10 Cloverfield Lane

My View:  10 Cloverfield Lane  (2016)  PG-13   After surviving a car accident, a young woman, Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) wakes up in an underground cellar. She was rescued by a man, Howard (John Goodman) who claims that a worldwide chemical attack has left the Earth’s surface uninhabitable. I enjoyed this suspenseful film that slowly builds the tension as we learn, along with Michelle bits and pieces of information that may mean things aren’t what Howard told us had happened. There are plenty of twists and turns in the film that will keep you guessing until the very end. Mary Elizabeth Winstead is superb as the headstrong woman who keeps questioning what is going on in the outside world. John Goodman gives a smart and multilayered performance as the good Samaritan that may or may not be holding on to a secret. The film is brilliantly written, and I loved the ending to the movie. Think of this film as more of a Hitchcock type genre film then your more typical Sci-Fi movie.    My Rating: Full Price   10 Cloverfield Lane Website

Indiefest:  Knight of Cups  (2016)  R  A writer (Christian Bale) travels around L.A. and Vegas in a search for love. Let me say right off the bat that I am not a fan of Terrence Malick. I just don’t get his films, and this one is not the exception. Don’t get me wrong, his films are always interesting to look at and beautifully shot (cinematography on this film was done by three-time Oscar winner Emmanuel Lubezki). I just don’t know what the point of this movie is, other than rich people like houses with lots of windows and they like to swim with their clothes on. Until I read the IMDB synopsis, I only knew that Christian Bale’s character worked in Hollywood, but I had no idea he was a scriptwriter (we never see him work). Bale’s character likes to meet beautiful women, sleep with them and then break up with them (after swimming with them at some point). There isn’t any dialogue spoken by the characters on screen; the whole film is done in voiceover, once again making it hard to figure out what’s being talked about. The film felt like it was a two-hour ad for some sort of perfume or cologne, so much so, I kept waiting for Julia Roberts to show up or for Johnny Depp to bury some jewelry in the desert while wearing lots of eye makeup. If you enjoyed Mallick’s Tree of Life, you might like this one, but for everyone else, I would skip it.  That is unless you like watching pretty people playing for hours on the beach.  My Rating: Cable   Knight of Cups Website

Indiefest:  Only Yesterday (1991)  PG  Taeko is a 27-year old office worker who travels to the countryside while reminiscing about her childhood in Tokyo. This is a reissue of the Studio Ghibli classic animated film in celebration of its 25th anniversary. The film, directed by Isao Takahata, was never released in North America until now. The film is a beautiful and touching tale of a young woman who visits relatives and friends in the country as she thinks about her life as a schoolgirl. As she works happily out in the fields with her relatives, she remembers incidents in her childhood that made her the woman she is today. While all this is going on, she strikes up a friendship with a young local farmer. As they traipse around the countryside, discussing their hopes and dreams, their attraction goes stronger. This is an animated film for adults, and it is as good as any modern day romantic film. The film treats its main subject with a loving respect that gives us insight into a woman who is still trying to understand and discover just who she is and how she fits in this world. The love story between the farmer and the girl is brought along slowly, as you see their relationship building naturally throughout the film. I loved this movie, a timeless classic that is as enjoyable today as it was 25 years ago.    My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   Only Yesterday Website

Forgotten Film:  Dark City  (1998)  R  John (Rufus Sewell) wakes up in a strange hotel room with no memory. He gets a phone call from a Dr. Schreber (Kiefer Sutherland) that a group of beings known as The Strangers are about to capture him. John escapes only to be in a world that he doesn’t understand, and he only knows he must try and stop The Strangers from taking over the city. Much in the genre of Blade Runner, Dark City is part Sci-Fi, part film noir with a few horror undertones. John must make his way in a very dark and dangerous world that seems to be threatening his existence at almost every turn. The film takes a detective story and makes it its own, keeping you guessing until the end. It’s a film that you will want to watch multiple times to understand exactly what transpires (and even then you might still not get everything).   My Rating: Full Price   Dark City Info 

