Office Christmas Party

My View:  Office Christmas Party  (2016)  R  When the CEO (Jennifer Aniston) tries to close the company branch that her hard-partying brother (T. J. Miller), he and his Chief Technical Officer (Jason Bateman) decide to host the office Christmas party to end all parties. If the clients have a good time, it just might save the branch office. In the hands of Judd Apatow, this might have been a funny film but it’s written by two screenwriters that have never written a feature-length film, and it shows. This should have been a wild ride, but instead, we get the same old cliches, a plot that is easy to figure out and very unfunny jokes. Add to the fact that this movie is 105 minutes long, and it makes it a very slow watch. When the outtakes during the credits aren't funny, you know the film is in trouble.    My Rating: Cable   Office Christmas Party Website

Indiefest:  Miss Sloane  (2016)  R  Elizabeth Sloane (Jessica Chastain) is considered the best and most formidable lobbyist in Washington D.C. She decides to take on the most powerful opponent of her career, the “gun lobby.” Just how far is Elizabeth willing to go to win? This is a satisfying political thriller that will keep you guessing until the end. Chastain commands the screen as the tough-as-nails lobbyist, and it’s her remarkable performance that makes this film worth watching. I especially enjoyed John Lithgow, who plays a slimy senator and Sam Waterston, head of the lobby group who represents the gun lobby. While not Oscar material like All the President’s Men, this film is still an excellent suspenseful movie with a sterling performance by Jessica Chastain.    My Rating: Full Price   Miss Sloane Website

Indiefest:  Things to Come  (2016)  PG-13  Nathalie (Isabelle Huppert) is a married woman who works as a philosophy teacher. In a short amount of time, she goes through some troubling events that tests her will and faith. Huppert is brilliant in scene after scene as Nathalie's life slowly falls apart at the seams. She experiences almost every emotion in this movie, and it's her skill as an actress that she can move so quickly from being calm and composed to someone who is full of fury in a matter of seconds. It's the quiet, introspective moments in the film where Huppert shines, giving us time to absorb what Nathalie is going through and seeing how she deals with all that life is throwing at her. Things to Come is an intelligent look at a woman hit with many obstacles as she works to find her way in an ever-changing world. The film explores how we handle those barriers and the changes that it forces on us, for better or worse.   My Rating: Full Price   Things to Come Website

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD/Blu-ray):   The Secret Life of Pets  (2016)   PG   Max (Louis C.K.), a Terrier, is living the good life. He has an owner, Katie (Ellie Kemper), who spoils him.  He has great friends like Gidget (Jenny Slate) whom he talks to on a daily basis. That all changes when Katie brings home another dog named, Duke (Eric Stonestreet).  Now Max is going to have to show Duke that he is running the show in this apartment. I enjoyed this film, though I must say that some of the best bits in the film already have been seen in the trailer. The plot gets a little bogged down in too many storylines, but there are plenty of jokes to keep the film from slowing down too much. The film has a fantastic cast with Jenny Slate as the over anxious Gidget and Eric Stonestreet as the bumbling Duke. Kids and adults will have fun with this movie.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee   The Secret Life of Pets Website

Forgotten Film:  The Parallax View  (1974)  R  A reporter (Warren Beatty) gets in trouble while investigating a senator’s assassination.  He discovers that a multinational corporation is behind the event, and their hands are dirty for more than just the killing.  This is a classic suspense political thriller in the vein of Alfred Hitchcock. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing, right up to the end. Beatty gives one of his best performances as the reporter who won’t give up the story, even when threatened with death.    My Rating:  Full Price   The Parallax View Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Things to Come:  Personal Dresser to Isabelle Huppert

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: 20th Century Women  (2016)  R  The story of three women (Annette Bening, Elle Fanning, Greta Gerwig) who go off to explore love and freedom in 1970s Southern California.  I’ll see anything that Greta Gerwig is in, and many critics are saying Bening gives a performance that could get her an Academy Award nomination.   20th Century Women Website

Until Next Time!

