmills. Pugh is delightful as Amy, a young woman who is quite as mature as her fellow sisters, sometimes making decisions based on her heart and not her head. Little Women is a beautiful film, full of heart and occasionally, heartbreak, about growing up and having to face the harsh world, but always knowing that your family is there to fall back on. Take the whole family and enjoy the wonderful world of a group of four sisters experiencing the trials and tribulations of life.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again     Little Women Website

Familyfaire: Spies in Disguise  (2019) PG   The world’s best spy, Lance Sterling (voiced by Will Smith), is turned into a pigeon; he must join forces with a low-level inventor, Walter (voiced by Tom Holland), to save the world. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this animated feature. A new take on the super spy saving the world genre, this time with a young inventor who thinks there is a better way to defeat the bad guys, with non-violent gadgets. Will Smith is perfect as Sterling, Lance Sterling, a spy who is used to saving the world daily, all the time with an ego to match. Lance is a lone wolf, but when he is set up by the evil Killian (voiced by Ben Mendelsohn) and Lance is forced to team up with Walter, who turns Lance into the ultimate disguise, a pigeon. The animation gives off a cool James Bond-like vibe, and the action is almost nonstop, with quite a few explosions and car chase scenes spread throughout the film. The bit younger crowd may be a bit bored, but the 6-12-year-olds will have a great time going on an adventure to save the world with Walter and his spy partner, Lance the pigeon.    My Rating: Full Price     Spies in Disguise Website

My View: Uncut Gems (2019) R   Howard (Adam Sandler) thinks his life is about to change due to the delivery of an uncut gem that could be worth millions. Howard is all about taking chances, and he starts a series of high-stakes bets that he could win big on or also lose everything. Adam Sandler is an actor that, most of the time, pisses me off. My problem with Sandler is not because of his continual compulsion to make incredibly crappy films with his friends, like Grown Ups (2010), That’s My Boy (2012) and one of the worst movies I have ever seen, Jack and Jill (2011). No, it’s not that, it’s that Sandler can be an excellent, even great actor when he chooses the right material. The list is small but notable with outstanding work in films such as Punch-Drunk Love (2002), Reign Over Me (2007) and Spanglish (2004), where Sandler brings a quiet force to make an ordinary film worthy of watching. Add to the list Uncut Gems, where Sandler plays a man you probably won’t like or maybe even not root for, going so far as to hope that he fails. Still, you can’t deny that Sandler fills the screen with a magical, almost hypnotic performance as a man who is desperate to keep pushing his luck, even if it means he has to beat impossible odds. Uncut Gems is not a film that you will be able to sit back and enjoy, as Sandler and the directors of the film, Benny and Josh Safdie, take you on a journey of the high’s and low’s of a gambler. It’s like taking a ride on a roller coaster but one that rarely takes an uphill break, as Howard’s life quickly moves down from one get rich scheme to another. I loved the cast, including Kevin Garnett, the NBA all-star who plays himself, Julia Fox, who plays Howard’s combative girlfriend and Idina Menzel as Howard’s long-suffering ex-wife, who has seen Howard’s life on the edge in close-up. After seeing this film, you may need to take a few minutes to gather your thoughts and your senses before exiting the theatre.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again     Uncut Gems Website

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD / Blu-ray): Abominable (2019) PG   Yi (voiced by Chloe Bennet), a young girl, finds a friendly Yeti that longs to go back to his mountain. Yi and two other friends make it their mission to help ‘Everest’ return to its homeland. The gang will have to avoid a wealthy man named Burnish (Eddie Izzard) who wants to put Everest in his collection. While very predictable and at times a little slow, the film is a warm look at friendship and how those friends will try their best to make their friend's dreams come true. Abominable is a sweet film that families will enjoy, and kids will love the action sequences. Sure the plot is a little too paint by numbers kids film, but Everest and his buddies may make you forget that.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Abominable Website

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I've Only Seen in Trailers But Just Looks Like a Bad Idea): Dolittle (2020) PG   Seven years ago, the famed doctor and veterinarian of Victorian England, Dr. John Dolittle (Robert Downey Jr.) lost his wife and has been sequestered behind the walls of Dolittle Manor with his menagerie of animals for his only company. When Queen Victoria (Jessie Buckley) falls ill, Dr. Dolittle sets out on an epic adventure to find a cure. Just watch the trailer and see if you want Downey to talk to anything, including animals in this film.  Hollywood, quit remaking movies that were bad to begin with. Did I mention the animals talk?    Dolittle Website