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I've Only Seen in Trailers But Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):   God’s Not Dead 2 (2016)  PG  Didn’t we prove this already in the first film? The film is something about a high school teacher discussing Jesus in class and getting sent to the principal’s office.   God's Not Dead 2 Website   

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Knight of Cups:  Source: Harinezumi Camera Footage

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Miles Ahead  (2016)  R   Don Cheadle stars, writes and directs this film about the legendary jazz pioneer Miles Davis. Davis created jazz music that was groundbreaking but was also one of the weirdest cats out there, so this movie should be fascinating.  Miles Ahead Facebook Page

Until Next Time!

The Lego Movie

Family Faire:  The Lego Movie (2014)  PG  For Emmet (Chris Pratt), every day is awesome. He enjoys his life working in construction until he meets a girl named, Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks). She is convinced that he is the “Special,” the greatest Master Builder who can save the Lego universe from the evil President Business (Will Ferrell). Now with the help of Batman(Will Arnett), Vitruvius (Morgan Freeman), Metalbeard (Nick Offerman) and Uni-Kitty (Alison Brie), Emmett must find the courage to fight President Business from using his secret weapon.  My biggest complaint about animated movies is three years are spent making the film but, then they seem to have scripts that took a weekend to write.  This is not the case with this film as it is one of the best animated scripts in the past ten years and encompasses highly imaginative, extremely creative filmmaking.  In the screening I attended, parents were laughing at times more than the kids because the film packs on the sight gags  and funny lines.  I liked Chris Pratt as the everyman Emmet, but it’s Will Arnett who steals the show as the voice of Batman.  He has the Batman voice down pat, as sort of a cross between Bale and Keaton.  Near the end of the film, the action slows down, but the rest of the film is such a fun, wild ride, you can overlook that part. By the way, there is a theme song in the movie called, “Everything is Awesome,” that shows up in various forms in the film. I predict that you will be singing the song with a smile on your face as you leave the theatre.  My Rating:  Full Price   The Lego Movie Website

My View:  The Monuments Men (2014)  PG-13  An unlikely group of World War II soldiers is put together to create a platoon whose job it is to rescue stolen art masterpieces from the Nazis before they destroy them. The strength of this film is its cast with George Clooney, Matt Damon, Bill Murray, Cate Blanchett, John Goodman, Hugh Bonneville, Bob Balaban and Jean Dujardin all making up the squadron that is in charge of trying to rescue the art.  The film does have some very nice moments between some of the characters in the film, especially the relationship of Damon’s character, an art historian who tries to get a key French woman, played by Blanchett, to cooperate in the finding where the Nazis took the art work.  There's a nice chemistry between Blanchett and Damon in the scenes where they are trying to figure out each other’s motives.  There is also a great “bromance” between Murray’s very laid back character and the very stuck up character that Bob Balaban that is probably the best and funniest relationship of the whole film.  The cast is let down by the script as it can never find the right tone for the film, and the film, at times light and funny, never seems to find the right mix to put in the hardships of war.  The film tries too hard to touch on the heartstrings and almost begs us to care before we are given good reason to.  This is not a bad film, in fact, at times, it is very enjoyable, but it’s not the Oscar contender that the studio thought it had.  My Rating:  Bargain Matinee  The Monuments Men Website  

Indiefest:  Gloria (2013)  R  Gloria (Paulina Garcia) is a 58 year old divorcee' who is determined not to spend her nights alone. She hits the single scene, but it seems as though she can’t find love. That is until she met Rodolfo (Sergio Hernandez), an ex-naval officer who sweeps her off her feet. The question is, will this new romance last?  When people complain that movies aren't made for adults anymore, we should point them to this film. Garcia is a force on the screen as she plays a character who, while is comfortable being single, is still looking for love.  Her character has a love of romantic songs and dancing, which shows us that she is hopeful that she will find love again.  This is an interesting, and at times, delightful film, with a performance from Garcia that makes you want to see her find love again.   My Rating:  Full Price  Gloria Website