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Moana

My View:   Moana  (2016) PG   On a mystic island called Motunui Island in Polynesia, a 16-year-old girl named Moana (Auli’l Cravalho) teams up with the legendary demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson) on a journey to save her people. I loved this film! First, Carvalho has a robust and beautiful singing voice. While Johnson doesn’t have a Broadway singing voice, he does have fun with his songs and plays well off of Carvalho in their duets. Hamilton star and creator Lin-Manuel Miranda co-wrote the songs in the film, and you can hear his style, especially in “You’re Welcome” that Johnson sings. The animation is crisp and gorgeous taking advantage of the tropical look of the islands. I loved the message of this film for girls that you can do anything you put your heart and soul into. And, by the way, stay through all the credits, as there is an amusing bonus scene at the end of the film.    My Rating:  Full Price   Moana Website

My View:  Rules Don’t Apply  (2016)  R  The film follows the romantic relationship in 1958 Hollywood between a young actress (Lily Collins) and her driver (Alden Ehrenreich), a relationship that is forbidden by the driver’s boss, world famous millionaire Howard Hughes (Warren Beatty). This film has the look and feel of an old-time Hollywood classic, unfortunately, while it looks stunning, the film is let down by its slow moving plot and a love story that takes forever to get started. The best part of this movie is Beatty’s performance as he plays the at times the brilliant innovator and at other times, the crazy off his loon Howard Hughes. There are a few comic relief moments, and those are supplied by Beatty, as the unpredictable Hughes had enough money that he could do just about anything he wanted. There aren't enough sparks between Collins and Ehrenreich for us to care about their romance. I will say that Collins sings a song in the film that I think could get an Academy Award nomination - it’s that good. I just wish that the rest of the film was as good as that song.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Rules Don't Apply Website 

Indiefest:  Nocturnal Animals  (2016)  R  An art gallery owner, Susan (Amy Adams), is in an unhappy marriage. She unexpectedly receives a novel written by her ex-husband (Jake Gyllenhaal). As she begins to read the story, we see a family of three (Jake Gyllenhaal, Isla Fisher, and Ellie Bamber) get terrorized by several men on a lonely Texas highway. As Susan flashbacks to her first marriage, she also continues to read the shocking book. My biggest problem with this film is that it jumps around so much, into the past, the present and then the world of the book, that it just becomes really confusing, especially since Gyllenhaal plays both the ex-husband in the flashbacks and the husband in the book. The saving grace of this film is the always intense Michael Shannon, who plays a tough, over the hill detective. Shannon is so commanding on the screen, he overshadows everything in this film. I wanted to love this film but I only just like it.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Nocturnal Animals Website

My View:  Allied  (2016)  R  During World War II Canadian intelligence officer Max (Brad Pitt) meets and then marries French Resistance fighter Marianne (Marion Cotillard). While they are living in London, Max is told that Marianne is a German spy. The movie an homage to the old WWII films, but while it looks like a classic film, it’s just ordinary. The plot is slow and predictable, and I figured out the twist almost from the start. Pitt and Cotillard try to save this film, and they do have great chemistry on screen, but it’s just too much to ask them to overcome the static script.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Allied Website

In Memory of Ed Wood ( A Movie I’ve Only Seen in Trailers but Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):  Office Christmas Party  (2016)  When a boss (Jennifer Aniston) threatens to shut down a whole division, a branch manager (Jason Bateman) decides to give a client the ultimate office Christmas party.  What could go wrong? Just about everything. When a trailer, which is supposed to show you some of the best parts of the film, isn’t funny, then you just might have a crappy movie on your hands.   Office Christmas Party Website

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD / Blu-ray):  Finding Dory  (2016)  PG  While not as perfect as Finding Nemo was, it’s still a beautiful, funny and touching film that has an incredibly meaningful message about overcoming disabilities by having faith in yourself and your ability to persevere. Both kids and adults are going to fall in love with this film, and the 3-D animation is worth the extra bucks. There is a whole host of new characters in this movie with Ed O’Neil as a crusty octopus being the standout. This film has lots of heart, and you just might find yourself seeing it more than once.    My Rating:  Full Price   Finding Dory Website