Forgotten Film: Children of a Lesser God (1986) R   James (William Hurt) has taught at some of the best institutions in the country but is always looking for a new challenge. James begins teaching at a school for the deaf and quickly notices a young cleaning woman named Sarah (Marlee Matlin), who is deaf, and learning that she has been at the school since she was five. Sarah chooses not to speak, haunted by her childhood, especially her relationship with her mother, who she has not seen in eight years. They begin a slow ride to romance as they learn about each other, and James will soon learn that Sarah does not speak because it allows her to live her life in solitude. As they fall in love, will the divide between the world of the hearing and the deaf be too much for their devotion to endure? The reason to see this film is the Oscar-winning performance of Matlin, as the headstrong, combative and angry Sarah, a woman who doesn’t want to enter into the land of speech, happy to live her life on her terms. It is a moving and beautiful performance, filled with fear, fear of the unknown, and the fear that if she lets someone in, she will get hurt again.   My Rating: Full Price     Children of a Lesser God Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Spies in Disguise:  Fur Supervisor

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: A Quiet Place Part II (2020)   After escaping from their home, now the family (Emily Blunt, Cillian Murphy, Noah Jupe ) must go into the outside world and soon realize that the world is far more dangerous than they ever experienced or imagined.     A Quiet Place Part II Facebook Page

Until Next Time!

Doctor Sleep

My View:  Stephen King’s Doctor Sleep (2019) R   Years after the events of The Shining, a now-adult Dan Torrance (Ewan McGregor) meets a young girl, Abra (Emily Alyn Lind), who has similar powers like his. Dan takes the girl under his wing and tries to protect her from a cult known as The True Knot. Their mission is to find and prey on children with powers so that their members can remain immortal. I haven’t read the book, so I don’t know how closely the movie follows the King storyline, but I think most fans of the first film will enjoy this movie that continues the story of Danny. The film effectively uses actors who look like the characters in the first film in a series of flashbacks that Danny keeps revisiting. I appreciated that the filmmakers took this route instead of trying to CGI the original actors into the film. While I never really got scared, I did enjoy the tension that the movie kept building as Danny and Abra try to defeat The True Knot. I don’t know if this film will be considered up there with The Shining, but it certainly does a great job of filling in the story on what happened after Danny’s dad died.   My Rating: Full Price     Doctor Sleep Website

My View: Last Christmas (2019) PG-13   Kate (Emilia Clarke) is a person who keeps making one wrong decision after another, sleeping with men who pick her up at bars, staying on friend’s couches until she wears out her welcome, and avoiding her mother’s phone calls. Kate works as Santa’s elf for a local, year-round Christmas store. Her life takes a new turn when she meets Tom (Henry Golding) outside the store. Tom seems perfect, but Kate is doubtful as he looks too good to be true. While I don’t think this will ever be a Christmas perennial, I did enjoy this film about a selfish young woman who learns to give from a man who shows up unexpectedly in her life. Clarke and Golding have strong chemistry that makes their give and take conversations seem real and enjoyable. I especially enjoyed Emma Thompson (who also wrote the script) as Kate’s overbearing mother and Michelle Yeoh is hilarious as Kate’s boss, a woman named Santa. Last Christmas is a warm and appealing way to get into the holiday spirit.   My Take: Bargain Matinee   Last Christmas Website

My View: Midway (2019) PG-13   After the disastrous attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese, the U.S. Navy is reeling. Now, America, against heavy odds, must fight the Japanese Navy in the Battle of Midway, a turning point in World War II. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the film, especially in the air battle sequences. I loved the tension that the film created (even though I knew the outcome of all three battles), wondering if the heroes that we can come to know and love were going to survive. Standouts in the big cast are Ed Skrein, as a cocky pilot who starts to doubt his leadership abilities when disaster strikes, Patrick Wilson, as an Intelligence officer who has the guts to say that Midway will be the Japanese next target after Pearl and surprisingly, Nick Jonas, as a heroic seaman who isn’t afraid to face death. The film is a little too long as Aaron Eckhart’s storyline of Doolittle’s raid on Tokyo is really not necessary and could have easily been left out, but the story and the action move at a pretty quick pace and will have you on the edge of your seat.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Midway Website