Forgotten Film:  The Limey (1999)  Wilson (Terence Stamp) is a recently released ex-con who flies overseas to L.A. to investigate the recent death of his daughter.  Once in L.A. he soon gets involved with the sleazy underworld of L.A. life, including his daughter’s boyfriend, Terry (Peter Fonda), who is a record producer with ties to drug trafficking.  Steven Soderbergh directed this taut crime drama that is told through flashbacks.  Stamp gives a performance of a lifetime as a man on the road to vengeance.  It’s a film where you'll discover new things with each viewing.  My Rating:  Full Price  The Limey Infor

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I’ve Only Seen in Trailers But Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):  Need for Speed (2014)  Looks to me like a rip off of the Fast & Furious franchise starring Aaron Paul.  This one, unlike the Fast franchise, looks like it takes itself way too seriously. I know Aaron Paul was in the TV show “Breaking Bad,” but this film just looks like it’s “Breaking Down.”  Need for Speed Info

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD/Blu-ray):  Rush  (2013)  R  I like this movie about the 1976  season of Formula One racing.  The film has great racing sequences (the best I have ever seen), and Daniel Bruhl gives a riveting performance as driving legend Niki Lauda., one, which I thought, was worthy of an Academy Award nomination (alas, he didn’t get one to my dismay).  My Rating:  Full Price  Rush Website

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Lego Movie:  Physical Objects Coordinator

Coming Soon to a Theater Near You:  Muppets Most Wanted (2014) PG  I don’t really care what the plot is (something about a Kermit look-a-like jewel thief).  All I care about is that it’s a film where the Muppets interact with Tina Fey and Tom Hiddleston!  Muppets Most Wanted Website

Until Next Time!

Flight

My View:  Flight (2012) Whip Whitaker (Denzel Washington) is an airline pilot whose quick thinking and brave flying saves a plane and its passengers from a fiery death. But when the authorities begin an investigation into the crash, questions arise and Whip comes under the microscope. This is Denzel’s movie, as he is on-screen almost the whole film and his performance is certainly Oscar quality. The crash sequence is absolutely the best one I have ever seen.  You really feel like you are a part of the flight. John Goodman makes a couple of brief appearances in the film as one of Whip’s buddies, and he takes over those scenes with humor that only Goodman can do. I do feel, though, that the script is a little lacking.  It’s too long, full of clichés that you generally anticipate and there is just too much of Denzel’s character brooding about in rooms. But the film is worth seeing because of Denzel and the crash scenes.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Flight Website

My View:  Cloud Atlas (2012) A tale that takes place over hundreds of years where the action of one person affects the lives of many in the present and in the future. If someone commits a horrible act in one life, can that person be redeemed by committing acts of kindness in their future lives? First off, pack a lunch because this movie is 172 minutes long. It’s a film that you have to pay close attention to because it does a lot of moving about from one time period to another, sometimes very abruptly. Each of the main actors play 5 to 6 characters in the film, and sometimes the makeup is so well done, you can’t tell which actor is portraying certain parts. It’s a gorgeous film, and there are quite a few action sequences to keep the film moving. While I did appreciate the film, and I really liked certain portions of the film, I found that it’s not a film that I want to ever experience again, because while I did enjoy the ending and how everything connected together, it just wasn’t that overwhelming of an experience that it should have been.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Cloud Atlas Website