Forgotten Film:  One Eight Seven  (1997) R  Trevor Garfield (Samuel L. Jackson) is a high school teacher who is attacked by a student, severely stabbing Trevor. Fifteen months after surviving the attack, Trevor goes back to teaching at a different high school, and his world starts unraveling due to a gang in his classroom.  This was the first lead role for Jackson, and he is intense and brilliant in this movie as his character, Trevor, slowly starts to descend into madness. The film has some flaws, and the last third of the film isn’t as coherent as the rest of the movie, but it’s Jackson’s performance that isn’t to be missed.  My Rating:  Bargain Matinee   One Eight Seven Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Rules Don’t Apply:  Photo Double

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Harry Benson: Shoot First  (2016)  Documentary about the legendary British photographer who has shot everyone from The Beatles to the Queen of England.  \The man is 86 and still taking amazing pictures.   Harry Benson: Shoot First Info

Until Next Time!

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Mother's Day

My View:  Mother’s Day  (2016)  PG-13  As Mother’s Day nears, a group of seemingly unconnected people come to terms in their relationships with their mothers. This is a film that I call a “watch” film.  I looked at my watch convinced that the film was almost over, only to discover that we still had an hour to go. Garry Marshall also directed Valentine’s Day (2010) and New Year’s Eve (2011). If you liked those films, you will probably enjoy this one. For the rest of us, the film is too long, filled with one-dimensional characters, a plot that a fifth grader could come up with and wastes the talents of a cast filled with actors like Julia Roberts, Timothy Olyphant, Sarah Chalke. Britt Robertson and Margo Martindale. Probably the most interesting characters in the film, are the gay couple played by Chalke and Cameron Esposito, and they have the least amount of screen time. I can’t wait for Marshall to bring out his next film. I hear he is choosing between Arbor Day and President’s Day.      My Rating:  You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again   Mother's Day Website

My View:  Keanu  (2016)  R  When Rell’s (Jordan Peele) beloved pet kitten, Keanu, is stolen,  he and his cousin (Keegan-Michael Key) are out to find who did it and make them give the kitten back.  They may have bitten off more than they bargained for. This film has some hysterical scenes but this is a film that doesn’t always deliver, and there are quite a few scenes that just don’t work as well as they should.  It is pretty obvious that Key and Peele love movies, as there are constant film references throughout the film. And of course, the two comedians work well together on screen but it felt if it was a bunch of skits put together to fill out a movie.  I will say this; the cat is darn cute.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Keanu Website

Family Faire:  Ratchet & Clank  (2016)  PG   The galaxy has become under attack, and it’s up to Ratchet (James Arnold Taylor), a mechanic who dreams of being a hero, and his robot friend, Clank (David Kaye), to come to the rescue. Based on a video game, I found this film boring and uncreative. Fans of the game may enjoy it since they use the actors in the film that play the main characters in the game, but anyone over the age of 9 will go home disappointed. There is nothing in the storyline to keep you awake, and the bad guys don’t seem overly threatening. What is supposed to be the strong point of the storyline, the relationship between Ratchet and Clank, is too simple to be interesting. Take the kids to see Zootopia; even it’s for the fourth time. You and the kids will enjoy it much more than this film.     My Rating: Cable   Ratchet & Clank Website

Indiefest:  Sing Street  (2015)  PG-13  A boy (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo), growing up in Dublin in the 1980’s, starts a band to escape his broken family life, a school he doesn’t fit in with and to impress a girl (Lucy Boynton) he has a crush on. I loved this film, especially the performances of the two leads, Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, and Lucy Boynton. Walsh-Peele is a duel threat in this film, displaying a fine singing voice with the charisma of a rock star. His character is boyish one minute and mature beyond his years in the next scene, a testament to his acting prowess. Boynton is perfect in the role of the world-weary girl who wants to escape Dublin with the slim hopes of being a model. For a fan of early eighties music (and videos), this film is so much fun to watch. The original songs that the band plays in the film are outstanding and catchy. In a week where I saw a lot of films that were light on character development and plot, it was a delight to watch a film so well written and produced. It reminded me of two excellent films about bands, The Commitments (1991) and more recently, the director of this film, John Carney's Begin Again (2013). If you love music, this is one film not to be missed.   My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again   Sing Street Website