Familyfaire: Playing with Fire (2019) PG   A crew of firefighters called smokejumpers, led by tough as nails Jake Carson (John Cena), meet their match when they rescue a trio of rambunctious children. This is one of those films when you look at your watch, thinking that the movie is undoubtedly about over, and you are shocked that there is still an hour to go. John Cena has shown in the past that he can do comedy, and he is supported by a comedic all-star lineup of John Leguizamo, Judy Greer, and Keegan-Michael Key, but all their talent can’t save this un-funny and sloppy film. I hate movies where the kids do horrible things, like destroy property and causing chaos, and we are expected to laugh because the kids are so cute. Fans of Deadpool are going to be disappointed in the performance of Brianna Hildebrand, who shows nothing like the spark we saw when she was Negasonic Teenage Warhead. Only small kids will enjoy this film, as I don’t think even the WWE fans of Cena will find anything in this film to laugh about.   My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again    Playing with Fire Website

Indiefest: Cyrano, My Love (2018)   Edmond Rostand (Thomas Soliveres) hasn’t written anything for two years. Married with two kids, he tells everyone that he has a new heroic comedy though all he has written is the title: ‘Cyrano de Bergerac.’ I had such a good time watching this marvelous telling of how Rostand came up with one of the most beloved characters in theatre. Having a wife and a best friend believe in Edmond only makes things worse. When a legendary actor, Constant Coquelin (Olivier Gourmet), is introduced to Edmond, the actor insists that the playwright come up with a play that can fill his theatre for two weeks. What I love about this film is that Edmond doesn’t come up with the ideas for his play all at once, but instead, it is a trail of happy circumstances that inspire him to come up with his play. If you enjoy theatre and especially if Cyrano has a soft spot in your heart, you will want to see this fantastic and funny film.   My Rating: Full Price    Cyrano, My Love Website

Forgotten Film: Gregory’s Girl (1980) PG  Gregory (John Gordon Sinclair) is a typical teen who, because of a recent growth spurt, has become quite awkward, notably on the soccer pitch. He likes Dorothy (Dee Hepburn), who is a much better player on the soccer team than Gregory is. Gregory finally gets the courage to ask Dorothy out, but that’s when Gregory’s troubles begin. This is an enjoyable and pleasing film about growing up in Scotland at an age when one mistake can seem like the end of the world to a teenager. The two leads are superb in their roles of teens in love and make the film a joy to watch.   My Rating: Full Price    Gregory's Girl Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Midway: Electric Swing Production Assistant

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: Little Women (2019) PG The classic tale of four young sisters coming of age in America in the aftermath of the Civil War. Written and directed by Greta Gerwig, the follow up to her two-time Academy Award-nominated 2017 film Lady Bird, which is all I need to know.    Little Women Website

Until Next Time!

xXx: Return of Xander Cage

My View:  xXx: Return of Xander Cage  (2017)  PG-13  Just when you thought Xander Cage (Vin Diesel) was dead, he comes out of exile to help the CIA recover a powerful weapon known as “Pandora’s Box” before the evil villain Xiang (Donnie Yen) can acquire it.  This is the kind of movie that I call “stupid fun.” You know going in that it will be over-the-top, the plot will be there just to do more and more stunts, and Vin Diesel will do some things that even Superman couldn’t do. Have there been better action films? Sure, Fast and Furious 6 comes to mind, but I did enjoy this film where Vin Diesel skis down a mountain that doesn’t have any snow.  There are new additions to the xXx group and a couple of surprise guests that help move the film at a quick pace. The ending seems a little forced, but I had a good time watching all the action sequences.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   xXx: Return of Xander Cage Website