Indiefest: The Sessions (2012) Mark O’Brien (John Hawkes) contracted polio at age 7. It’s the mid-80’s in San Francisco. Mark is now 38 and spends most of his time in an iron lung with almost no muscle control in his body. Mark has tried to start relationships with women, but has never found anyone who is willing to take a chance on him. Mark decides that time is running out for him, and he wants to lose his virginity, so he enlists counsel of his priest (William H. Macy) and the help of a sex surrogate (Helen Hunt) to accomplish his goal. It’s a goal that will not only change Mark’s life but will change the lives of so many people who know him. This is one of the better films of the year with incredible performances by Hawkes and Hunt, with Hawkes giving his performance with just his voice and his eyes. The film is based on a true story and is about 80 percent accurate, with the poems in the film written by the real Mark O’Brien. I am warning you that there are lots of nudity, and you do see the sex acts between Hawkes and Hunt, but they are tastefully done, with the scenes between the two characters filled with humor and warmth.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   The Sessions Website

Indiefest: The Details (2012) A family of raccoons has decided that Dr. Jeffrey Lang’s (Tobey Maguire) beloved backyard is the perfect feeding ground. Dr. Lang becomes obsessed with ridding his yard of the pests, by any means necessary. This war on the raccoons could destroy his yard…and his marriage. This is a dark comedy where Maguire’s character just gets caught up in more and more bad things, some are his fault, some the fault of others. Elizabeth Banks plays his wife, who seems to be the perfect wife until you see that their marriage is just about appearances, much like the yard that Maguire’s character obsesses about. Laura Linney is sensational in the role of the crazy neighbor, who becomes the key to all that happens to Maguire’s character. This isn’t a great film, but it does have some really creative scenes and a cast that is worth watching.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee    The Details Info

Forgotten Film: Freaks (1932) This film, directed by Tod Browning (Dracula), is one of the scariest films I have ever seen. A beautiful trapeze artist, Cleopatra (Olga Baclanova), finds out that Hans, a little person working in the circus, is about to inherit a lot of money. She sets her sights on him and manipulates him into wedding proposal, all the while she is having an affair with the Circus strongman, Hercules (Henry Victor). Most of the cast is made of up of actual sideshow performers, such as Siamese Twins and Human Skeleton. When the sideshow performers find out that Cleopatra is just using Hans for his money, they set out for revenge. The ending of this film must be seen to be believed.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee Freaks Info 

Weird Credits: From the credits of Flight:   Addiction Consultant

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: Life of Pi (2012) The story of an Indian boy name Pi, who, after a ship he was on is sunk in a storm, finds himself on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger. I know it sounds weird, but it’s directed by Ang Lee, and the word is that this is a magical film.    Life of Pi Website

Until Next Time!

Argo

My View:  Argo (2012) Based on a true story, Ben Affleck directs this film and stars as a CIA agent who tries to save six Americans hiding at the Canadian ambassador’s home in Iran during the Iranian Hostage Crisis of 1979. His idea: Pose as a Canadian filmmaker and have the Americans escape by acting as his Canadian crew. Affleck keeps getting better as a director, and he gives this film a wonderful pace that builds toward an incredible ending. What I really liked about this film is that it isn’t all drama based; there are some very funny moments in this film, most of the time, supplied by Alan Arkin and John Goodman, who play two Hollywood filmmakers who help Affleck’s character set up the fake movie, including providing a script and publicity. This is a film that, at its conclusion, you just might feel the urge to clap. Be sure to stay through the first series of credits as the film shows you side-by-side with the actors and pictures of the real people the parts were based on.    My View: Full Price   Argo Website

Indiefest:  Seven Psychopaths (2012) A screenwriter, Marty (Colin Farrell), is struggling to come up with his next script. All he has is a title, “Seven Psychopaths.” His best friend, Billy (Sam Rockwell), makes a living by stealing dogs and returning them to their owners for a reward. But, Billy makes a big mistake – he has stolen the dog of a psychopathic mob boss (Woody Harrelson) who has vowed to find and kill the perpetrator who stole his beloved dog. Think of this film as if the director of Pulp Fiction (1994), Quentin Tarantino, and the writer of Swingers (1996), Jon Favreau, got together and had a film baby. This is a wild, hilarious film that is non-stop fun from the start, where one of the first scenes show two hit men arguing over whether shooting someone in the eye is hard to do. Colin Farrell is funny as the meek Marty, a guy who gets caught in some very dangerous situations with some very dangerous men. But, it’s Sam Rockwell as Marty’s unstable buddy and Christopher Walken, who plays Hans, Marty’s dog-stealing partner, who make this film go. Walken steals every scene he is in, and Rockwell plays off Farrell’s character so well, you almost think they are brothers in real life.    My View: I Would Pay to See it Again    Seven Psychopaths Website    Please note: This film is being releashed by CBS Films and I work for CBS, Inc.