Indiefest:  Papa Hemingway in Cuba  (2016)  R  In 1959, a young journalist (Giovanni Ribisi), travels to Cuba to meet his literary idol, the legendary Hemingway (Adrian Sparks). I loved Hemingway, the writer, but not the man, himself. I can say the same thing about this film. The film was written by the late Denne Bart Petitclerc, based on his own experiences with Hemingway, but I feel that the subject matter was probably too close to the writer for him to see the problems with this film. The dialogue feels very stiff and just doesn’t flow naturally as characters don’t talk to each other but seem to make speeches every time they converse. Some of the plot points just don’t make sense which makes the film feel very contrived. Sparks, while looking exactly like Hemingway, doesn’t have the charisma to fill the very big shoes of Papa. Ribisi puts his heart and soul into the role of the hero worshiping reporter but is let down by the script in the big scenes. If you really want to see a film about Hemingway, then rent the excellent documentary, Ernest Hemingway: Wrestling with Life, instead of this film.     My Rating: Cable   Papa Hemingway in Cuba Info

Indiefest: Green Room  (2016)  R  After witnessing a murder, a punk rock band is made to defend themselves against a group of skinheads. This is the movie that Straw Dogs (2011) wanted to be. I will warn you that this film has very graphic violence, so if you are the type of person who has to turn away during an episode of Grey’s Anatomy, then this film isn’t for you. I loved the look of this movie as it almost oozes trouble on the screen as the scenery seems to be muted in an almost dark green glow. The dialogue flows well, and the action sequences are handled with a crispness that I missed (from some films that I have seen in the last two weeks). Patrick Stewart is the main bad guy, and he is full of menace as he uses his calm voice to get over his point that the band is not getting out alive. Of the rest of the cast, Imogen Poots stands out, playing a character that is a far cry from the “girl next door” roles she usually plays. This film will keep you on the edge of your seat from almost the start of the film.   My Rating; Full Price    Green Room Website

Forgotten Film:  Last Night at the Alamo  (1983)  This film is credited as one of the hallmark independent films. Directed by the late Eagle Pennell, it’s a film about a bunch of sad sack bar patrons celebrating the bar that they love last night of being open. It’s a stark black and white film that is a harsh look at a forgotten world of Texas honky-tonks, filled with people you are willing to spend a couple of hours with but wouldn’t want to make it a regular thing. I recently saw a newly restored print of this film at SXSW and was struck by how timeless the film looks and feels.    My Rating: Full Price   Last Night at the Alamo Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Papa Hemingway in Cuba:  Laundry Supervisor

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Snowden  (2016)  Based on the true story of CIA employee Edward Snowden (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) who leaks thousands of documents to the press.  The impressive cast includes Scott Eastwood, Timothy Olyphant, Nicolas Cage, Zachary Quinto and Shailene Woodley.  Having seen the Academy Award winning documentary Citizenfour on the subject, I am anxious to see this film.   Snowden Website

Until Nest 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!

   

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

My View:  The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014) PG-13  When we last left Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), things were in dire straits.  Smaug the dragon (Benedict Cumberbatch) had been awakened and released into the world.  Gandalf had been imprisoned, and the dwarves had been separated. Now, Bilbo and the gang  will have to fight off Smaug and a number of combatants from acquiring a massive fortune and keep Middle-Earth free.  This isn't a bad film - it's quite enjoyable, but it doesn't match the scope or punch of the Lord of the Rings films. The film never gives you the big emotional moment you want from a finale, and there are too many "video game" like action sequences. I did enjoy the 3-D effects, and the battle sequences are spectacular (Better, more descriptive word?).  There is a great scene involving some larger than life animals that make the film fun to watch. I just wanted more from the film.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Website