My View:  Split  (2016)  PG-13  After a birthday party, three girls (Haley Lu Richardson, Jessica Sula, Anya Taylor-Joy) are kidnapped. Their captor Kevin (James McAvoy) suffers from the rare dissociative identity disorder where he has 23 split personalities. The girls must now find one of those personalities to help them escape before the arrival of the 24th and final personality, the “beast.” This is a strange film to watch, mostly due to the 23 personalities that James McAvoy portrays. This is a solid piece of horror filmmaking plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing.  It’s a wild ride that makes an excellent thriller. The film’s backstory on Anya Taylor-Joy’s character is well thought out, and her performance is one of the best things in this film. And there is a very big reveal at the end of the film that is jaw dropping. This is certainly more in line with what we expected that M. Night Shyamalan would put out after his groundbreaking The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable.   My Rating: Full Price   Split Website

My View:  The Founder  (2016)  PG-13  The story of Ray Kroc (Michael Keaton), who turned a small hamburger shop into Mc Donald’s, the biggest restaurant business in the world.  Ray Kroc wasn’t a nice guy, as he would do just about anything to get his way. Michael Keaton gives a scintillating performance of a ruthless, unlikeable man. The film is highly enjoyable in the first half of the film, but it loses its way when the most interesting characters in the movie, the McDonald brothers (Nick Offerman, John Carroll Lynch), are forgotten during most of the second half of the movie. It’s a hard look at a man who hid behind the American flag and family values to steal a company from two honest to a fault brothers.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   The Founder Website

Indiefest:   20th Century Women  (2016)  R  Set in Santa Barbara, California in 1979, a free spirit mother (Annette Benning) seeks help from her two housemates (Greta Gerwig, Elle Fanning) with raising her son (Lucas Jade Zumann).  Benning has never been better in the role of a woman who seems to be stuck in the 1960s. Her character appears to be constantly trying to figure out each person whom she meets, and her performance is nuanced and never over-the-top. The rest of the cast is outstanding with Greta Gerwig putting in an excellent performance as a photographer who is a cancer survivor. The film is an enjoyable look at a teenage boy and the three women who are collectively raising him.   My Rating:  Full Price   20th Century Women Website

Forgotten Film:  The Dark Half (1993)  R  After writing under an assumed name, writer Thad Beaumont (Timothy Hutton), decides to write under his own name. Thad’s life is turned upside down when he is framed for a series of murders that he could not have committed. This is one of the better adaptations of a Stephen King work, and while flawed, George A. Romero knows how to open a horror film.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   The Dark Half Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Founder:  Choreographer

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: The Lego Batman Movie  (2017) PG   Bruce Wayne as Batman must deal with the criminals of Gotham City, but he also has to deal with a young boy he has adopted. I can’t wait for this film to come out.  The teaser trailer was so much fun.  The Lego Batman Movie Website

Until Next Time!

The Conjuring 2

My View:  The Conjuring 2  (2016)  Lorraine (Vera Farmiga) and Ed Warren (Patrick Wilson) head to North London to battle malicious spirits that are terrorizing a single mom and her four kids. I loved the first film because it truly was scary and had some great acting, both rare for horror films. While this movie is a slight letdown from the first, it still delivers scary scenes, and it still has Farmiga and Wilson in the lead roles. The film stalls a little in the middle, but the opening and closing scenes are chilling and move at a quick pace. Vera Farmiga gives a stunning performance as the paranormal investigator who can talk to the spirits and demons that terrorize families and homes. If you like horror films. this is the one for you.  You will be in for a wild ride.    My Rating;  Full Price    The Conjuring 2 Website

My View:  Now You See Me 2  (2016)  It’s been eighteen months since the Four Horsemen stole all that money from a Paris bank. They decide to make a comeback appearance, but their plans are thwarted by a tech prodigy (Daniel Radcliffe). He threatens to kill them if they don’t pull off a major heist. I liked the first film, mostly for the magic scenes which I thought were creative and fun. That’s the problem with this film: it’s a movie about magicians that doesn’t have any magic in it. The closest to believable magic in the movie is when the cast throws a playing card around during a heist. The film is boring, predictable and just not much fun. I did enjoy Lizzy Caplan’s performance as Isla Fisher’s replacement in the “Four Horsemen” because she looks like the only one in the cast who is having a good time. Most of the cast look like they are just going through the motions for a big paycheck. It makes me wonder if Isla Fisher didn’t really appear in the film because she was pregnant but because it was such a bad script.    My Rating: Cable    Now You See Me 2 Website

