Incredibles 2

My View:  Incredibles 2  (2018)  PG  Bob (Mr. Incredible) is playing “Mr. Mom,” taking care of Jack-Jack while Helen (Elastigirl) is out saving the world. While not as good as The Incredibles, the film is still a lot of fun and the ending of the film is as good as any live action adventure film. The film moves at a quick pace and has a few twists and turns to make the film interesting. As with the first film, this is a movie not just for kids but adults as well. The best character in the film is the baby, Jack-Jack, who starts developing super powers that Bob has to deal with while Elastigirl is out saving the world. These are some superheroes that we have missed for thirteen years. The lovely short Bao plays before Incredibles 2 and it's a welcome addition to Pixar short film library.   My Rating:  Full Price   Incredibles 2 website

My View:  Tag  (2018)  R  A group of former classmates get together every year and play the kids game, Tag. One of the members (Jeremy Renner), who has never been tagged, announces he is quitting the game after this year.  I have severe problems with this film. It wants to be a raunchy comedy, but it also wants to be a serious picture about friendship, and it fails on both counts.  The film makes jokes of miscarriages and cancer. I did enjoy the performances of Isla Fisher, who plays the wife of Ed Helms and takes the game too seriously, and Hannibal Buress, who plays one of the gamers who sees a conspiracy theory in everything.   Both actors bring some energy and fun to the film. Unfortunately, both Jon Hamm and Ed Helms bring very little to the picture and take the air out of it in their main scenes. The film never finds its footing and just doesn’t deliver enough laughs to overlook the horrible writing.  My Rating: Cable   Tag Website

In Case You Missed It (A movie just released on DVD/Blu-Ray):  Love, Simon  (2018)  PG-13  Simon (Nick Robinson) is a gay high school student who hasn’t come out, even to his best friends. He is in love with an anonymous classmate whom he has only talked to online.  Now, Simon’s life will change in a big way.  This is one of those rare movies about teenagers where the characters on the screen are real people with real problems, ones we can relate to and feel. Nick Robinson gives an intelligent and moving performance as the teenager who is afraid to come out. Simon just wants to last until he is out of high school before revealing he is gay. He also doesn’t want to rock the boat with his closest friends, especially with his best friend, Leah (Katherine Langford), whom he has known since childhood. Love, Simon is a funny and sweet movie that hits all the right notes. At the screening, when the big scene near the end of the film happened, teenage girls jumped up out of their seats and cheered. Go see this film, and you just might do the same.    My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again    Love, Silmon Facebook Page

Forgotten Film:  Atlantis: The Lost Empire  (2001)  PG  Atlantis is a rare Disney animated film that doesn’t have any songs or dances. It’s an adventure story of a team of explorers looking for the lost city of Atlantis. The movie is based on a story idea by Buffy and Angel creator Joss Whedon. The animation looks very different than most Disney movies, with almost a Japanese anime feel to it. The storyline is sharp and it has an ending that delivers. While the film is aimed at kids, adults may also enjoy this movie with its adventure theme.  My Rating: Full Price    Atlantis Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Tag:  Hoagie’s Mom Photo Double

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  A Star is Born  (2018)  R  A musician (Bradley Cooper) who has seen better days, helps a young singer (Lady Gaga) as she becomes a star. His demons get a hold of him as he falls for the young singer, and their relationship suffers. Bradley Cooper also directs this film, and the trailer looks brilliant.    A Star is Born Info

Until Next Time!

Arrival

My View:  Arrival  (2016) PG-13  When mysterious spacecraft touch down across the globe, an elite team led by expert linguist Louise Banks (Amy Adams) is brought together to investigate. As mankind teeters on the verge of global war, Banks, and the team, race against time for answers. With splashes of Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Nolan's Interstellar and Zemeckis's Contact, director Denis Villeneuve brings us highly creative, original and moving film about attempting to communicate with a species that seems so different from us, but just might be coming from the same common ground. Louise has to use not only her intellect to try to communicate with the aliens but also must use her humanity as well. Adams is scintillating as the woman who is the key to being able to communicate the aliens. She gives a multi-layered performance that shows Louise's strength and her vulnerability, sometimes at almost the same time. Adams has always projected a likeability in her performances, and it's essential in this film as we, the audience, have to be able to root for her character to persevere, no matter how small the rabbit hole she is taking us down. Arrival is full of wonder and amazement while creating a tension-filled ending that you will be thinking about long after this film has left the theaters. If we do ever encounter aliens, let's hope we have the brains and leadership that are displayed in this film.    My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   Arrival Website