Indiefest:  Foxcatcher (2014) R Mark (Channing Tatum) and Doug Schultz (Mark Ruffalo)  are both Olympic Gold Medal winning wrestlers.  Mark is struggling to make a living, and when the wealthy heir to the Du Pont fortune, John du Pont (Steve Carell), calls him out of the blue to train on his estate, it seems like a godsend.  What should have been a great experience, quickly turns bad and could have disastrous results.  One of the best films of the year! Unbelievable performances by the three main cast members.  Many are talking about Carell's performance as the weirdly creepy du Pont, and it's a great performance, but I loved Channing Tatum as the slow-witted, easily controlled Mark. I think it's the best Tatum has ever done and shows he has great range. Not to be outdone, Ruffalo is amazing as the older, much savvier Doug.  The film slowly builds tension to the final outcome.  A fascinating look at how power and money can overwhelm common sense and can corrupt even the best intentions.  My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again  Foxcatcher Website 

My View:  Night at the Museum: The Secret of the Tomb (2014) PG The Tablet of Ahkmenrah, which brings all the museum exhibits to life at night, is slowly losing its power.  Larry (Ben Stiller) with the help of his son Nicky (Skyler Gisondo), take Teddy Roosevelt (Robin Williams), Jedidiah the cowboy (Owen Wilson), Attila the Hun (Patrick Gallagher), Octavius (Steve Coogan), Sacagawea (Mizuo Peck) and Dexter the Capuchin monkey to London to try and restore its powers. This film will probably be the last of the series, and they should have stopped after the second one.  This film feels very tired, the actors seem to be just going through the motions and the jokes are all repeats from the other two films. There is a scene near the end of the film with the late Robin Williams that will make some audience members shed a tear or two.  But it's not worth sitting through to get to that moment.   My Rating: Cable  Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb Website

Forgotten Film:  Christmas in Connecticut (1945) Elizabeth Lane (Barbara Stanwyck) is the most famous food writer in the country, writing about her idyllic life on her farm as she creates some of the most amazing meals while taking care of her husband and child. The problem is Elizabeth is single and lives in a small New York apartment, where the most she does in preparing a meal is dial for takeout. Her publisher has decided to give a returning war hero a Christmas he will never forget, one at Elizabeth Lane’s country farm. Stanwyck’s character was loosely based on a real magazine writer, Gladys Taber, who lived on a farm in Connecticut. This is a warm and funny movie with Stanwyck at her best.  The film has a great supporting cast, and it’s one of the better Christmas films out there.  My Rating: Full Price  Christmas in Connecticut Website

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb:  Laa prosthetics makeup FX

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near you:  Cake (2014)  Claire (Jennifer Aniston) investigates a suicide of a member of her support group.  As she delves into the woman's life, she begins to tackle demons of her own.  Many critics are saying that Aniston will get an Oscar nomination for her gritty but humorous portrayal.  Cake Info

Until Next Time!

The November Man

My View:  The November Man  (2014) R  An ex-CIA operative (Pierce Brosnan) is brought back into the investigative game when a former colleague returns to create turmoil.  This film is predictable and fits the mold of some really boring 80’s spy films.  Other than Brosnan, the producers of the film didn’t spend any money on the cast, most of which aren’t recognizable.  The first thirty minutes is so confusing that I just kind of gave up trying to figure out the storyline and just watched the action.  As with the rest of the film, the action sequences are just ordinary ones, so overall the film becomes very bland and boring.  This was what I call a “vanity piece,” something an actor does to make himself feel better.  For Brosnan, it was to prove he can still do action films.  He can, just not well.  My Rating: Cable  The November Man Website

Indiefest:  Life of Crime (2013) R Two criminals (Mos Def, John Hawkes) kidnap the wife (Jennifer Aniston) of a corrupt land developer (Tim Robbins).  They demand one million dollars.  The only problem is, the developer doesn’t want his wife back. This is one of the few films that captures the magic of an Elmore Leonard novel.  Funny and sharp, with great performances, especially John Hawkes, the film moves at a rapid pace with a few twists and turns along the way.  Aniston has marvelous incredible chemistry with Hawkes, and Robbins is very funny as the evil husband who doesn’t want to spend the money to get his wife back.  It was immensely fun to watch, and I highly recommend seeing this film. My Rating:  Full Price   Life of Crime Website