Indiefest:  Maggie’s Plan  (2016)  Maggie’s (Greta Gerwig) life turns upside down when she falls for a “ficto-critical anthropologist” named, John (Ethan Hawke), who is in an unhappy marriage with Georgette (Julianne Moore). John leaves Georgette, but soon Maggie realizes that John just might not be the man for her. She hatches a plan to get Georgette and John back together. While Maggie’s Plan is rarely laughing out loud funny, it is a sly, humorous look at a modern-day woman and the choices she makes in her life. Julianne Moore is priceless as John’s wife, Georgette, who has a personality full of hostility that dominates everything in the room. I am sure that Rebecca Miller wrote this film with Greta Gerwig in mind because I would have a hard time with anyone else in the role. Gerwig has great comedic timing that the movie uses to the utmost. She gives us a memorable performance where she commands you to concentrate on her character even when you have scene stealers like Rudolph and Moore up on the screen. Gerwig gives a performance that, while sweet, doesn’t go overboard, making us root for Maggie even more. Maggie’s Plan is a funny and surprisingly moving film that capitalizes on sharp, witty writing and cast that gives us as a pleasurable and gratifying film centered around a woman. We need more of these type of films, and I hope Rebecca Miller keeps giving them to us.   My Rating: Full Price     Maggie's Plan Website

Indiefest:  Dheepan  (2015)  Dheepan (Jesuthasan Antonythasan) leaves his life as a Tamil Tiger soldier during the last days of the Sri Lankan Civil War. He buys the passport of a dead man and, along with a woman (Kalieaswari Srinivasan) he doesn’t know and her child, travels to France to start over. There he gets a job as a caretaker of a building in a housing project that turns out is its own war zone.  Jesuthasan Antonythasan and Kalieaswari Srinivasan give moving performances that are multi-layered and thrilling to watch. The film is full of brilliant slices of life in an area of Paris that feels more like a war zone than a suburb. This is a film that will stay with you for days because it’s a movie that has complex issues at every turn of the story, and those issues don’t really have a solution. This is a fascinating film that keeps you guessing until the end.    My Rating: I Would Pay to See It Again    Dheepan Website

Forgotten Film:  Stay Hungry (1976)  The mob has bought every house in a district to rebuild it. Every building is purchased but one, a small gym where Mr. Austria Joe Santo (Arnold Schwarzenegger) prepares for a major body building competition. Jeff Bridges plays a rich kid named, Craig, who is brought in to be a patsy to buy the gym. He quickly likes the people in the gym, especially Joe’s friend, Marie (Sally Field). He decides to stand up to the mob with the help of his new found bodybuilding friends. While not a great film, it was the director, Bob Rafelson’s favorite film because they had so much fun making it. Bridges and Field are a delight to watch and have great chemistry. Arnold isn’t the best actor in this film, but it’s fun to see him in his bodybuilding prime.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Stay Hungry Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Now You See Me 2:  Charge Hand Dressing Prop

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Swiss Army Man (2016)  A man (Paul Dano) is stranded in the wilderness and finds a dead body (Daniel Radcliffe) he uses to help him get back home. This film looks and sounds so weird that it has to be seen.    Swiss Army Man Website

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Until Next Time!

London Has Fallen

My View:  London Has Fallen  (2016)  R  Agent Mike Banning (Gerard Butler)is in London with the President for the funeral of the Prime Minister, and Banning doesn’t like what he sees. A last minute funeral means that all the world’s leaders will be sitting ducks in one place on a foreign country’s soil. It’s going to be up to Banning to make sure that the President gets back home alive. This film reminded me of the Chuck Norris films of the 80s like Delta Force; one man takes on terrorists in the name of America. I liked this movie because it just went all out with the action and the one-liners, making it fun to watch. I would love to know the body count of Banning (I know he killed at least 25 on his own in the first film, Olympus Has Fallen) because it’s got to be in the high 30’s. Butler, as you would expect, does an outstanding job with the action sequences, and he has brilliant chemistry on screen with Arron Eckhart, who plays the President whom he is trying to keep alive. The action is fast-paced and fun to watch with some fast and furious car chases through the streets of London. I liked this film more than the first film, which is rare for a sequel. If you like action movies with a little bit of one-liners thrown in, then this film is for you.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  London Has Fallen Website