Indiefest:  The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012) Charlie (Logan Lerman) is a shy, introverted freshman just trying to survive in high school. He is taken under the wings of two seniors, the openly gay Patrick (Ezra Miller) and the beautiful girl that Charlie quickly falls secretly in love with, Sam (Emma Watson). Charlie’s two new friends soon discover that Charlie has had mental problems and is having trouble getting over the suicide of his best friend and the death of his Aunt. I absolutely loved this film and how it shows how strange, off beat people can find and support each other, even in the scary world of high school. This is an enjoyable film that has terrific dialogue and some excellent performances, especially Lerman, who gives heart to the role of Charlie. This is one of those films that young people will watch over and over again because it so realistically and lovingly shows what it’s like to be a teenager in high school.   My Rating: Full Price    The Perks of Being a Wallflower

The 50 (A Movie From My Best/Worst Films of All time)

#14 Worst Film

Showgirls (1995)  A young girl named Nomi(Saved by the Bell’s Elizabeth Berkley), hitches a ride to Las Vegas with aspirations of becoming a Vegas showgirl. Isn’t that what every little girl dreams about? But, life is hard in Vegas, and Nomi will have to sleep her way to the top, leaving her friends (other showgirls) and boyfriends (why are you in this movie Kyle MacLachlan?) behind. For a film that has tons of nudity, it’s one of the most un-erotic films I have ever seen. The sex scene between Berkley and MacLachlan in the pool is so bad, it’s almost scary. The dialogue is horrible.  It’s as if the writer (Joe Eszterhas) thought the opinions and plot of this film won’t matter because everyone will be staring at the nude girls.   Showgirls Info

Forgotten Film:  Heathers (1988) Veronica (Winona Ryder) is one of the popular girls in Westerburg High School. Her three best friends are all named Heather (Kim Walker, Shannen Doherty and Lisanne Falk), and, as a group, they rule the school with their looks, their attitude and their ability to put down anyone who attempts to stand up to them. Things change when Veronica becomes interested in a new student, J.D. (Christian Slater), who, to put it mildly, is a bit of a rebel. This is a black comedy filled with murder, revenge and very funny lines. Ryder is perfect as the smart, but in-over-her head Veronica, and Slater plays J.D. like a 40 year old psychopath in a teenager’s body.   My Rating: Full Price   Heathers Info

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD):  Prometheus (2012) Ridley Scott directed this “prequel” to his 1979 film, “Alien,” where a team of scientists are exploring space when they become stranded on an alien world; a world that has many hidden dangers. The cast includes Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron and Idris Elba. The DVD/Blu-ray contains not only alternate endings, but also alternate beginnings.   My Rating:  Bargain Matinee    Prometheus Info

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I’ve Only Seen in Trailers but Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):  The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 (2012) Do you really care what the plot is or what the child of Bella and Edward looks like? Can I just look at the poster and say that I have seen the film, because I think the plot will be about as thin as the poster, itself.

Weird Credits: From the film Seven Psychopaths: Construction Medic

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Lincoln (2012) Steven Spielberg directs Daniel Day-Lewis in the title role, so, sign me up to see this film. The film that just got rave reviews at the New York Film Festival and has an almost perfect cast, including Tommy Lee Jones, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, John Hawkes and Sally Field as Mary Todd Lincoln.   Lincoln Info

Until Next Time!