Indiefest: The Trip to Italy  (2014)  The two travelers (Steve Coogan, Rob Brydon) go on another trip to eat their way across Italy. This is a sequel to The Trip (2010) but, instead of traveling around to restaurants in Britain, the two go to Italy and eat their way across the country.  Both Coogan and Brydon are basically playing themselves, two actors who like each other’s company and enjoy trying to outdo each other with impressions.  There is an incredibly funny sequence where they do impressions of Christian Bale and Tom Hardy, as Batman and Bane, doing a radio commercial where the people listening can’t understand at all what they are saying.  It’s a funny film that is also gorgeous because of the beautiful Italian scenery. My Rating:  Full Price  The Trip to Italy Website

Indiefest:  Frank  (2014) R  Jon (Domhnail Gleeson) joins a rather strange band led by Frank (Michael Fassbender), who wears a large papier-mâché head 24 hours a day. The first half of this film is a lot of fun to watch but the second half of this film turns very dark and morbid.  I enjoyed some of the performances, especially Michael Fassbender’s, who does more with a paper-mache head on (the whole film) than some actors due their entire career.  But I hated the ending and would have preferred it to have stayed more light-hearted like the first half. My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Frank Website

Forgotten Film:   Dog Day Afternoon (1975) R A man (Al Pacino) robs a bank but before he can exit the building, the cops surround him and he has to take the bank employees hostage.  This is one of the better Al Pacino performances and the late John Cazale is mesmerizing as Pacino’s friend.  It’s a film that is full of the New York City summer feel, A  rather gritty film with an outstanding cast.  My Rating: Full Price  Dog Day Afternoon Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Frank:  frank head model-maker

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  No Good Deed (2014)  A thriller about an escaped convict (Idris Elba) who charms his way into a home of a homemaker (Taraji P. Henson) and her two small children.  Elba and Henson, I’m in!  No Good Deed Website

Until Next Time!

Elysium

My View:  Elysium  (2013)  R   It’s the year 2154, and the Earth is an overcrowded, polluted mess. The world’s wealthiest people live on a space station called, Elysium, high above the Earth. A gang leader named, Spider (Wagner Moura), has a plan to ship illegal immigrants to Elysium, but he needs one man to take on a dangerous mission, and that man is Max (Matt Damon). One of the leaders of Elysium, Secretary Delacourt (Jodie Foster), has made it her mission to keep Elysium free of all illegal immigrants, and she hires Kruger (Sharlto Copley), an insane bounty hunter, to use any means necessary to get the job done. Now, Max and Kruger are destined to battle.  I loved the first thirty minutes of this film, as we got to know about Max’s world and how he deals with it. It’s a world that is set up to keep Max in his place and a world he has wanted to desperately escape from, even as a kid. The film then started down a path where I no longer cared about what happened to Max and the other characters. It just seemed like writer / director, Neil Blomkamp, wanted to hit the audience over the head with a particularly strong political statement, something that portrayed better in the 2009 film, District 9. This film is extremely violent with the deaths of characters shown in a particularly gruesome way. As the film progresses, the plot becomes full of holes, so much so that you begin focusing on what is wrong or missing in the movie instead of the film and its storyline. I have always liked Jodie Foster as an actor, but her accent in this film is so strange that I have no idea where her character was supposed to have originated.    My Rating:  Bargain Matinee    Elysium Website