Family Faire:  Zootopia  (2016)  PG   In a city populated by anthropomorphic animals, a con artist Fox (Jason Bateman) and a rookie bunny cop (Ginnifer Goodwin) must team up to uncover a conspiracy. “Zootopia” is a magical movie that combines the beautiful animation Disney is famous for with a hilarious script that has some serious undertones and messages. While never spelling it out, the film approaches the subjects of racism and profiling. The message never hits you over the head, and the reasons learned are never fully spelled out to the audience, but the message comes over loud and clear. Part buddy film, part mystery, “Zootopia” uses humor at every turn to keep the movie moving at a rather quick pace. There are funny lines and rapid asides that make fun of past Disney films (including one about a “frozen” girl) , so many so that you may have to see the movie several times before getting all the jokes. “Zootopia” is a little long, and very young children may get a bit scared of a few scenes of animals acting ferocious, but this is one film everyone is going to enjoy. And, the DMV scene with the sloths that is teased in the trailer will have you rolling in the aisles with laughter.    My Rating: Full Price   Zootopia Website

My View:  Whiskey Tango Foxtrot  (2016)  R  Kim (Tina Fey) is tired of being behind the scenes and volunteers to be a war correspondent in Afghanistan and Pakistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. She finds a fellow woman reporter (Margot Robbie) who shows her the ropes and lets her know that she may have been a “four or five at home but is a ten here.”  Kim, who always was in the background in the states, is suddenly front and center and has the attention of a dashing war photographer (Martin Freeman). First off, this is not a comedy.  Yes, there are some comedic asides, but it’s mostly to release the tension. And that’s the problem with this film, there isn’t enough tension. Even when out in the field and under fire, I never felt that Kim was in trouble and never really worried about her well being. This isn’t a bad film, and the chemistry between Freeman and Fey is easy going and believable. I loved Billy Bob Thornton as a hard nose Marine general who warms up to Kim’s can do attitude. I just wish the film had a harder edge to it, to give it some realism.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Whiskey Tango Foxtrot Website

Forgotten Film:  The White Countess  (2005)  PG-13  Set in Shanghai in 1936, a Russian Countess (Natasha Richardson) has fled her country and must work as a bar-girl to survive. She meets Jackson (Ralph Fiennes), a former American diplomat who is blind and owns a classy bar. As the world closes in, they develop a relationship, while curious at first, becomes stronger with time.  This is the last of the famous filmmaking team of Merchant and Ivory and has their trademark of complex characters, intricate plots and luscious scenes that made their films stand out. Fiennes and Richardson make this film worth watching as their characters find a glimmer of hope in each other.   My Take:  Full Price   The White Countess Info   

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I've Only Seen in Trailers But Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):  My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (2016)  PG-13  It’s hard for lightning to strike twice.  The first film worked because there was such great chemistry between Nia Vardalos and John Corbett, and Vardalos had such a pleasing presence on the screen that just made you love her.  After seeing the trailer, it looks like it’s the same film, with a few additional characters - which rarely works.   My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 Info      

Weird Credits:  From the credits of London Has Fallen:  Russian Arm Operator

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Maggie’s Plan  (2016)  R  Maggie (Greta Gerwig) stole John (Ethan Hawke) from his marriage to Georgette (Julianne Moore). Now Maggie realizes that John isn’t the man she thought he was, so she has a plan to get Georgette and John back together, if only Georgette will cooperate.  This looks like a good old screwball comedy and what’s not to love with a cast that also includes Travis Fimmel, Maya Rudolph, and Bill Hader? Plus, Julianne Moore is speaking with some sort of accent!   Maggie's Plan Info

Until Next Time!