Indiefest:  Christine  (2016) R  Christine (Rebecca Hall) works as a reporter for a small TV news station.  All she wants is to be the best reporter that she can be, but she just may be her own worst enemy. Director Antonio Campos brings us this film based on a real person, Christine Chubbuck, a troubled and awkward reporter who had lofty goals but was probably destined to work in small markets for the rest of her career. Campos does the almost impossible, making Christine a sympathetic character, humanizing a very complicated person who had a lot of problems. Much of the credit for making a rigid and sometimes unlikable person come to life is Rebecca Hall. Her performance is dazzling, as she makes this socially awkward, determined person come to life. Hall has Christine's mannerism down, making her a person who has trouble relating to ideas such as dating or dealing with a boss you don't agree with. Hall works well with the other actors in the film, especially Michael C. Hall, who plays George, the cocky anchor that Christine is so enamored with. While I did not enjoy the final scenes of the film, those can be overlooked because of the Academy Award level performance by Rebecca Hall. You may not always like Christine, but because of Hall, you get to know her and understand why she ultimately did what she did.     My Rating: Full Price   Christine Website

My View:  Almost Christmas  (2016)  PG-13   Widower Walter (Danny Glover) wants his children to spend Christmas at his house. If they survive the experience, it will be a “Christmas miracle. Will Packer, who has produced films such as Think Like a Man (2012), About Last Night (2014) and The Wedding Ringer (2015), makes films that audience have a good time watching but are highly predictable. There will be a break up (probably due to infidelity), there will be a star-crossed couple that will get back together, family is placed first in importance, and there will be some sort of happy ending. While I found this film mildly amusing, there were three women seated next to me at the screening that laughed so hard I was worried one of them would have a heart attack.  Almost Christmas isn’t a bad film. I just don’t think it was as funny as it could have been and it’s simple, predictable ending could have been written better.    My Rating:  Bargain Matinee     Almost Christmas Website  

Indiefest:  Loving  (2016)  PG-13  Richard (Joel Edgerton) and Mildred (Ruth Negga) get married in 1958. They are sentenced to prison in Virginia because they are an interracial couple.  It’s a story of incredible courage, and we suffer at every indignity the Loving’s suffer in this film. Being told that your love is illegal and you must leave your home and family if you want to stay together, is heartbreaking and focus the Loving’s to make incredibly tough choices. Nichols lets us into their world slowly, letting us understand the time-period and just what they were dealing with on a daily basis. Joel Egerton absolutely embodies Richard Loving, the bricklaying country boy who falls in love with his whole head and heart. It’s an incredible performance of a man who takes simple pleasures and makes them his to savor. He has found a channel into this man’s soul and lets us all understand the man with a screen presence that while strong, also seems to sink a little into doorways. Ruth Negga gives an equally powerful performance as the woman who is defiant in her love for a man that is her soul mate. Negga gives Mildred an air of strength and steely resolve, whether trying to survive alone in a cell or deciding where to have her child. Nichols has done a masterful job of making this true story real and meaningful. The Loving’s story is one for the ages, and this film will stay with you for a long time.    My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again   Loving Facebook Page

Indiefest:  Tower  (2016)    Fifty years ago a man rode the elevator to the 27th floor of the University of Texas Tower and opened fire, killing 16 people and wounding 32 others. This film doesn’t tell his story but the story of the people on the ground, some of which risked their lives to help others. The film uses rotoscoping animation and actors to retell in a documentary format this harrowing day in American history. This engrossing film is as suspenseful as any big, edge of your seat Hollywood suspense film. The animation is distinctive and really helps the storytelling. This is one of the best films of the year and should not be missed.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   Tower Website

Forgotten Film:  Cross Creek (1983)  PG  In the 1930’s Marjorie Rawlings (Mary Steenburgen) moved from New York City and high society to Florida’s Everglades so that she could write. But the surroundings are not as isolated as she would like and she encounters an old, grizzled man (Rip Torn), a young store owner (Peter Coyote) and a young girl (Dana Hill). All these people along with the setting would be the inspiration for her novel “The Yearling.”  Steenburgen shines as the fish out of water but determined Rawlings. Peter Coyote, playing the love interest and Alfre Woodard, as the neighbor who takes Rawlings under her wing, give masterful performances. The real star of this film is the outstanding cinematography that highlights the rugged but beautiful land.   My Rating:  Full Price   Cross Creek Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Christine: Chicken Wrangler

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Manchester by the Sea  (2016)  R  When his brother Joe dies, Lee (Casey Affleck) is forced to take care of his teenage nephew (Lucas Hedges)  in his hometown. The big problem is coming back to your hometown; you have to see people you left to avoid.  Critics that have seen this movie are saying that Affleck and Michelle Williams, who plays the ex-wife, give Oscar caliber performances.   Manchester by the Sea Website

Until Next Time!