Family Faire:  Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters  (2013)  PG  Percy (Logan Lerman), Grover (Brandon T. Jackson), Annabeth (Alexandra Daddario) and Clarisse (Leven Rambin) embark on a journey to retrieve the legendary Golden Fleece. Luke (Jake Abel), Percy’s arch-enemy, is determined to get the Golden Fleece first and therefore stop Percy and his gang from saving their training grounds, Camp Half-Blood.  While adults may be a little bored with this film, I think that children and young adults will enjoy it.  It’s much better than the first film (Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010)), and moves faster with much better acting.  The main stars, Lerman and Jackson, seems more comfortable in their roles and play off each other in an amusing way.  I also liked Leven Rambin, as the kick ass and take names later Clarisa, who has quite a few anger issues.  The highlight of the film is Nathan Fillon who plays the God, Hermes, who runs a shipping company. His scene supplying the gang with specialized weapons is incredibly funny. The special effects are much better than in the first film and, includes an incredible giant mechanical bull that Percy and the gang have to fight. I thought the ending was a little weak and much too easy, but, overall, it’s an enjoyable and adventurous film.   My Rating:  Bargain Matinee     Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters Website

My View:  We’re the Millers  (2013)  R    A small time pot dealer, David (Jason Sudeikis), is hired to bring a huge shipment of weed over the U.S. border from Mexico. To successfully smuggle the pot, he needs a plan, so David rents an RV and then hires a stripper (Jennifer Aniston), a runaway (Emma Roberts) and a neighborhood kid (Will Poulter) to pose as his family.  David's thinking is that no one will suspect a loving, fun group coming back from vacation. The big question is, can they pull it off?   I found very few scenes in this film funny and felt most of the time the writers (can you believe it took four of them to come up with this film) went for the easy laugh.  This is a film that tries to be crass and push the boundaries of comedy, but its plot is so weak and its dialogue so contrived, you see plot points way ahead of time.  I must say that Jennifer Aniston is a beautiful woman and a brave one for playing a stripper who wears very little clothing, but man, she’s got to get a better agent and quit making crappy films.  Be sure to stay for the outtakes at the end as they are much funnier than anything that was in the script..   My Rating:  Cable     We're the Millers Website

Indiefest:  Blue Jasmine  (2013)  PG-13  Jasmine’s (Cate Blanchett) life is falling apart, so she moves to San Francisco to live with her sister Ginger (Sally Hawkins). Jasmine is used to living the good life on Park Avenue, but now she must come back down to reality where people get jobs and live paycheck-to-paycheck.  Blanchett is this year’s Best Actress frontrunner for her portrayal of Jasmine as she slips slowly into madness right before our eyes.  While Blanchett is amazing to watch on-screen, the storyline and the dialogue feel as though Woody Allen, writer and director, mailed it in, not pushing many boundaries, while producing this very heavy drama.  I also didn’t like that there isn’t one character who actually develops throughout the film.  We learn everything about Jasmine and Ginger’s character in the first ten minutes of the movie. My Rating:  Cable   Blue Jasmine Website

Forgotten Film:  The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie  (1969)  The film is about a teacher, Jean Brodie (Maggie Smith), who teaches young girls at a school in Edinburgh, Scotland during the 1930’s. Brodie is a headstrong woman who believes her method of ignoring the curriculum and teaching her students about life will influence them forever.  Maggie Smith, in her Oscar winning role, is extraordinary in the role of the flamboyant and charismatic teacher who isn’t above manipulating her students, expecting them to follow her blindly.  This film is a fascinating character study of a woman who is so sure of herself and her beliefs that she can’t see why everyone else in the world doesn’t follow her lead.     My Rating:  Full Price    The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie Info

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD):  Mud  (2013)  PG-13  One of my favorite films of this summer about two teenage boys (Tye Sheridan, Jacob Lofland) who encounter a fugitive (Matthew McConaughey) who persuades them to help him evade bounty hunters so he can get back to his one true love (Reese Witherspoon).  Matthew McConaughey is excellent in the title role, but it’s Sheridan who plays a troubled young man desperate for attention and love that makes this film work so well.    My Rating:  Full Price   Mud Website

Weird Credits:  From the credits of the film Elysium:  Truck Costumer

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Rush (2013)  R  Ron Howard brings us this film a legendary Formula 1 champion drive Niki Lauda, who has a near fatal crash, then mere weeks after the accident,  gets behind the wheel to race again.  The film stars Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Dormer and Olivia Wilde.     Rush Website

Until Next Time!