No Escape

My View: No Escape (2015)  R  An American couple (Owen Wilson, Lake Bell) and their kids are caught in the middle of a coup in a Southeast Asian country. Now they must get from their hotel to the American Embassy, running from a crowd hell-bent on executing every foreigner they find.   I liked Wilson as an every-man action hero, and while Bell isn’t asked to do much other than needing to be rescued, she is extremely likable on the screen. But, this film is filled with rampant xenophobia, an unknown country  filled with horrible people determined to rape or kill every foreigner. There are some action sequences that are so outrageous that at, my screening, most of the audience laughed. And, the two daughters (Sterling Jerins, Claire Geare) are so annoying that you almost wish that, at some point, the parents could leave them behind. This is a strange and messy film that isn’t enjoyable to watch and misses the mark by so much that it makes Vietnam (yes, that Vietnam) the hero of the film.    My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again   No Escape Facebook Page

Indiefest: Mistress America (2015)  R   Tracy (Lola Kirkel), a college freshman, is not ready for her stepsister Brooke (Greta Gerwig), who is going to turn Tracy’s life upside down. Brooke is a whirlwind of non-stop ideas and talk. I loved this film, co-written by its star, Greta Gerwig. Gerwig plays Brooke, a 30-something girl who lives in a small apartment in Times Square. She is a woman of a million ideas and tells you them in a very rapid stream of conversation. Lola Kirkel plays a slightly shy, reserved college student trying to figure out a way to fit in while trying to become a short story, writer. Kirkel beautifully plays Lola and is able to take some of the spotlight from Gerwig with a winning, quirky performance. The dialogue is fast-paced and witty, and the storyline gets better as the complicated plot moves along. This film should make Gerwig a star and put Kirkel on every casting director’s radar. If you like smart, funny comedies that have rich, well rounded characters, this film is for you.    My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   Mistress America Website

My View: We Are Your Friends (2014)  R   Cole (Zac Efron) is a struggling DJ with dreams of becoming a record producer. He meets DJ James (Wes Bentley) who takes an interest in Cole and helps him learn the business. When Sophie (Emily Ratajkowski), James’ girlfriend, starts dating Cole, Cole has to choose between love and business.  The only reason to see this mess of a film is to participate in the drinking game: “Take a shot when Zac takes off his shirt” (I lost count at 10). This film is predictable from the start with characters who do things with no other reason than just so that the plot can move along. We are supposed to like Cole, but he sleeps with his mentor’s girlfriend, takes serious amounts of drugs and abandons his friends when he gets better gigs. Sophie, played by Emily Ratajkowski, is equally shallow, turning down liquor several times, making a big deal about it, but then takes drugs at a moment’s notice. The dialogue is laughable with such lines as, “You’re not a real person until you’re 27.” My head was hurting after seeing this movie, not from the loud electronic dance music, but from the awful storyline and horrible dialogue.    My Rating: Cable     We Are Your Friends Website

Indiefest: Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet  (2015)  PG   Mustafa (Liam Neeson) is a poet whose works has been banned, and he has been a prisoner for seven years because the authorities believe his words will incite rebellion. He is given a chance to go back home, but that means he will have to leave his love Kamila (Salma Hayek) and her daughter Elmira (Quvenzhane Wallis). Will he choose to stay in prison for love or go home? This is a beautiful film that doesn’t quite fit together. It takes the poems of Kahlil Gibran and animates them, all by different artists using a vast array of mediums. The problem is the story, itself, about Mustafa, Kamila and Elmira is rather simple and has an almost cartoony feel to it. It makes the transitions between the storyline and the poems seem jarring, which makes the film seem at war with itself. I think kids will be bored when the poem sections come on, and adults will be bored by the Mustafa storyline.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee   The Prophet Website

Indiefest: Digging for Fire (2015) R   A married couple (Jake Johnson, Rosemarie DeWitt) decide to spend the weekend apart. What could go wrong? Director Joe Swanberg, who co-wrote the script with leading man Johnson, brings us a tale of a modern couple who are struggling to keep their identities separate from their marriage. Both characters feel as if they have lost themselves by becoming a couple, especially after the birth of their son. Their lives have become meshed together, and both wonder if there will ever be a point when they feel like their old selves again. I like this film, but I wanted to love it. I think one of the problems with this film is that the cast is so big. There are certain characters whom we barely see, much less get to know. I enjoyed the performances of Johnson, and especially DeWitt, who makes her character seem conflicted and real. Sam Rockwell as the “fly in the ointment” friend is brilliant as the guy who loves to stir up trouble. It’s an interesting, light film that, while the plot is rather superficial, it does explore the cracks in a couple’s relationship. We get to see if those cracks become mended or if those cracks become massive fissures that a marriage ultimately can’t survive.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Digging for Fire Website