Avengers: Age of Ultron

My View:  Avengers: Age Of Ultron   (2015) PG-13   Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) attempts to re-start a dormant peacekeeping program. Things go bad and, what should have helped mankind, threatens to destroy it. Now the Avengers must stop the evil Ultron from completing his evil plans. While I didn't like this film as much as I liked the first, it's still an excellent addition to the Marvel universe. Unlike the first Avengers film that Robert Downey Jr.'s Ironman dominated, this film does a better job highlighting each superhero, even giving quite a bit of background on Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner). While it's primarily an action film, there are a number of places where you will be laughing out loud, mostly due to the quick and witty dialog. I found that the villain of the movie, Ultron (voiced by James Spader), was a bit bland, but the plot moves along at a good pace, and the action sequences are numerous and well thought-out. I thought that 3-D did add to the experience, so I can recommend that you see it that way. There is a bonus scene at the end of the first series of credits. Unlike the first Avengers film, there is not a bonus scene at the very end of credits.   My Rating: Full Price   Avengers: Age of Ultron Website

Indiefest:  The Mafia Kills Only in Summer  (2014)  Arturo (Alex Bisconti) grows up in 1970s Sicily with an obsession for the Mafia. It seems that everyone whom Arturo meets by chance ends up dead or missing. The only thing that keeps Arturo from thinking about the Mafia is Flora (Ginevra Antona), a girl in his class he loves from afar. I loved this surprisingly funny and touching film. The first half of the film is what makes this movie so much fun to watch. Bisconti is hilarious as the kid who can't catch a break. Unfortunately, the film loses steam when Arturo is an adult. Writer/director Pif Diliberto plays Arturo as an adult, mugging at the camera every chance he gets. I did enjoy the scenes that he has with Cristiana Capotondi, who plays Flora when she is an adult. The film is an interesting mix of fiction with fact, as it uses actual news footage from the time giving us a good background into what was happening in the region. It's a fun film that touches the heart as well as the funny bone   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   The Mafia Kills Only in the Summer Website

Indiefest:  Hyena  (2014) A brutal undercover cop, Michael (Peter Ferdinando) has been targeting London's most violent drug traffickers. Michael and his team are known to take a bribe or two and because of that, he and his team have been threatened with exposure. Now Michael may have to change it up and sell out his allies to stay alive. This is a dark and gritty crime drama that sucks you in right from the start. Peter Ferdinando is brilliant as the cop who tries just about everything to stay alive as his world collapses around him. The film has a unique look, with most of it bathed in a dull blue light. Director / writer Gerard Johnson takes us quickly into this intense, grimy world where you can't trust even your best friend. It's a film that isn't always easy to watch and doesn't quite have the finish that you want, but Ferdinando makes it a film to experience.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Hyena website

Forgotten Film:  The Friends of Eddie Coyle  (1973)  R  Eddie (Robert Mitchum) is a two-bit criminal who, in order to get out of long prison sentence, decides to snitch on his friends. This is one of the best performances that Robert Mitchum has ever given. I love how this film slowly drags you into Eddie's world, giving us time to know and sympathize with the main, timeworn character. Mitchum dominates every scene and, by the end of the film, we really feel for Eddie, as we know it isn't going to end well. There isn't a lot of action in this film, but wow, can Mitchum act!    My Rating: Full Price    The Friends of Eddie Coyle Info   

Weird Credits:  From Avengers: Age of Ultron:  Personal Hair Designer and Stylist for Mr. Chris Hemsworth.

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story (2014)  Who doesn’t want to see a documentary about the man who is Sesame Street’s Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch?   I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story Website

Until Next Time!

Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters

My View: Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters (2013) It’s been fifteen years since Hansel and Gretel escaped from the blind witch’s gingerbread house, and now Hansel (Jeremy Renner) and his sister, Gretel (Gemma Arterton), dedicate their lives to hunting down and killing witches, aided by the knowledge that, for some reason, they are not affected by the witches’ spells. They may have met their match, though, in the evil sorceress, Muriel (Famke Janssen), who is planning a mass sacrifice of children during the upcoming “Blood Moon.”  This film is not for kids as there is quite a bit of violence, a little nudity, and a whole lot of cussing.  It's rated R , so this film is appropriately not meant for the below age 17 audience.  This is what I call a popcorn movie where you should just sit back and enjoy the action, and don't worry too much about plot lines or the writing.  It's worth seeing in 3-D as it was shot in the format, and the action scenes use it to great advantage.  Both Rennet and Arterton come-off as bad asses in the action sequences and they have great chemistry on-screen.  Femme Jenssen makes a fine evil witch, the special effects are well done as is the makeup of all the bad guys.  While not a great film, it's a fun film to watch and is much better than some of the other action films that have come out in the past months.   My Rating:  Bargain Matinee    Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters

Indiefest:  Quartet (2013) Music fills the manor that serves as a retirement home for musicians, and it's time to stage the annual fundraising concert at the home. But things might never be the same with the addition of a grand Opera singer, Jean Horton (Maggie Smith), whose pride may keep her from helping stage the musical. Dustin Hoffman picked this film to be his directorial debut, and he picked correctly. The film will be compared to The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, but it is a much better script, with fully fleshed out characters and a much better storyline. The cast is first rate with Billy Connolly, Pauline Collins and especially Tom Courtenay standing out. Maggie Smith gives her usual flawless performance, perfectly portraying an Opera Diva with an ego the size of the manor she has moved into. The remarkable thing about this film is that most of the supporting cast are musicians that toured with national companies. This film is warm, funny, and touching, and it's a film where you leave appreciating how music and its performers make up an important part of our world.   My Rating: Full Price   Quartet Info

Indiefest:  Rust and Bone (2013) Ali (Matthais Schoenaerts) gains custody of his young son and moves from Belgium to Antibes to live with his sister and her husband. While working as a bouncer at a night club, Ali meets Stephanie (Marion Cotillard), a woman whose job is to train killer whales at a Marine Water Park. Stephanie is injured in a freak accident at the water park and has to have both legs amputated at the knees. She now reaches out to Ali and a strange, wonderful relationship starts up between the two as they figure out their places in this new world. Cotillard is the reason to see this French/Belgium film, as she brings a full range of emotion and strength to the role of the troubled and damaged Stephanie. It truly is amazing to see the bond that develops between Stephanie and Ali, two people who, at the start of the friendship, have no idea how important each other will be to their growth and happiness.   My Rating: Full Price   Rust and Bone Website

Forgotten Film: Pride Of the Marines (1945) Al Schmid (John Garfield) is a happy-go-lucky factory worker who loves to hunt and hang out with his best friend, Lee (Dane Clark). Life is good for Al, he has a good job, good friends and his life gets better when he starts dating Ruth (Eleanor Parker), a girl who is as fun and carefree as Al. All this changes when Pearl Harbor is attacked by the Japanese and Al joins The Marines to fight for his country.   He may never come back to Ruth, though, and if he does, will things between them ever be the same? John Garfield is perfect in the role of Al, and makes us like him the first time we meet him. What I love about this film is a long, drawn out scene, where Al is having Sunday dinner with Lee and his family, and they slowly learn through radio reports about the bombing of Pearl Harbor. This film also contains a horrifying scene (especially for the time period that it was made) of a Japanese attack on Al’s small outfit somewhere out in the Philippines. The film does a great job showing the transition that Americans, both the men who joined the military and the families that they left behind had to make, rising from a peaceful, ideal world to one that was carrying on a World War.   My Rating: Full Price   Pride of the Marines Info

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD): Taken 2 (2012) This film made my bottom 10 list as I hated this silly, stupid film starring Liam Neeson who is trying to rescue his wife and sometimes his daughter from mobsters who want revenge for what happened to their family in the first Taken film. Quickly, I said quickly, run from this movie!   Taken 2 Website

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I’ve Only Seen in Trailers but Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):  The Haunting of Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia (2013) In what must be the most confusing title of the year, I can’t tell if the ghosts move to Georgia and start haunting in Connecticut or if it’s the other way around. Let’s just say I want to call my travel agent and go anywhere this film isn’t playing.   The Haunting of Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia Website

 

Weird Credits: From the credits of Gangster Squad: Environmental Steward

 

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: Oz the Great and Powerful (2013) The film about the origins of the Wizard of Oz (way before Dorothy), directed by Sam Raimi and starring James Franco, Michelle Williams, Rachel Weisz and Mila Kunis. Just the poster makes me want to see this film!   Oz the Great and Powerful Website

Until Next Time!