Forgotten Film: K-PAX (2001) Prot (Kevin Spacey) is patient at a mental hospital. Prot claims that he is from a faraway planet called K-PAX. As his psychiatrist (Jeff Bridges) tries to help him, the mystery of Prot grows deeper, and the psychiatrist begins thinking that just maybe his patient might not be crazy. While the cast in this film is excellent, it’s Kevin Spacey who makes this film so gripping to watch. He makes you hope and possibly believe that Prot is from another planet. This is a fascinating film with an ending that will have you thinking about this movie for days.    My Rating: Full Price   K-PAX Info

Weird Credit: From Digging for Fire: Food Stylist

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: Everest (2015)  PG-13   I have recently seen several documentaries about climbing. It will be interesting to see how Hollywood shows the sport. The film stars Elizabeth Debicki, Jake Gyllenhaal, Keira Knightley, Robin Wright, Josh Brolin and Emily Watson.   Everest Website  

Until Next Time!

The Boy Next Door

My View:    The Boy Next Door (2015)  R  High school teacher Claire (Jennifer Lopez) has just come off a messy divorce. She has a one-night stand with a young neighbor (Ryan Guzman) who then develops an obsession with her. I was looking for the door about five minutes into this film. The idea that Jennifer Lopez's character, who looks like Jennifer Lopez and therefore, could get any man out there, would lust for and have a one-night stand with a nineteen-year-old is laughable, but then again, so is the dialogue. The plot holes in this film are about as wide as the empty theatres.  My Rating: Cable   The Boy Next Door Website

Indiefest:   Cake (2014)  R   Claire (Jennifer Aniston) suffers from constant pain. Not only does Claire have physical scars, she also has mental ones. She has driven away everyone, including her chronic pain support group. Now she only has her housekeeper (Adriana Barraza). Claire’s world is shaken when a fellow group member commits suicide. This film was written, it seems, to give Aniston every advantage of getting an Oscar nomination. Make her look slightly ugly but still look like Jennifer Aniston. Check. Make her character slightly unlikable but not so much that she isn't redeemable. Check. Have a bunch of well-respected actors show up for bit parts so we can put their names on the poster. Check. Have something in her past that we don't talk about for two-thirds of the film and then finally reveal what we already knew happened. Check. The one thing the producers missed to get Aniston her Oscar?  Write a good script.  My Rating: Cable  Cake Website

Familyfaire:   Song of the Sea (2104)  PG  Saoirse is a child who is the last of the selkies, a legendary group that can transform from seals into people. Now she is on a journey to free fairy creatures who are trapped in the modern world. This is one of the best-animated movies I have seen over the past five years, and it will become a classic, I believe. The film is beautiful and moving. The classically done animation is a joy to watch, and the storyline is original. Great blending of classic Celtic folk tales and a modern setting make this film one of the most inventive and imaginative films I have seen.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   Song of the Sea Website

Indiefest:   The Humbling (2014)  R   Simon Axler (Al Pacino) is an actor whose world is turned upside down when he starts an affair with Pegeen (Greta Gerwig). This is Al Pacino playing Al Pacino with an insecurity complex. For most actors, the amount of scenery chewing scenes would be overwhelming and tedious, but Pacino pulls it off. There is great chemistry between Pacino and Gerwig. Their scenes together are the best moments in the film. I thoroughly enjoyed this film and watching a esteemed actor in an impressive part was the reason.  My Rating: Full Price   The Humbling Website

Forgotten Films:   Martin (1977)  R   An awkward, teenage boy (John Amplas) has a secret; he thinks he is an 84-year-old blood craving vampire. He has just moved into a new town to live with his cousin and doesn’t know anyone. Trying to make new friends isn’t easy, especially when you tend to kill the people you meet and drain their blood. With an unusual and interesting take on the vampire movie, this film, directed by horror legend George a. Romero, never lets you know if Martin really is a vampire or just nuts. The directors of current horror films could learn a lot from watching this film.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Martin Info

Weird Credits:   From the credits of The Boy Next Door: cat trainer

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:   Jupiter Ascending (2015)  PG-13  Not sure exactly what this film is about other than Channing Tatum has a dye job but it got him, Mila Kunis and Eddie Redmayne, so I will watch it.   Jupiter Ascending Website

Until Next Time!